Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog
Speeding is one of the most significant factors contributing to serious traffic crashes in Chicago and throughout Illinois. In a dense urban environment, excessive speed can leave drivers with less time to react to pedestrians, cyclists, turning vehicles, buses, motorcycles, and sudden traffic congestion. When a collision occurs, speed can also dramatically increase the severity of the resulting injuries.
For someone injured in a Chicago car accident, proving that another driver was speeding can therefore be important not only for establishing how the crash occurred, but also for demonstrating why the collision caused serious or catastrophic injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that speeding was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2024. NHTSA also explains that speeding increases stopping distance, reduces the effectiveness of vehicle safety equipment, increases the likelihood of losing control, and increases crash severity.
Illinois statistics show a similar concern. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), speed-related crashes increased 1.6% in 2024 compared with 2023, while speed-related injury crashes increased 3% compared with the previous four-year average. Cook County had 174 speed-related fatalities in 2024, the highest number of any Illinois county, accounting for 31.9% of all speed-related fatalities statewide.
Why Speeding Is Particularly Dangerous in Chicago
Chicago presents a unique driving environment. Unlike rural highways, urban streets often contain numerous intersections, pedestrians, bicyclists, parked vehicles, buses, delivery trucks, motorcycles, and traffic signals in a relatively small area. A driver traveling too fast may have significantly less time to recognize a developing hazard and take evasive action. Speed can affect a collision in several important ways:
- Less reaction time: A speeding driver has less time to recognize a hazard and respond.
- Longer stopping distance: A vehicle traveling faster requires more distance to stop after the driver perceives danger.
- Greater crash energy: Higher speeds generally result in greater forces during a collision.
- More severe injuries: Greater impact forces can increase the likelihood of catastrophic trauma.
- Reduced vehicle control: Excessive speed can make steering and evasive maneuvers more difficult.
- Greater danger to pedestrians and cyclists: People outside a vehicle have little protection against a high-speed impact.
These issues can be particularly important on Chicago’s arterial streets and other heavily traveled urban roads.
Illinois Speeding Statistics Show the Seriousness of the Problem
Speeding is not simply a Chicago traffic issue. It is a statewide safety problem. IDOT’s 2024 crash analysis found that Illinois experienced a 4.9% increase in speed-related crashes compared with the previous four-year average. Speed-related injury crashes increased by 3% compared with that same four-year average.
The state’s highway safety data also demonstrate how significant speeding can be in serious crashes. IDOT’s Illinois Highway Safety Plan reported that speed accounted for approximately 32.6% of total injuries in 2022, while 2,527 serious injuries that year were identified as speed-related.
NHTSA’s national data likewise show the scope of the problem. In 2022, speeding-related crashes killed 12,151 people and injured an estimated 300,595 people. NHTSA reported that 87% of speeding-related traffic fatalities occurred on non-interstate roads, demonstrating that speeding is not limited to expressways.
That distinction is important in Chicago. Serious speeding crashes can occur on ordinary city streets, neighborhood roads, and major urban arterials, not just on highways.
Speeding Can Turn a Minor Collision Into a Serious Injury Case
The speed of the vehicles involved can have a substantial impact on the severity of injuries. Consider two vehicles approaching an intersection. If one driver runs a red light at a relatively low speed, the resulting collision may cause property damage and minor injuries. If the same driver approaches the intersection at substantially higher speed, the other motorist may have less opportunity to avoid the collision, while the force of the impact can be substantially greater. The consequences may include:
- Traumatic brain injuries;
- Concussions;
- Spinal cord injuries;
- Herniated or fractured vertebrae;
- Broken arms and legs;
- Internal bleeding;
- Pelvic fractures;
- Facial fractures;
- Permanent scarring;
- Amputations; and
- Fatal injuries.
For pedestrians and bicyclists, the consequences can be particularly devastating because there is no vehicle structure to absorb much of the impact.
Speeding and Pedestrian Accidents in Chicago
Chicago has substantial pedestrian and bicycle traffic. People walking to work, using public transportation, attending school, shopping, or traveling through neighborhoods share the roadway with motor vehicles. A speeding driver approaching a crosswalk may have less time to recognize a pedestrian entering the roadway. Even when the driver sees the pedestrian, excessive speed can make it more difficult to stop before impact.
The same problem can occur when a driver is making a turn. A driver traveling too quickly may enter a crosswalk before adequately checking for pedestrians or cyclists. In a pedestrian accident case, investigators may therefore examine the driver’s speed, sight distance, traffic signals, roadway configuration, and the pedestrian’s location at the time of impact.
How Speeding Can Affect an Illinois Personal Injury Claim
Speeding may be evidence of negligence when a driver’s conduct violates applicable traffic laws or otherwise falls below the required standard of reasonable care. But proving that a driver was speeding is only one part of a personal injury case. The injured person generally must also establish that the driver’s conduct caused the accident and resulted in compensable damages. Evidence can be critical. Potential evidence may include:
- Police accident reports;
- Witness statements;
- Traffic-camera footage;
- Dash-camera recordings;
- Surveillance video;
- Vehicle event-data information;
- GPS and telematics information;
- Accident-reconstruction analysis;
- Vehicle damage patterns;
- Skid marks and roadway evidence;
- Photographs of the crash scene; and
- Statements made by the other driver.
