Speeding is one of the most common causes of car accidents in New Mexico and throughout the United States. According to the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration, speeding over the legal limit causes nearly one-third of all traffic accidents in the United States. Speeding killed nearly 9,500 people in 2019 and caused thousands of devastating injuries. New Mexico speed limits are put in place to protect all road users.
Contact a Speeding Accident Attorney Today
When New Mexico drivers cause injuries by speeding, victims can hold them accountable through a personal injury lawsuit. As the victim of a car accident caused by speeding, you can pursue compensation through an insurance settlement offer or a lawsuit in court. The skilled car accident attorneys at Hunt Law have a proven track record of successfully obtaining compensation for car accident victims. Contact our Northern New Mexico law firm today to schedule your initial consultation to learn more about how we can advocate for your rights.
The Dangers and Consequences of Speeding on New Mexico Roads
Speeding is a dangerous cause of car accidents. Speeding above the posted speed limit can increase the severity of the motor vehicle accident, resulting in more devastating injuries and a higher number of fatalities. Speed affects a driver’s safety, even when he or she is driving at or below the posted speed limit. When a driver drives too fast for the road conditions, he or she will increase the chances that a devastating accident will occur. For example, when a road is under repair, bad weather occurs, or the road isn’t lit well at night, the driver may need to slow down to avoid an accident.
Pedestrians, bicyclists, construction workers, and everyone else on the road can become injured when a driver decides to speed. Speeding is more than just breaking New Mexico traffic laws. The consequences of speeding can be far-reaching and include the following:
- Greater potential for the driver to lose control of the vehicle
- Reduced effectiveness of the vehicles occupant protection equipment
- Reducing the driver’s ability to stop quickly after perceiving a danger
- Increasing the degree of crash severity, which can lead to more severe injuries
The Link Between Speeding and Aggressive Driving
Speeding can be a form of aggressive driving that negatively affects other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Aggressive driving is illegal in New Mexico, and drivers convicted of aggressive driving can face jail time and penalties. Victims of aggressive drivers can also pursue damages against the aggressive driver in civil court through a personal injury lawsuit.
Aggressive driving tactics such as racing, tailgating, cutting off other drivers are often combined with speeding. Drivers who aggressively operate their vehicles put others on the road at a high risk of injury. Driving aggressively makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the driver to respond to dangerous situations safely, increasing the likelihood of a collision.
Proving Liability in a Speeding Car Accident
If you’ve been injured in a speeding car accident in New Mexico, you have the right to pursue compensation from the at-fault driver. To obtain damages for your injuries, you will need to prove liability and responsibility. In other words, you will need to prove that the defendant’s negligence or reckless behavior caused the car accident that resulted in your injuries. Proving liability in speeding cases can be challenging.
In speeding car accident cases, it’s important to begin the investigation process as quickly as possible before evidence begins to disappear and witnesses’ memories fade. At Hunt Law, we have the financial resources and tools to research your speeding accident case effectively. When necessary, we work with accident reconstruction specialists to fully examine all of the evidence related to your car accident.
These specialists can make a determination about how fast each car was traveling when the accident occurred. We will also obtain the official police report, which may contain the police officer’s opinion on whether one or both vehicles were speeding. If a police officer issued the other driver a ticket for speeding, we would use that evidence to prove liability.
Obtaining an Insurance Settlement After a Speeding Accident
There are two main ways to obtain compensation after a speeding accident in New Mexico. In many cases, the victim will turn to the at-fault driver’s insurance policy to obtain compensation. Even if the victim has proof that the at-fault driver was speeding, obtaining a full and fair settlement package can be difficult. Insurance companies are notorious for using every tactic available to intimidate victims and avoid paying a full compensation package.
It’s common for insurance adjusters to begin pressuring victims to accept a low-value settlement immediately after the accident when they are still in pain and shock from the accident. Before you accept any insurance settlement by signing it, we recommend discussing the settlement with an experienced attorney. The personal injury attorneys at Hunt Law have extensive experience in negotiating aggressively with insurance companies. We will work hard to ensure you recover the total amount of compensation you deserve.
Obtaining Compensation from a Speeding Accident Lawsuit
When an insurance company fails to provide a fair and just settlement to speeding accident victims, the victim can bring a claim in court to recover compensation. There are specific deadlines by which the car accident victim needs to file a lawsuit for a personal injury claim. These limitations are called statutes of limitations. We recommend discussing your case with one of the skilled attorneys at Hunt Law. We can advise you of all of your legal options and ensure that you file your claim before the statute of limitations runs out. We will immediately begin advocating for you and investigating your case.
Discuss Your Case With a New Mexico Speeding Accident Attorney Today
If you or your loved one have become injured because of another driver’s speeding, you may be entitled to compensation. At Hunt Law, we will represent you skillfully and effectively throughout the entire process. Contact our car accident law firm today to schedule your free initial consultation.