Louisiana Speeding Car Accident Lawyers

A car, truck, or SUV, is a familiar sight on the road, and a major part of the American economy. It’s important to know that the momentum of any vehicle can be dangerous if speed limits are not properly followed. Speeding decreases a driver’s reaction time, increases stopping distance, and makes it more difficult to avoid accidents.

In 2020, speeding was a big cause of traffic fatalities—11,258 people were killed, or over 30 people each day on average. An accident is deemed speeding-related if the driver was

• Charged with a speeding-related offense
• Racing
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Exceeding the posted speed limit

If you were hurt in a car accident due to the other driver speeding, call the experienced speeding car accident lawyers at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys for a free consultation! We want to help get the compensation you deserve, so you can heal and move forward with your life.

Why do drivers exceed the posted speed limit?

Not following the speed limit is a dangerous habit that contributes to a big number of fatal accidents every year. In order to reduce incidents of speeding, there must be an understanding as to what motivates people to do it in the first place. 

Many people speed for the following reasons:

• It feels good. Most drivers can relate to the rush that driving fast evokes, like when you’re jamming to music, cruising down I-10, or taking a curvy country road. However, this can lead to pushing the gas pedal with too much force. Be aware of your speed, and adjust it as you need to keep within the law and within safety limits.
• Social Pressure. When drivers aren’t following the speed limit for whatever reason, it can make other drivers feel pressure to keep up with the flow of traffic. If you’re going the required speed limit, but surrounding cars are speeding, you may feel the need to increase your speed so as not to hinder traffic.
• Situational Factors. Trips with certain qualities persuade drivers to speed. Being in a hurry is a major contributor, but the driving environment and length of the trip can be a cause too. Other less-obvious factors include lane width, road quality, and others.

The risks of exceeding posted speed limits

Some risks of going over the speed limit include

• Seat belts and airbags are not as effective at high speeds
• Accidents at higher speeds force those involved to experience greater forces, leading to more serious injury
• It’s easier to lose control of the vehicle at high speeds, especially in turns or other maneuvers
• High speeds lead to a significant increase in stopping distance: every doubling of miles per hour leads to a near-tripling of stopping distance!

Speed limits are not arbitrary limits to impede drivers’ freedoms. When a driver speeds, they’re disregarding a rule designed to prevent accidents and protect people. Speed limits are put into place only after considering many factors, some of which include

• Road conditions
• Area buildings
• Traffic flow, volume, and patterns
• The landscape, like curves or hills that can block vision
• Plus many other factors

Traffic Accidents caused by speeding

Speeding can cause any number of traffic accidents, including

• T-bone wrecks
• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on collision
• Pile-up crashes
• and more

All of these traffic accidents only become more likely when the vehicles involved increase their speeds, and they become more injurious and deadly as well. The effect is especially pronounced as vehicles become more massive: for example, a speeding 18-wheeler accident is much more dangerous than a speeding accident involving two passenger cars.

Common injuries caused by speeding

Even though injuries range in severity, high speed collisions are still some of the most life-threatening injuries because they can cause greater damages and more forceful impacts. While some accidents are certainly unavoidable, being aware of what can happen in an accident due to speeding can help drivers become more cautious when on the road.

The following are the most common injuries linked to speeding accidents:

• Whiplash
• Lacerations
• Death
• Neck Injury
• Brain Injury, including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Burns
• Paralysis
• Disfigurement
• Broken Bones
• Fractures
• Head Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury

Driving too fast is deeply correlated with car wrecks, injuries, and fatal crashes. When a driver exceeds the speed limit, it can make emergency situations that require a sudden stop more dangerous. If you or a loved one has been injured in a speeding crash, our accident injury law firm is here for you.

Should I hire a personal injury lawyer after my speeding accident?

Yes! You should hire a personal injury lawyer after being a speeding accident victim. Even if it was a minor accident, if you were injured, you need to speak to a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

If you sustained injuries in a Louisiana car accident caused by a speeding driver, you may be able to hold them accountable for the losses you endured, including financial, physical, and emotional damages. 

When should I hire a Louisiana speeding car accident lawyer?

You should call an experienced personal injury lawyer as soon as you can after a speeding accident.

In 2024, Louisiana law extended the statute of limitations for personal injury claims occurring on or after July 1, 2024, from one year to two years. Any injuries that occurred before July 1, 2024, will still have a 1-year statute of limitation. Learn more about Louisiana’s New Statute of Limitations here.

• 1 year for injuries sustained before July 1, 2024.
• 2 years for injuries suffered after July 1, 2024.

The statute of limitations is a legal deadline that sets a time frame for filing a lawsuit. In Louisiana, this is known as the “prescriptive period,” which determines how long you have to take legal action against the responsible party after an injury occurs.

So if you choose to wait any longer than that, there’s a chance your case might be thrown out altogether.

Call an experienced speeding accident injury lawyer today

After you’ve been injured by a speeding driver, call the personal injury attorneys at Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys toll-free at 888.501.7888 so we can help you get the funds you need. When you call us, you’ll have a chance to receive a free consultation from a trustworthy car accident lawyer about the details of your excessive speeding case, and then we’ll get started with gathering evidence and building your case. 

We’re so confident in our work that we offer the G Guarantee: you don’t give us a dime until we win your personal injury claim. Our clients are our family, and we’ll do everything in our power to get you the compensation you deserve!

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