Chicago crashes can occur in areas with extensive surveillance coverage. Businesses, residences, parking facilities, traffic cameras, and nearby vehicles may potentially capture portions of an accident. That evidence can disappear or be overwritten, making prompt investigation important.
How Speeding Can Affect Comparative Fault
Illinois uses a modified comparative-fault system for negligence claims. Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, an injured plaintiff may recover damages when the plaintiff’s contributory fault is not more than 50% of the proximate cause of the injury, but the damages are reduced in proportion to the plaintiff’s fault. If the plaintiff’s contributory fault is more than 50%, the plaintiff is barred from recovering damages under the statute. This makes evidence concerning the circumstances of the crash important.
For example, an insurance company may argue that an injured driver was partially responsible because of alleged speeding, distraction, failure to yield, or another traffic violation. Conversely, evidence showing that the other driver was traveling at an excessive speed may be important when determining how responsibility should be allocated. A careful investigation should therefore examine the conduct of all drivers involved, rather than assuming that the first account of the collision tells the entire story.
Speeding May Also Increase the Value and Complexity of an Injury Claim
The severity of injuries can affect the damages sought in a personal injury case. A serious crash may result in significant economic losses, including:
- Emergency medical treatment;
- Hospitalization;
- Surgery;
- Rehabilitation;
- Prescription medication;
- Physical therapy;
- Lost wages;
- Loss of future earning capacity; and
- Future medical care.
An injured person may also experience non-economic losses, including pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, and loss of normal activities. Illinois law recognizes both economic and non-economic damages as components of compensatory damages.
For that reason, an injury case should not necessarily be evaluated based solely on the initial medical bills. Some injuries caused by high-speed collisions may require treatment months or years after the crash.
How Lawyers Investigate Speeding After a Chicago Crash
Determining the speed of a vehicle is not always as simple as looking at the police report. An accident reconstruction expert may examine the physical evidence and available electronic information to determine how the collision occurred. Depending on the circumstances, an investigation may examine:
- Vehicle crush and deformation;
- Final resting positions;
- Skid or tire marks;
- Debris patterns;
- Vehicle weights;
- Roadway grades;
- Intersection geometry;
- Traffic signal timing;
- Video footage;
- Vehicle event data; and
- Statements from witnesses.
The purpose is to reconstruct the sequence of events and determine whether excessive speed contributed to the collision. A thorough investigation can help distinguish between assumptions about a crash and evidence demonstrating what actually happened.
John J. Malm emphasizes the importance of looking beyond the fact that a collision occurred:
“In a serious Chicago traffic accident, speed can be a critical piece of the evidence. We want to understand how fast the vehicles were traveling, how that speed affected the driver’s ability to react, and how it contributed to the force of the collision and our client’s injuries.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Speeding and Chicago Injury Cases
Is speeding automatically negligence in Illinois?
Not necessarily. Evidence that a driver exceeded a posted speed limit or drove too fast for conditions can be relevant to negligence, but liability depends on the facts of the particular accident, including causation and damages.
What if the driver was only slightly over the speed limit?
Even a relatively small amount of excess speed can potentially be relevant depending on the circumstances. Illinois law also recognizes that driving too fast for conditions can present safety concerns. The significance of the speed depends on factors such as traffic, weather, visibility, roadway conditions, and the nature of the collision.
How can I prove that the other driver was speeding?
Evidence can include witnesses, surveillance video, dash-camera footage, vehicle data, physical evidence at the accident scene, photographs, and accident-reconstruction analysis.
Can speeding affect my settlement?
It can. Evidence concerning the other driver’s speed may affect liability and the severity of the collision. However, the value of an injury claim depends on numerous factors, including the nature and extent of the injuries, medical treatment, lost income, future damages, liability, and comparative fault.
What if the insurance company says I was partially responsible?
Comparative fault may become an issue. Under Illinois law, damages can be reduced according to the plaintiff’s percentage of fault when the plaintiff is not more than 50% responsible. A plaintiff found more than 50% responsible is barred from recovering damages under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116.
Should I speak with an attorney after a speeding-related crash?
If you suffered significant injuries, consulting an attorney can help you understand potential liability issues and preserve important evidence. This can be especially important when the circumstances of the collision are disputed.
Contact the Award-Winning Chicago-Area Personal Injury Lawyers at John J. Malm & Associates
A speeding driver can cause a devastating collision in only a few seconds. In Chicago’s dense urban environment, excessive speed can reduce reaction time, increase stopping distance, make avoiding pedestrians and other vehicles more difficult, and increase the forces involved in a collision. When a crash results in serious injuries, determining the role that speed played may be an important part of establishing liability and pursuing full compensation.
At John J. Malm & Associates, our attorneys investigate serious motor vehicle accidents by examining the evidence surrounding the collision—not simply accepting an insurance company’s version of events. We can investigate speeding, traffic violations, vehicle data, video evidence, accident reconstruction, comparative fault, and the full extent of an injured person’s damages.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago-area car accident involving a speeding driver, contact our firm for a free consultation. The evidence needed to establish how a crash happened may not remain available indefinitely, so taking action promptly can be important to protecting your rights.