Speeding can be a very serious highway violation in the state of Rhode Island. Many drivers do not consider the seriousness of receiving a ticket for excessive speed when there are no other factors involved.
Speeding car accident lawyer in Rhode Island
RI speeding accident
Excessive speeding by drivers is bad judgement and reckless behavior. Problems can easily be compounded when the individual driving beyond the speed limit is involved in a wreck while speeding. And, even when a reckless driver is not cited for speeding following an accident, the accident reconstruction specialist could still determine that any driver involved in a crash was going in excess of the speed limit. Even without a ticket, a driver can still be judged as negligent after a crash and face claims for civil damages.
Comparative Fault in Rhode Island
Nearly all states use some form of comparative negligence law when adjudicating an accident. In Rhode Island, the pure comparative fault law is the law of the Ocean state. This is even true for those who are speeding if other drivers also contributed to the causation.
When a Wreck Goes to Trial
This could bode badly for a speeding driver if a car accident attorney can articulate to a jury and the court that the driver was indeed driving in a reckless manner, regardless of the absence of a speeding citation. Just because a driver does not get a ticket from the investigating officer does not mean the judge or a jury cannot assign total fault at least, and potentially determine gross negligence and reckless disregard for others using the highway.
Drivers involved in speeding-related crashes
Alcohol involvement is prevalent for drivers involved in speeding-related crashes. In 2012, 42 percent of speeding drivers had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher in fatal crashes, compared to only 16 percent of non-speeding drivers involved in fatal crashes (Table 2).
In 2012, 28 percent of the speeding drivers under age 21 who were involved in fatal crashes also had BACs of .08 g/dL or higher. In contrast, only 13 percent of the non-speeding drivers under 21 involved in fatal crashes in 2012 had BACs of .08 g/ dL or higher. For drivers 21 to 24 years old who were involved in fatal crashes in 2012, 50 percentof speeding drivers had BACs of .08 g/dL or higher, compared with only 24 percent of non-speeding drivers.” Crash Stats
Providence car crash
“PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — A 20-year-old man who was hurt in a crash Wednesday apparently filmed himself on Facebook Live as he was weaving in and out of traffic at more than 100 miles per hour. Police told NBC 10 News that Onasi Olio-Rojas of Pawtucket suffered serious injuries and was taken to Rhode Island Hospital after the car he was driving smashed into a dump truck just before 11:30 a.m. As of 9:20 p.m., authorities said he was in critical condition.” Turn to 10