Lately, there have been quite a few news stories of people driving on the roads with excessive speed. While most people are currently under shelter-in-place orders, this means that there are fewer cars on the road and less traffic to navigate. In fact, pictures have been circulating widely of empty roadways in the usually most traffic congested cities. This has resulted in some drivers taking advantage of the empty streets and pushing the envelope on speed limits.
In the metro-Atlanta area, this behavior has been seen both on the local streets in town as well as the area’s highways. Some drivers are not only engaging in excessive speeding, but there are others that are actually racing on the streets.
This driving at excessive speeds has caused deadly accidents with devastating results. Most recently in Atlanta, an 11 year-old child was struck and killed by a speeding driver, and a police officer was also killed in a deadly high speed accident.
Georgia law, as with most states, has specific speed limits for every type of roadway. Local roads are typically set to a maximum of 30 to 35 miles per hour. The speed limit on Georgia’s highways range from 65 to 70 miles per hour. A maximum of 55 miles per hour is set for any other locations.
Georgia also has what is known as the “Super Speeder Law.” Under this law, a person who is driving at 75 mph or more on a two-lane road, or 85 mph on a highway, is guilty of violating the Super Speeder Law. Being convicted of this offense comes with it additional fines and fees on top of the customary speeding fines. A person’s driver’s license can also be suspended for failing to pay these additional fees.
If a driver is speeding on the roads and causes an accident as a result, that driver is guilty of negligence as a matter of law. This means that the speeding driver can be held liable for an accident and any resulting injuries caused by his speeding.
Accidents caused by drivers speeding excessively, to the point there they are violating the Super Speeder Law, almost always result in the deadliest of crashes. These high speed impacts more often than not cause fatal accidents and death to at least one person involved in the accident. Even if the accident does not result in a fatality, they usually result in injuries to the victims that have lifelong implications. These types of injuries can include brain injuries, paralysis, or other injuries where the victim’s life will never be the same.
Drivers who are out on the roads engaging in this excessive speeding behavior are not only endangering other motorists on the streets, but also any pedestrians or cyclists on the roads as well. A person speeding has less time to react to avoid a pedestrian on the street on a bike rider who is sharing the road with him. This reduced reaction time coupled with a high rate of speed also produces deadly results.
While drivers may be tempted to treat the recently empty streets as their local Autobahn, they need to remember that an accident caused by their behavior not only will result in a devastating outcome, but they will also be held responsible for the victim’s injuries.
The Atlanta auto accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent victims of auto accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries as a result of a car accident, talk to an attorney at our firm, and learn about your rights to compensation after an injury. Initial consultations are free.