All West Virginia drivers have experienced the anxiety of running late or feeling impatient to arrive at their destination. In some cases, they may decide to ignore the rules of the road and nudge the accelerator past the speed limit.
While this risky action may help them arrive a few minutes sooner, it also places other drivers at a high risk of motor vehicle accidents with potentially serious injuries. In fact, speed is a factor in over 9,000 fatal accidents each year.
Drivers often have a false sense of security and privacy inside their vehicles, causing them to detach from the world outside. For some drivers, the stress of traffic and the habits of other drivers can trigger aggressive behaviors, including shifting lanes, tailgating and driving excessively fast. Some may simply have a blatant disregard for the law and consequently for the health and safety of others on the road.
The deadly consequences of speeding
Unfortunately, speeding is a factor in nearly one-third of all fatal crashes. Driving above the posted speed limit makes it more difficult for a driver to maintain control of the vehicle, which leaves less room for even small mistakes. A speeding vehicle requires considerably more time and distance to stop when conditions change. Perhaps most critically, accidents involving speed have a greater likelihood of being more severe and causing catastrophic injuries.
A vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed gives others on the road little time to react or protect themselves. Victims of motor vehicle accidents may suffer life-threatening injuries, requiring a long and painful recovery. Even worse, a reckless driver may leave a family grieving and struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one following a senseless and fatal accident.
