Why Does Speeding Causes So Many Car Accidents?
According to the National Safety Council, speeding kills an average of over 31 people per day in traffic accidents.
Most drivers don’t see an issue with the needle on the speedometer inching up, especially when running late to work or trying to beat a red light, but the truth is that a moment of reckless speeding can have catastrophic consequences. Car accidents can lead to injuries and other damages for drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, and other pedestrians.
Keep reading to learn why speeding causes so many car accidents from BD&J’s California car accident lawyers on what counts as speeding, why speeding comes with so many risks, and how you can fulfill your duty of care as a driver on California roads.
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What Counts as Speeding?
California recognizes speeding as defined in the following state laws:
- California Vehicle Code §22349 states the maximum speed on highways for California drivers, which is 55 mph on an undivided 2-lane highway, and 65 mph on a freeway. The only specific exception is when the Department of Transportation or a similar agency posts a higher speed limit on certain roads.
- California Vehicle Code §22350 states that no person shall drive a vehicle at a speed greater than what is reasonable or prudent, having due regard to weather, visibility, traffic, and the surface and width of the road. In no event should a driver go at a speed which endangers the safety of people or property.
In short, a speed that goes past a defined speed limit for certain roads, ignores weather conditions, goes past the flow of traffic, and endangers people and other property is considered speeding.
It’s important to keep an eye out for posted speed limits. Many California streets may have a speed limit of 35 to 45 mph, but this can ultimately depend on each environment.
Special Zones with Lower Speed Limits
Posted speed limits may often differ depending on certain areas. These zones are:
School Zones- In a school or playground zone, a driver can’t go faster than 25 mph or sometimes 15 mph when children are present.
Work Zones- Construction work zones will typically have signs specifying a 10-mph speed limit, especially for the safety of pedestrians and construction workers.
Residential Zones- Standard residential streets usually have 25 mph speed limit.
Alleys- In California, speed limits for alleys are 15 mph.
Why is Speeding Such a Common Cause for Car Accidents in California?
Speeding causes so many car accidents in California, with one very recent accident in Ventura County involving a driver going 124 mph and causing the death of his girlfriend and another passenger in a collision.
Whether a driver is exceeding the speed limit, racing another driver, or driving too fast for the weather and road conditions, the moment a car inches toward unlawful speeds for the area its traveling through is the moment when the risk of an accident immediately increases.
Speeding can lead to serious and even fatal traffic accidents due to the following:
- An increase in the chances of loss of control for the vehicle
- It heightens the distance needed to stop when a vehicle ahead brakes
- Delays driver reaction times
- It amplifies a crash’s impact force, which can be especially harmful for unprotected and exposed pedestrians
Speeding, combined with impairment, distracted driving, or aggressive driving, and other external factors like road conditions, presence of work zones, or even bad weather can be a troublesome combination.
Car Accident Lawyers in California on Why Drivers Speed
Speeding is a major problem in California cities. In fact, a recent AAA study revealed that 54% of Californian drivers believed that keeping up with traffic was safer than obeying speed limits, and 35% of California drivers considered themselves occasional speeders.
According to BD&J’s car accident lawyers in California, some of the most common reasons why many drivers choose to speed on the road include:
- Habit
- Viewing speed limits as suggestions rather than rules
- Running late for work, school, or any other activity
- Pressure to match the flow of traffic
- Trying to escape an area with high traffic congestion
- Believing their speeding is reasonable and not dangerous
- Their anonymity on the road while in a vehicle
- Lack of care for their safety and that of other drivers
How To Avoid Speeding Drivers on the Road
Avoid any reckless speeding drivers on the road with the following steps:
- Move out of the way. – One of the simplest ways to avoid a driver who insists on driving recklessly is moving out of their way.
- Widen your following distance. – You don’t want to follow a speeding car too closely, as a sudden brake can lead to an accident.
- Stay in the middle or right lane. – Middle and right lanes often have slower traffic, so you can be a bit more at ease in these lanes.
- Do not brake-check a driver. – If you find yourself being tailgated by a speeding driver, avoid brake-checking them as the stopping distance they have is extremely short and can result in an accident.
