In 2014, more than 141,000 convictions for speeding were issued in Iowa. While these people may face statutory penalties for driving over the speed limit or for driving at a speed that was not “careful or prudent,” the statutory penalties may be significantly less than the other damages that occurred because of speeding.
Serious Injury or Death Can Result From Speeding
A speeding driver can cause a catastrophic accident by:
- Not having enough time to stop when a vehicle in front of him stops.
- Losing control of the vehicle.
- Being unable to quickly respond to unexpected circumstances.
The speed of the car also factors into the severity of the accident. Injuries and fatalities are more likely in a collision where one or more cars are speeding because the force of the impact is greater.
What to Do If You’ve Been Hit by a Speeding Driver in Iowa
The police may respond to your accident and issue a speeding ticket to the other driver. The other driver will need to pay the ticket or fight it in court. However, that speeding ticket will not result in your recovery for your accident injuries unless you take action.
In order to recover damages, you will need to prove that the other driver was negligent. The speeding ticket may be important evidence of how the other driver breached his duty of care to you, but it will not in and of itself establish liability for accident injuries. Instead, you will need to prove that it was the speeding that caused the crash and that the crash caused your injuries.
A thorough investigation into the accident will need to be done and convincing arguments will need to be made to the insurance company or court in order for you to recover compensation for your injuries. To learn more about your rights and about how to protect them, please download a FREE copy of our book, The Ultimate Guide for Automobile Accident Victims, today.