Any car accident can cause serious injuries, but highway vehicle collisions can be especially dangerous. Due to a combination of high speeds and heavy traffic, car crashes on highways often result in devastating and catastrophic injuries.
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in this type of accident, an experienced car crash attorney could help you explore your legal options. Contact McCready Law to learn about highway car accidents in St. Louis and your legal rights.
St. Louis City and County experiences around 14,000 traffic-related injuries each year, with many occurring on highways and interstates such as I-44, I-55, I-70, and I-270. When driving at high speeds, even a small mistake can result in a serious accident. Some common causes of highway and interstate accidents include the following.
Driving over the speed limit can have severe consequences because it reduces the driver’s reaction time and their ability to avoid accidents. Driving at excessive speeds can lead to:
Excessive speeding offers no safety benefits and only increases the risk of serious accidents on the highway.
Distracted driving is risky on all highways. Missouri’s Department of Transportation reports an average of 20,000 distracted driving crashes every year, many of which result in fatalities. Missouri introduced the Siddens Bening Hands-Free Law, which makes holding a cell phone while driving a punishable offense. However, laws and ordinances do not eliminate the risk of people driving while using their cell phones or becoming distracted by other tasks.
The act of driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs is dangerous and may have deadly consequences. When under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances, drivers may lose the ability to think, focus, and react with precision. They may also lose their sense of time, distance, and objects around them.
While drunk driving is a widely known problem on highways, other forms of impaired driving may also lead to severe motor vehicle crashes. Driving under the influence of narcotics, marijuana, and prescription medications, as well as drowsy driving—which is operating a vehicle while too tired to react or observe traffic properly—also poses serious risks.
Due to their high-impact nature, highway vehicle collisions in St. Louis often cause severe injuries. Some of the most common injuries include:
Losses resulting from a highway crash can be significant. In addition to physical injuries, highway accident victims may suffer long-term emotional distress, PTSD, depression, and other signs of pain and suffering. An experienced highway accident lawyer could determine who was at fault for the crash and help victims seek financial compensation.
Highway vehicle collisions can have devastating consequences for anyone involved. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries as a result of a crash, an experienced personal injury lawyer could help you explore your legal options. Contact McCready Law today to learn more about highway car accidents in St. Louis and how to seek compensation for your losses.
