The term “excessive speeding” might seem redundant, but it’s the best way to describe what drivers are doing when they reach speeds of over 100 miles per hour.
There have been more instances of that in Florida in recent years. Not surprisingly, the results are often deadly.
Speeds sometimes reach well over 100 mph
Three years ago, a Palm Beach teen driving a BMW at over 150 mph killed six farmworkers when he crashed into their SUV. This month, he was sentenced to 12 years behind bars after pleading guilty to six counts of involuntary manslaughter. Prior to the fatal crash, he had posted videos of himself on social media, offering a reward to anyone who could guess his speed.
Sadly, this isn’t as unique as one would hope. One county sheriff says his officers are increasingly dealing with drivers exceeding 100 mph. One driver in another county was recorded going 130 mph.
What has caused this rise in excessive speeding?
One sheriff traces this troubling increase in speeds back to the early days of the pandemic when fewer drivers were on the road. He contends that these nearly empty roads caused “an absolute disregard for traffic laws [and] traffic safety….”
This certainly isn’t a problem unique to Florida. The National Highway and Traffic Administration (NHTSA) found that speeding plays some role in nearly a third of fatal crashes in the U.S.
Why speed too often kills
It’s only common sense that the faster a vehicle is going, the greater the force of a collision will be. Further, the faster a vehicle is traveling, the longer it takes for its driver to react to something, like a car stopped up ahead, and hit the brake. Then the longer it takes to stop after they apply their brakes. According to the Florida Safety Council, the risk of fatality doubles with every additional 10 mph of speed.
A clear danger of more drivers reaching these extreme speeds is that there’s too often nothing another driver can do to get out of their way in time to avoid a crash. While these speeding drivers can and do face criminal charges when they injure or kill people, it’s critical to know that crash victims and surviving loved ones can also take civil action to hold them financially responsible as well. Having legal guidance can help people determine their best options for seeking compensation.