High-Speed Accidents in Kansas City

The speed limits set for different roadways and traffic environments are based on extensive studies of driving conditions in that region. Exceeding the speed limit significantly increases the risk of an accident. Sadly, the severity of injuries in an accident worsens with every additional mile-per-hour increase in speed.

A high-speed accident in Kansas City may cause injuries to more than the speeding driver alone, but also to other motorists on the road. An astonishing 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2022 involved speeding resulting in 12,151 deaths, or about 33 fatalities per day in the U.S.

Understanding Speed and Crash Force in Kansas City Car Accidents

When a car comes to a sudden halt in a crash or collision, the occupants continue to travel forward at the same speed the vehicle was traveling until they’re stopped by their seatbelts or (if not belted) by internal structures inside the car. The faster a car travels, the greater the crash force. According to a crash force calculator, a person weighing 120 pounds becomes a 7,800-pound force during an accident at 65 miles per hour—the maximum speed limit on most major interstate highways. That same 120-pound person is a 9,600-pound force propelled forward in a crash at 80 miles per hour.

Seatbelts unequivocally save lives in a crash by preventing a motorist’s ejection from the vehicle, but the crash force of an accident throws the body forward with increasing power for every mile per hour of speed at the time of the crash. Then, the seat belt snaps them back against the seat. The stronger the crash force of an accident, the more trauma is inflicted on the body during the crash process.

Why Do People Speed in Kansas City?

Exceeding the speed limit remains a common problem despite law enforcement measures and high-cost citations. The most common reasons for speeding include the following:

• Leaving home too late to make it to a destination on time or running late for work, school, or appointments
• Frustration with congested traffic conditions
• Unfamiliarity with the speed limit in an area
• Distraction
• Aggressive driving
• Intoxicated driving

Many drivers feel overconfident in their driving skills and believe that they are safe from the threat of an accident; however, inclement weather, poor road conditions, a tire blowout, another driver’s negligence, or a single moment’s mistake can result in a car accident with injuries to the speeder and others. Accidents occur to even the most skilled and confident drivers.

What Types of Accidents Occur at High-Speeds?

Speeding increases stopping time, slows reaction time, impedes maneuverability, and increases instability in a vehicle. Common car accidents where speed is a relevant factor include the following:

• Rear-end collisions
• Roadway departures
• Rollover accidents
• Angle collisions
• Sideswipe accidents
• Tire blowouts
• Accidents with pedestrians and bicyclists

Speeding also reduces the effectiveness of seatbelts and airbags in an accident, contributing to the higher risk of injuries from increased crash force. Because speeding contributes to the severity of injuries in a car accident, it’s considered a contributing factor that may decrease the amount of compensation an injury victim recovers, even if someone else causes the accident.

High-Speed Accidents in Kansas City Increase the Risk of Severe Injuries

When a driver exceeds the speed limit, they increase the risk of serious or catastrophic injuries such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Multiple fractures
• Internal organ damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neck injuries
• Back injuries
• Soft tissue injuries to knees, shoulders, ankles, and wrists
• Facial trauma
• Lacerations, contusions, and abrasions
• Traumatic limb loss
• Burn injuries

The elevated severity of a high-speed accident also increases the amount of time it takes to extract an injured victim from the wreck due to the more extensive damage to the vehicle. This increases the risk of death.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer in Kansas City Help?

When a driver exceeds the speed limit, they are not adhering to their duty to take reasonable measures to avoid causing injuries to others. If their breach of this duty results in an accident with injuries or fatalities to others, the injury victims should not be left responsible for the economic and non-economic consequences of the accident—their “damages” in a car accident claim. Contact the Kansas City car accident attorneys at Miller & Hine who can help you obtain the maximum compensation. Call (314) 413-2053.