In fiscal year 2019, Chattanooga police reported 32 motor vehicle-related fatalities. Marking an increase over 2018, the CPD suggests speed was a factor in many of these motor vehicle accidents. The department has been reviewing infrastructure and engineering solutions that can be coupled with educational and enforcement efforts to help put an end to this problem.
According to the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) speeding-related fatalities have seen a drop nationally. Locally, though, we are seeing an increase in the number of speed-related car crashes. Speed is a factor in as many as 31% of all fatal car accidents – 3% more than alcohol – and a contributing factor in countless non-fatal accidents as well.
A Ubiquitous Problem
It is likely that every time you drive you encounter someone speeding. Studies have found that a surprising majority of people don’t think there is anything wrong with speeding. In fact, many people view the speed limit as a general guideline to be followed or ignored depending on convenience. The problem is, speed limits are not suggestions, they are carefully selected, data-driven safety measures designed to save lives.
Congress adopted a national speed limit in 1974. Setting the limit at 55 MPH, this limit was not designed to save lives, but rather to save gas. It wasn’t as successful as hoped and, in 1995, the law was repealed, allowing states to adopt limits that were more in line with their traffic flows.
The maximum speed limit allowed on any roadways in Tennessee is 70 MPH. This is considered the safest traveling speed based on historical traffic conditions and other factors. Traveling at speeds higher than those posted places you and everyone else on the road at increased risk for serious or fatal injury.
What are the Risks of Speeding?
Risks of speeding include:
- Reduced stopping time
- Reduced effectiveness of safety equipment
- Increased risk for loss of vehicle control
- Increased risk of severe or fatal injury
Speeding reduces the amount of time you have to think and react to potentially dangerous situations on the road. It increases your risks of killing or seriously injuring yourself, your passengers, and people traveling in other vehicles.
The time savings from speeding are nominal. When considered against the risk of killing someone, shaving a few minutes off of your commute seems entirely unacceptable. And yet, thousands of drivers in and around Chattanooga take this risk every day. If you are injured or a loved one is killed as a result of someone else’s negligence, Herbert Thornbury may be able to help you collect fair compensation.
Call Herbert Thornbury Attorney at Law at 423-752-0544 to schedule a complimentary case review and learn how we can help. Located in Chattanooga, Attorney Thornbury assists victims of serious injury living in Nashville, Atlanta, and nearby areas of Tennessee and Georgia.
