Speed is involved in about one out of three fatal crashes; to which more than 13,000 lives are lost each year, according to the NHTSA.
One of the most important factors in road safety is driving speed. Not only does speed affect the severity of the crash, but it’s also related to the risk of being involved in a crash. Within three weeks, two well-known celebrities, known by many lost their lives in speeding accidents.
On November 18, 2013. former NFL linebacker Thomas Howard died following a high-speed car crash on a freeway in Oakland. According to the coroner’s office, Howard, 30, was one of two men that died in the fatal crash. Howard was driving a speeding BMW when he struck a big rig, flipped over the center divider and crashed head-on into a Honda that was traveling on the other side of the road. Witnesses allege the car was traveling at speeds between 100 to 110 mph.
In another tragic accident, actor Paul Walker, 40, was killed in a speeding crash on Saturday along with Roger Rodas, the owner of several racing companies. While all the details are not yet available, Walker was a passenger in the crash and speed has been indicated as a factor in the solo collision.
Many people are mourning the star for his death while others have been outraged that his death is receiving more media coverage because he was famous. But, the unfortunate truth is thousands of lives are lost each year in accidents that involve speeding. Below are some tips that drivers should keep in mind while navigating the busy highways to ensure their safety as well as others on the road.
Drive Safely
First and foremost abide by posted speeding limits
If someone is trying to pass you, don’t speed up
Slow down when taking a turn
Slow down on uneven, icy, wet, and/or snowy roads
Increase following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
People often think of highways as a major factor for speeding fatalities, perhaps because speeds are highest on highways. But the vast majority of speeding-related fatalities happen on roads that are not interstate highways.
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Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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