Speeding Car Accidents in Sacramento

While any car accident in Sacramento, California, can be serious, few are as catastrophic as those at high speeds. Research clearly demonstrates a link between speed and crash severity, with the chances of dying in a crash increasing significantly with each additional MPH at which a car is driven. When you suffer injuries in a speeding car accident in Sacramento, it’s important to know that you can hold the driver responsible for your wreck accountable.

The experienced Sacramento car accident attorneys at Singleton Schreiber can help.

Singleton Schreiber is a nationally recognized leader in car accident litigation, whose award-winning attorneys have successfully obtained more than $2.5 Billion in monetary awards. Today, we’re prepared to put our local lawyers and national resources to work to help you get compensation for your speeding car accident injuries, too. 

Call our law office in Sacramento today to get started. There is no charge for an initial case review with our team.

How Common Does Speeding Cause Car Accidents in Sacramento, CA?

According to California crash data, speeding was a factor in at least 1,091 car accidents in the city of Sacramento in 2023. 

To put this in perspective, speed was a contributing factor in 30.5 percent of all of Sacramento’s traffic accidents that year.

Nationally, speeding contributes to roughly 13 percent of car accidents. Statistically speaking, Sacramento sees more speed-related crashes than is typical across the United States. This isn’t surprising, since Sacramento is not only a large city, but also the capital of the state of California. Susceptible to traffic congestion and delays, drivers are often inclined to speed to make up for lost time.

Speed-related accidents aren’t just common in Sacramento, they’re dangerous. In 2023, speeding accidents caused 1,551 injuries and 7 fatalities.

That’s more than 4 speed-related injuries every day just within the city’s limits.

Why is Speeding Dangerous?

Speed is dangerous for a number of reasons:

• Stopping time and distance increase. The faster a vehicle moves, the more time and space it’ll take to stop when a driver applies the brakes. So, speeding can be particularly dangerous when a driver is tailgating, when there’s already limited time to stop if the front vehicle brakes suddenly.

• Drivers have less time to react. Drivers who speed have less time to notice, recognize, and react to changes in traffic. Decreased reaction times coupled with increased stopping times create the perfect storm for car accidents.

• It’s easier to lose control of the vehicle. Vehicles become less stable as they gain speed and momentum, particularly when turning. Rollovers are particularly common when a speeding driver executes a turn.

Sacramento has speed limits for a reason. When vehicles are driven at high speeds, the risk for accidents increases significantly. The severity of those high-speed accidents tend to be greater, too. As speed and momentum increase, so does the force transferred in a collision. Research shows that for every 10 MPH increase in speed, the risk of dying in a car accident doubles.

How Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Injured Because of a Speeding Driver in Sacramento?

Speeding isn’t just a violation of California state law, it’s an act of negligence. So, when you’re involved in an auto accident because someone else was speeding, you’ll reserve the right to hold them accountable.

Under California’s at-fault insurance system, this means you can submit a claim with the speeding driver’s insurance company to recover benefits for your medical bills, lost wages, suffering, and other crash-related damages. Benefits can be paid up to the speeding driver’s insurance policy limits. 

Given how serious speeding car accidents in Sacramento tend to be, it wouldn’t be a surprise if your injuries were catastrophic and, in turn, your crash-related costs and suffering were quite high. In the event that your damages are greater than what the speeding driver’s insurance company will pay, you can file a lawsuit against the driver to hold them accountable for the rest.

What If I’m Accused of Speeding and Causing a Car Accident in Sacramento?

Anyone who speeds and contributes to a Sacramento car accident can be liable for resulting damages. Sharing responsibility doesn’t just mean you’ll be on the hook for other victims’ damages. It also means that your own financial recovery can be limited.

Under the state’s pure comparative negligence law, a victim’s damages are reduced proportionately to fault. So, the more your speeding contributed to the auto accident, the more you’ll have to pay to make others whole and the less you’ll be able to recover in damages yourself.

For instance, let’s say you were injured in a speeding car accident in Sacramento and suffered damages of $100,000. However, you were speeding at the time of the crash, too. It’s determined that your speed contributed to 25 percent of the crash. As a result, you can expect to recover no more than 75 percent of the value of your personal injury claim.

Why Victims of Speeding Car Accidents in Sacramento Choose Singleton Schreiber

Speeding car accidents in Sacramento can be catastrophic, leaving victims to struggle with severe burns, devastating fractures, spinal cord injuries, amputated limbs, and the wrongful death of those they love. As a victim, it’s important to take action and hold the negligent speeding driver accountable for the harm their actions have caused.

Hiring an experienced Sacramento personal injury lawyer can give you time to recover and help you force the best possible case results.

Crash victims in Sacramento choose Singleton Schreiber because we provide compassionate, knowledgeable, effective legal representation when it matters most. Our award-winning California car accident lawyers, who have been described as professional, empathetic, and attentive, have helped clients win billions after life-changing accidents. Now, we’re ready to take on the speeding driver and their insurance company to help you maximize your recovery, too.

California imposes a two-year statute of limitations on most civil personal injury claims, so you’ll have limited time to seek compensation from a speeding driver. Don’t hesitate to contact our Sacramento law office to arrange a free consultation now.