San Diego has speed limits for a reason. Driving at high speeds significantly increases the risk of a collision, especially in a city like San Diego which has some of the worst traffic in the nation. In fact, for every 1 MPH increase in speed, the risk of a collision increases by 2 percent.
Unfortunately, speed is a major factor in car accidents, including some of the most catastrophic wrecks. In fact, speeding contributes to 29 percent of all fatal car accidents across the nation every year.
How Often is Speed a Factor in San Diego Car Accidents?
According to data published by the California Office of Traffic Safety, speed contributed to 1,786 car accidents in the city of San Diego in 2023.
That’s between 4 and 5 speed-related car accidents every single day.
Many speeding car accidents in San Diego have serious consequences for those involved. In 2023, 2,516 people were injured and 15 were killed by speeding drivers across the city.
Most of San Diego’s speeding car accidents happen on state highways and interstates, including SR-94, SR-125, I-5, and I-8. For every three speed-related wrecks, two happen on these busy roads.
Why is Speeding Dangerous?
Speeding contributes to thousands of car accidents in San Diego every year because drivers have less time to react to sudden changes in traffic and brake safely. Similarly, it takes longer for a vehicle to come to a complete stop when it’s traveling at high speeds.
The faster a vehicle is traveling at the time of impact, the greater the force of the collision. The greater the force, the more severe the accident is likely to be for vehicle occupants, bystanders, and pedestrians.
The force of impact of a collision at 50 MPH is four times greater than a collision at 25 MPH. When speeds reach 75 MPH, the force of impact is nine times greater than a crash at 25 MPH.
While some force is absorbed by the frame of the vehicle, much of it is passed along to vehicle occupants. The result: spinal cord injuries, severely broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and other catastrophic injuries.
Singleton Schreiber Can Help You Demand Compensation After a Speeding Car Accident in San Diego
When a driver speeds, they’re breaching the duty of care owed to other motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians. If that driver’s speeding contributes to an accident in which another person is injured or killed, they can be legally responsible for resulting damages - including medical expenses, lost wages, disability, and emotional distress.
Singleton Schreiber is here to help you make your fight for compensation easier. Our San Diego auto accident lawyers will thoroughly investigate your speed-related crash. We’ll gather medical records, accident reports, witness statements, forensics reports, and other critical pieces of evidence needed to build and support a successful legal claim for damages.
We’ll be your fearless advocates and work tirelessly to secure the financial accountability you need and deserve. Get started by calling our San Diego law office to discuss your speeding car accident today.
About Car Accidents
- Car Accident Overview
- Getting a Car Accident Report in San Diego
- Insurance Minimums
- Liability in Car Accidents
- Time Limits for Car Accident Claims in California
Car Accident Injuries
- Airbag Injuries
- Bone Fractures
- Bruising and Contusions
- Chest Injuries
- Delayed Injuries
- Low-Impact Car Accident Injuries
- Nerve Damage
- Seatbelt Injuries
- Soft Tissue Injuries
Types of Car Accidents