Avoiding a speeding driver can lower the risk of accidents, but if you’ve found yourself injured in a car accident anyway, the BD&J car accident lawyers in California are here to help you understand your legal rights.
Tips to Prevent Your Own Speeding
All drivers have a duty of care to each other, bicyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians to operate their vehicle safely. Keep this duty of care and prevent your own speeding by:
- Leave 5-10 minutes earlier than you normally would
- Be attentive to your speedometer
- Avoid giving into other aggressive or speeding drivers
- Use cruise control if available in your vehicle to stick to set speed and avoid sudden acceleration
- Learn about high traffic congestion areas to prepare ahead of time
- Be attentive of your surroundings, as well as looking for posted speed limit signs
Doing your part as a driver can make an enormous difference in preventing car accidents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Car Accidents Are Related to Speed?
In California in 2025, there were 16,768 fatal and serious injury crashes, of which 4,896 were related to speeding.
Are Speeding Accident Injuries Serious?
Absolutely, the sheer force of a car going at excessive speeds can lead to grave injuries when it collides with another vehicle or bike and is forced to stop. Common injuries from speeding accidents include spine injuries, broken bones, lacerations, brain injuries, and even wrongful death.
When Should I Speak with an Attorney to File a Car Accident Claim?
You should speak to an attorney as soon as you’ve been medically cleared and have the necessary evidence to pursue a legal claim.
Who is Responsible if a Speeding Teen Driver Hit My Car?
New teen drivers who speed and cause a car accident are directly at fault, but their parents or guardians are the ones financially responsible for covering any damages related to the crash.
How Can I Prove Someone Was Speeding in an Accident?
Proving someone was speeding before an accident can be done through the use of evidence like photos of the accident scene and road conditions highlighting skid marks and vehicle damage showing speeding, witness testimony, footage from dashcams or street cameras, accident reconstruction, and a police report.
What Compensation Can I Recover from a Car Accident Claim?
Compensation you can recover from a car accident claim includes current and future medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and, in cases of prior violations or to prevent the same recklessness in the future, punitive damages.
What if I Was Partially at Fault for My Accident?
If you were partially at fault for an accident and injuries, such as failing to wear a seat belt, following a car too closely, etc., you can still recover compensation if another driver caused the accident. This is because California recognizes comparative negligence.
What is Comparative Negligence?
California recognizes comparative negligence, which means that any person who had some percentage of fault in their own accident could still recover compensation. The compensation amount is simply reduced by the percentage of fault a person is assigned.
Do I Have to Call the Police After an Accident?
It is California law that you must call the police for any vehicle accident that causes injuries or death within 24 hours.
Calling the police can help generate an accident report that details the events of the accident, as well as other officer observations, such as whether a driver was impaired, distracted, or aggressive.
Can BD&J Car Accident Lawyers in California Help Me Determine if I’m Getting a Good Settlement Offer?
Absolutely, our attorneys have dedicated themselves to ensuring all clients receive the maximum compensation they deserve after a debilitating accident since our establishment in 2007.
When you work with our car accident lawyers, you’re working with a team of experts who have the resources, attention, and skill to represent drivers and passengers injured by negligence. With more than $3 billion* recovered for clients in compensation, your case is in the right hands with BD&J.
Do I Have to Pay Upfront to Work with BD&J?
Not at all. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means advancing clients all case costs to get their legal claim started.
After a case is settled, we recover final attorney fees from the compensation amount. This means no fees until we win your case*.
California Car Accident Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Injured Drivers After Negligence
Speeding is a temporary answer to traffic, aggression, and pressure to make it somewhere in a limited time frame. Many drivers overlook the heftier price that comes with speeding, which can be significantly serious accidents, and often severe or fatal injuries.
California drivers, in particular, have divisive opinions over speeding, but one thing is certain: speeding is a problem in California and can often impact other innocent drivers and passengers.
If you were injured in a speeding accident, you deserve to have your story told. BD&J car accident lawyers in California are ready to fight for your right to compensation and justice.
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