Today’s modern world is hectic. For many people, it seems like responsibilities of work and home life simultaneously pull them in many directions. As a result, many people are out and about at just about any given time. Because of construction or overtaxing of the roadway system, many of these people find themselves stuck in traffic while they are rushing to meet their responsibilities.
In order to compensate, many decide that it is a good idea to exceed the speed limit or practice other unsafe driving habits. Many justify their decision by saying that speeding is a benign offense that everyone is guilty of from time-to-time. However, according to a recent study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that attitude can kill.
The study was the latest effort by the NHTSA to make the nation’s roadways safer. The agency estimates that speeding is responsible for nearly one-third of fatal motor vehicle accidents nationwide, resulting in the death of about 10,000 motorists each year. The NHTSA conducted the survey because it believed that many drivers had a lax attitude toward the dangers of speeding. Unfortunately, this belief was largely confirmed.
During the study, the NHTSA studied driver attitudes towards speeding across the United States. During the survey, four out of five respondents said that they believed that obeying the speed limit allowed them to more easily avoid car accidents and other dangerous situations. Despite this acknowledgement of the safety benefits of driving within posted speed limits, more than 25 percent of those surveyed said that they regularly sped or enjoyed speeding. In addition, 16 percent said that they believed that exceeding the speed limit did not present any safety concerns to an experienced driver.
The respondents’ responses varied by sex and age groups. In general, male drivers were more likely to admit to speeding than females. Young drivers of both sexes, those 16-20 years old, were the most likely to admit to speeding. Perhaps unsurprisingly, drivers in this age group were the most likely to be involved in a speed-related crash within the prior five years.
As a result of the study’s results, the NHTSA plans to launch several educational campaigns to encourage safe driving habits among drivers of all ages, but particularly teens.
Unfortunately, Colorado drivers are not immune to the dangers of speeding. According to the Colorado State Patrol, speeding is the second leading cause of fatal and injury crashes. Sadly, one person’s hurry to get someplace causes many people to needlessly lose loved ones each year.
If you have lost a close family member in a car accident, you may be entitled to recover damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. An experienced Denver wrongful death attorney can advise you on your claim and work to ensure that the responsible driver is held accountable for his or her actions.
