One of the main factors to consider in serious or fatal car accidents is the speed the vehicles were traveling when the crash occurred. After all, nearly one out of three fatal accidents has speed as a major component. Speed clearly causes accidents and increases the odds that the people involved will suffer serious injuries.
Some argue that the problem is the difference in speed between vehicles. And this has been found to cause accidents. If some drivers are breaking the speed limit and others are driving 10 miles an hour below the speed limit, it causes a lot of traffic congestion, aggressive driving, sudden lane changes and other such issues.
However, experts note that speed differences just alter the odds that an accident will take place initially. These speed differences don’t have any impact on the severity of the injuries. Instead, the biggest indicator of fatal injuries is excessive speed, as injury severity tends to go up when drivers are traveling at a faster rate – even if other traffic around them is also traveling at that speed.
How can you avoid accidents?
Naturally, it’s helpful to drive with the flow of traffic to avoid traffic congestion. If you do get caught behind slower vehicles, do not drive aggressively. Also, refrain from breaking the speed limit or engaging in other risky driving behaviors, lowering both your odds of an accident and the odds of fatal injuries.
Unfortunately, though, you can’t control all the drivers around you. You may have to share the road with negligent drivers who cause serious accidents and injuries, and then you need to know how to seek financial compensation.
