New Jersey drivers may have read that the number of traffic deaths have increased over the last few years. While some experts believe that it is due to an increase in the number of vehicles on the road and others blame pedestrians and smartphone use, a study showed that speed could ultimately be the problem.
The National Transportation Safety Board found that, between 2005 and 2014, speeding was considered to be the main factor in 112,580 fatalities. For comparison, researchers found that 112,948 traffic deaths had alcohol as a factor.
To combat speeding, the NTSB recommended that the penalties for speeding be changed to match the consequences of a DUI. For example, this may mean automatically suspending a driver’s license. This is usually done for those who are accused of drunk driving. Further, campaigns to bring awareness to the dangers of speeding could be helpful in reducing the number of traffic fatalities caused by driving too fast. However, implementing safe driving laws and street patterns has been difficult due to push back from communities. Some communities have filed lawsuits against road diets, which are street configurations designed to slow traffic and offer car-free travel alternatives.
When drivers travel 10 miles faster than the speed limit, the chances for survival in the event of a car accident dramatically decrease. For example, a pedestrian may have a 60 percent chance of survival if a driver is traveling at 30 mph but a 40 percent chance of survival if the driver is traveling 40 mph. Those who become seriously injured after being involved in car accidents that had speeding as a factor may want to seek appropriate compensation by filing a lawsuit with the assistance of an attorney.