Speeding has always been a major cause of traffic injuries and fatalities in Connecticut. Excessive speeding leads to the inability of the driver to control their vehicle in time to respond to changes in the road ahead of them. These can include vehicles slowing down in front of them or icy hazards on the highway.
Fatalities among speeding drivers increased in 2020
Motor vehicle accidents caused by drivers who were speeding have increased by a very large percentage in recent years. It is true that speeding has not been the only cause of this upward surge.
Not wearing seat belts or operating a vehicle while intoxicated or distracted has also been a major factor. But speeding has contributed the most to this recent increase.
Speeding is especially dangerous because of the damage it can cause. This includes not only injuries to your own body. It also includes the bodies of your passengers and other drivers. Speeding also causes billions of dollars of damage to public property, such as guardrails, traffic signs, and the like.
Speeding is the leading cause of traffic fatalities
Speeding has been a factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities recorded in 2020. This includes collisions with other vehicles as well as deaths attributed to sliding out of control on snow and ice.
The total number of drivers killed in that year was 11,258. This averages out to just over 30 fatalities per day. The number of these crashes that could be attributed to speeding was listed as 10,136.
This number of fatal crashes represents an increase of 17% from the previous figure recorded in 2019. It was the highest number recorded by authorities since 2008. Drivers in the age ranges of 15 to 24 were the most likely victims of speeding accidents.