In 2016, over 20,000 deaths on the road were caused by speeding, failure to keep to one’s own lane, swerving on the road, driving distractedly, and failing to yield when necessary – all forms of reckless driving.
It shows a callous carelessness on the part of today’s drivers, as driving this recklessly, seemingly driving without thought, is such a preventable behavior. Changing it could quite literally save lives, and all it takes is following the established rules that were put in place to keep the flow of traffic as safe as possible.
Reckless driving is one of the most common causes of injury and death behind the wheel, so if you or your loved ones were involved or hurt in an accident caused by a reckless driver, it’s important to contact the Utah legal team with over 30 years of experience in accidents involving reckless drivers. Siegfried & Jensen are dedicated to giving you the help and support you need following such an accident.
Speeding
Of the above-listed 20,000 fatalities that were caused by reckless driving in 2016, nearly 10,000 of those deaths were caused by someone driving over the speed limit.
Aggressive drivers with an uncaring attitude for their fellow travelers will often disregard posted speed limits, thereby putting themselves and everyone else on the road in mortal danger. Not to mention, they put themselves at legal risk by breaking the speed limit, an offense that is totally avoidable by simply following the legal speed limit put in place.
Speeding means the driver’s car becomes that much more difficult to operate, as well as making it even harder to use their brakes. This is especially dangerous if they have to make some sudden stop, like if an animal or pedestrian runs in front of their car.
Plus, the faster the driver is going, the more damage they can cause if they hit someone. Impacts with speeds over 60 mph increase the chance of death in either of the parties greatly.
All you have to do is give yourself enough time to get to your destination. If you’re not rushing, speeding won’t be required.
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Running Traffic Lights and Stop Signs
This reckless driving habit also comes from a place of disregard for the other people on the road, people with families and lives. It comes from a place of feeling that the rules and regulations do not apply to oneself, that they themselves, and they alone, don’t need to follow them.
Refusing to yield to stop signs and traffic lights increases the chances of getting in an accident and possibly injuring someone who was doing nothing more than following the rules put in place.
It could even kill someone, as drivers who failed to stop or yield killed more than 2,000 people in 2016 alone.
Tickets and fines are put in place for all of those who disregard these legal stop points. Instead of having to deal with the legal repercussions and financial burdens of disobeying the law, it is a lot easier for everyone involved if stop signs and red lights are not ignored.
Passing Over a Double Yellow Line
Some roads have two parallel yellow lines painted onto the pavement. They exist on roads as an indication that passing someone up on that road is prohibited by law. It is a no-passing zone.
For some people, these double yellow lines mean nothing. The person in front of them is going to slow for their liking, so they will pass over that driver regardless of what rules and restrictions exist on the road they’re driving on. To do so, they must cross into the half of the road that the other side of traffic flows through, and in doing so, they might just end up in a head-on collision or t-bone collision that could injure them and the drivers and passengers of all the vehicles around them.
As well, disregarding these double yellow lines can lead to tickets and very big fines, opening the driver up to all kinds of legal woes that would be easier avoided.
Instead, simply staying behind the driver in front of you, not trying to pass them even when you aren’t even allowed to do so, should be one’s proper course of action.
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Racing
Racing sure seems like a lot of fun when you see it on TV or you’re playing a racing video game. It looks glamorous and cool and edgy, but it should never be attempted in real life. For a good reason, too.
Street racing turns into a game of chicken with another driver or drivers, a game of “who can go the fastest?” If the racers egg each other on enough, they could end up going well over double the speed limit, which not only puts themselves and others on the road at risk but could also kill someone doing something as innocuous as walking their dog late at night.
It opens one up to all kinds of legal dangers, large fines, possible jail time, and the chance of killing yourself or someone else on the road.
Racing is reckless and thoughtless, and it does nothing more than risk the chance of ruining your life or someone else’s.
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The Salt Lake City Lawyers That Can Help You
Reckless driving goes beyond the adjective “reckless”. It’s wildly dangerous and threatens the lives of the people doing their reckless driving as well as those on the road with them.
For those obeying the law, avoiding reckless drivers can seem an impossible task, since they don’t know when one might be coming. Instead, every driver should take it upon themselves to obey the laws put in place, and avoid the pitfalls that come with being a reckless driver.
If you or someone you love has been in an accident involving someone who was being a reckless driver, contact Siegfried & Jensen today. With over 30 years of experience in dealing with automobile accidents, we are dedicated to giving you the legal assistance you deserve and helping you get any compensation that you might be owed.
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