The speed a driver is travelling contributes both to the risk of a car accident occurring and to the severity of the accident.
In 2015, 62 people died as a result of speed related crashes in Queensland. That’s more than one in four road deaths. And hundreds more people were injured in speed related crashes – some will suffer from the effects of their injuries for the rest of their lives .
• “Speeding” does not just mean driving in excess of the posted speed limit. It also means driving too fast for the conditions, for example weather, road surface, roadworks or the driver’s skill and experience.
• Speed related fatalities and hospitalisations cost Queensland more than $600 million each year.
• Around half of serious speed-related accidents happen at less than 10km/hr above the speed limit.
A pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 30 km/hr has only a 5% chance of being killed. A pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 50 km/hr has a 45% chance of being killed. That risk rises to about 100% at 100 km/hr.
The injuries sustained in a car accident are directly related to the pre-crash speed of the vehicle. The faster you go, the harder you hit. At the moment of impact, passengers inside the car are still travelling at the vehicle’s pre-crash speed. When the car comes to a complete stop, whether by braking suddenly or colliding with another car, pole, tree or other object, the people in the car continue to move forward until they come into contact with something – the windscreen, the steering wheel or the seat in front. Even after the driver or passenger has come to a complete stop, their internal organs are still moving, colliding with other organs and the skeletal system.
If you have been injured in a car accident you may be entitled to compensation. Call GC Law on 1300 302 318 for your free consultation.
