Cars speeding in the middle of the road

Speeding remains one of the leading causes of serious and fatal car crashes in Alabama and across the United States. The same is true in Huntsville. According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), speeding is one of the three major contributors to injury and death in motor vehicle accidents.

If you have been injured in a car accident due to speeding, our Huntsville speeding accident lawyers are ready to demand maximum compensation from the responsible party. At Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., we have recovered over $125 million in compensation for our clients in Huntsville and throughout the state. We want to put our experience to work for you. Let our award-winning legal team handle the details so you can focus on feeling better.

Contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer at our firm.

Why Are Speeding Accidents So Dangerous?

Excessive speed reduces a driver’s ability to react to sudden changes in road conditions, traffic patterns, and unexpected hazards. The elevated risks associated with high-speed crashes include:

  • Increased crash severity — Driving at higher speeds increases the force of impact, causing more severe injuries and raising the risk of fatalities.
  • Longer stopping distances — Drivers who exceed the speed limit often don’t have enough time to stop so they can avoid a crash.
  • Reduced control — Speeding makes it harder for drivers to control their vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
  • Reduced effectiveness of safety features — Airbags, seat belts, and crumple zones work best at legal speeds, but high-speed crashes reduce their effectiveness in protecting vehicle occupants.

Common Injuries from Speeding Accidents in Huntsville

Speeding not only causes car accidents but also makes the resulting injuries more severe when one occurs. Car accidents involving high speeds often result in extensive and life-changing injuries. Some of the most common serious injuries in speeding accidents include:

  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of TBIs. Brain injuries may quickly become a life-or-death situation, and those who survive may suffer from permanent cognitive impairments.
  • Spinal cord injuries — The impact of a high-speed crash on the spine may lead to fractures or herniated discs. Severe spinal cord injuries can result in partial or complete paralysis.
  • Broken bones — The impact force can break any bones in the body, but particularly vulnerable are the arms, legs, ribs, and pelvis. Complex breaks or complications from fractures can lead to a long and painful recovery period.
  • Internal injuries — A high-speed accident may create damage to internal organs like the liver, heart, lungs, or kidneys, which can be life-threatening without immediate medical care. Internal bleeding is a related significant risk.
  • Neck and back injuries — Soft tissue injuries like whiplash are often far worse in high-speed crashes. Victims might not regain full mobility for several weeks or months.
  • Burns and lacerations — High-speed collisions may cause fires, broken glass, or metal shards that can lead to severe burns or deep cuts.

What Percentage of Fatal Car Accidents Are Caused by Speeding?

Exceeding the posted speed limit or going too fast for conditions significantly contributes to many fatal crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 28 percent of traffic fatalities in Alabama involved speeding in a recent year. Nationally, 29 percent of fatal auto accidents were speed-related, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

Common Types of High-Speed Crashes in Huntsville

As speeding car accident attorneys in Huntsville, we handle many collisions caused by excessive speed. Car accidents caused by speeding frequently result in:

  • Head-on collisions — Speeding drivers who lose control may veer into oncoming traffic, resulting in severe or fatal injuries.
  • T-bone accidents — Excessive speed can cause devastating side-impact or T-bone crashes, especially when speeding drivers run stoplights and stop signs.
  • Rear-end collisions — Speeding drivers often cannot stop in time for a red light, stop sign, or traffic and slam into the back of another vehicle.
  • Rollover accidents — High speeds increase the risk of a vehicle rolling over, especially on curves or slick or uneven roads.
  • Multi-car crashes — Just one speeding driver can initiate a chain reaction leading to a multi-car pileup with injuries and potential fatalities.

Factors Contributing to the Severity of Speeding Accidents

Speeding alone is a major contributor to roadway deaths, and the risk increases when combined with other factors, such as:

  • Icy roads — Forty-one percent of speeding-related deaths occurred on icy roads.
  • Alcohol — Thirty-three percent of speeding drivers in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit.
  • Snowy or slushy roads — Thirty-three percent of fatal speeding crashes happened in snowy or slushy conditions.
  • Wet roads — Twenty-one percent of fatal speeding accidents occurred on wet pavement.

How Our Lawyers Can Help with Proving Speeding in a Crash

Dealing with insurance companies under the best conditions is frustrating, and trying to recover compensation after a car accident caused by speeding can be even more stressful. Our experienced Huntsville speeding accident lawyers are valuable allies in many ways because:

  • We collect and examine evidence, such as vehicle data, police reports, eyewitness statements, traffic camera or dashcam videos, and more. We may consult accident reconstruction experts to analyze skid marks, digital data, road conditions, and other evidence from the accident scene to determine the speed at impact.
  • We use the evidence to identify the responsible party. Alabama has strict contributory negligence rules restricting your ability to recover compensation if you share any fault for the crash. We fight insurance companies when they try to unfairly shift blame onto our clients.
  • We can access additional information, such as the driver’s history and any previous violations for speeding, whether law enforcement issued a speeding ticket, as well as black box data recorders that could reveal the vehicle’s speed before impact.
  • We handle all communication and negotiation with the insurance company. We are skilled negotiators who demand every dollar you deserve from those responsible for your pain and losses.
  • We are also experienced litigators who will not shy away from a courtroom battle with an insurance company that refuses to compensate you fairly.

Our Huntsville speeding car accident lawyers have a reputation for aggressively representing our clients because we know the stakes. You should not have to suffer financially because of someone else’s negligence or misconduct. Let us pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and other crash-related losses.

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by speeding, don’t wait to seek legal help. Contact Morris, King & Hodge, P.C., today for a free consultation. Our speeding car accident attorneys are ready to fight for your rights and help you secure the compensation you need for your recovery.