Central Valley has a lot of long, flat straightaways that can tempt drivers to push the pedal down. You can make sure you’re always traveling at a safe speed, but that might not keep you out of a collision with someone who’s not paying attention to their own speedometer.
Distracted driving has become an epidemic around Turlock and across the country, but add speed to that equation and the results can be deadly. A safe driver can end up in an accident caused by a careless driver who might have been traveling well above the limit.
Speeding Dangers Around Turlock
An April article in The Ceres Courier found a shocking rise in speeding across California. They looked at 2020 data from the California Highway Patrol over a month-long period that showed the CHP issued 2,493 citations statewide for speeding cases of more than 100 mph, as compared to 1,335 during the same period in 2019. That’s a 35% increase.
That’s a scary jump when you consider that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finds 26% of all fatal accidents involved excessive speed. That deadly percentage has held steady for two decades.
The speeding statistics are hard to misinterpret. A speeding driver puts you and your passengers at elevated risk on the road. An accident caused by a negligent driver can leave you with severe injuries. A lengthy, expensive recovery may be the result. You may face having to hold the at-fault driver responsible for your financial, emotional, and physical hardships. Please feel free to contact a local attorney at The Maison Law Firm for a free consultation on your options and the best way to get compensation for your injuries.
Speeding Magnifies the Consequences of an Accident
Traveling at high rates of speed multiplies the devastating effects of an accident. The choice to speed, of course, increases the violent force in any impact. Speeding can also adversely affect many of the safeguards in place in an accident. Speeding carries many hazards that can include:
- Greater potential for loss of vehicle control.
- Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment like seatbelts and airbags.
- Less time to hit the brakes and less room to stop after the driver perceives a danger.
- Increased degree of crash blunt force leading to more severe injuries.
- Criminal charges in the aftermath of an accident.
Time Limit to File a Lawsuit or Claim
If you’re the victim in a crash involving a speeding driver, filing a lawsuit may be your only option to recover everything you’ll need to make a recovery. The State of California allows a victim to file a claim for up to two years from the date of the accident.
It is not recommended that you wait until the end of this deadline to file. The longer you wait to file a lawsuit the harder it will be to gather evidence, contact witnesses, and collect documents you’ll need to build a strong case against the at-fault driver. An attorney can help you with this important decision.
If you do decide to file a claim against the driver’s insurance you may be able to get compensation for some of your hardships that you hadn’t considered. You may be able to recover things like short and long term medical expenses, past and future lost earnings, costs for disabilities rehab, and damages for emotional pain and depression.
Contact a Turlock Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in an accident that was the result of a speeding driver you’ll want to ensure your medical bills and lost wages from missed time at work are covered. You didn’t cause this accident and you shouldn’t have to worry about how your bills in the aftermath of the tragedy get paid. A local Central Valley attorney can make sure you get the compensation you’ll need for your recovery now and in the future.
You’ll want to speak to an experienced Turlock Car Accident Lawyer such as Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He believes that every client should work directly with their lawyer, get honest advice, and personalized attention to detail their case deserves.
