Many drivers in Connecticut, as elsewhere, believe that speeding is culturally acceptable and do not mind engaging in it themselves. By doing so, however, they increase their risk for a crash, especially a fatal one. Pedestrians and bicyclists are often the victims of speeding crashes. If they only slightly decreased their speed, they could lower both their crash risk and the severity of any crashes that do occur.
This lack of a safety culture among drivers is one of the things that the Governors Highway Safety Association wishes to address. In April 2019, it will convene a forum with various stakeholders in the development of a speeding reduction program. The GHSA’s State Highway Safety Offices are in a unique position to implement such a program in addition to any other educational or law enforcement efforts.
A recent report from the GHSA stresses the need for education as well as safer designs for driving environments. It recommends the building of traffic calming elements like roundabouts. The importance of such measures is reflected in the fact that nearly one-third of all automobile-related fatalities involve speeding.
Another issue the GHSA has brought attention to is the number of speeding-related deaths that occur on rural roadways: It’s higher than in urban areas. More than 5,000 people speeding-related fatalities were recorded on rural roadways in 2016 alone.
Those who were injured by the negligence of another driver, whether he or she was speeding, driving distracted or driving under the influence, may be eligible for damages under personal injury law. This may cover medical expenses, lost wages, vehicle damage, and pain and suffering. Filing the claim is where legal assistance might prove beneficial. Accident attorneys might have a network of professionals to gather police reports, phone records and any other proof of the defendant’s negligence.
