Iowa residents should know about a report released by Governors Highway Safety Association because it is concerned with a widespread issue: speeding. According to the report, nearly one in three traffic deaths every year are caused by excessive travel speed.
Most of these crashes can be avoided with a reduction of speed. Not only that, but even a slight decrease in speed can lower the severity of crashes and the injuries that might result. This can save lives, especially the lives of pedestrians and bicyclists. However, speeding is considered culturally acceptable among many drivers; it comes with no stigma the way that DUI or driving without a seatbelt does.
The GHSA report thus recommends better education; more robust law enforcement, including automated speed enforcement; and the incorporation of roundabouts and other structures that can slow drivers down. Some urban areas, including Boston and New York City, have successfully reduced vehicle speeds through the changing of speed limits.
However, the report shows that speeding-related crashes are more prevalent in rural and suburban areas than in urban regions. In 2016 alone, there were more than 5,000 speeding-related deaths on rural roadways. The same initiatives that curb speeding in urban areas could be used to focus on these regions. The goal is to try and get roadway fatalities down to zero.
So long as the human factor is involved in driving, there is the possibility of negligence. When speeding or another form of negligence is behind a car crash, there is the possibility of victims filing a personal injury case and being compensated for their losses like medical expenses and vehicle damage. Before filing, though, victims may want to retain a lawyer since auto insurance companies can be aggressive in denying payment. A lawyer might negotiate on victims’ behalf for a fair settlement.