Georgia Injury Law Blog
Earlier research indicated that it might be the taller height of large vehicles like SUVs that make them a bigger personal injury threat to pedestrians than mere vehicle weight. Now, newer studies confirm that speeding only exacerbates those risks to auto accidents involving pedestrians which often result in severe and catastrophic personal injuries.
According to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, speeding increases the risk that a sports utility vehicle or a pickup truck poses to a pedestrian. Exactly how much of a risk depends on the height of the vehicle. Taller vehicles that are speeding are much more likely to cause grave or fatal injury to a pedestrian when they are in a collision with them.
The size of an automobile can be a significant factor in the severity of the injuries that a pedestrian suffers in a car accident. However, the weight of the vehicle may not be as relevant since all vehicles, including smaller passenger cars, are heavier than pedestrians. What seems to significantly increase the severity of the personal injury risk to pedestrians is the height of the vehicle. Taller vehicles with a taller hood, for example, like large – sized SUVs, are much more likely to cause serious personal injuries to pedestrians because the pedestrian is more likely to suffer personal injuries to his upper body or head in such auto accidents. These are some of the most devastating injuries, and are very likely to result in catastrophic damage or wrongful death.
When these tall vehicles are also speeding, therefore, the personal injury risks to pedestrians become even greater. The study found that high speeds for a vehicle were a great indicator of personal injury risk for pedestrians, even in the case of shorter vehicles. When the vehicle was traveling at 20 miles per hour, the personal injury risk to pedestrians was at least 47% with most injuries, including concussions and broken bones. At around 35 miles per hour, the moderate personal injury risk increased to a staggering 86%, while the risk of serious injuries like broken bones that protruded through the skin increased to 67%. When the vehicle was traveling at 50 miles per hour, the risk of the pedestrian dying in the accident increased by 87%.
All of this seems to suggest that the 25 miles per hour speed limit that seems to be in place for vehicles in most residential neighborhoods in the United States may be too high, especially for bustling areas that also see a lot of pedestrian traffic. At just 27 miles per hour, a moderate height pickup truck has a 83% higher chance of causing moderate injuries and a 62% higher chance of causing serious Injuries to the pedestrian.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your case. Initial consultations are free.