Speedy Blame on Speed
When we lost the People’s Princess in 1997, Paris Police was quick to offer its condolences by blaming the paparazzi. The paparazzi hounded Princess Diana’s car in a high-speed chase that ended in tragic deaths.
Of course, even up to this day, new angles and bizarre versions still creep up as to the real cause of the tragedy that shocked the world. But that was the Princess of Wales. As for the ordinary citizen who figures in an ordinary road smash up, the police promptly declare speeding as the culprit and the case is closed.
A moving car on the lane is the product of joint efforts of three major elements: driver, vehicle mechanism, and street surface. Naturally, any car mishap is caused by a defect in any of these factors. As such, it is just proper that before submitting the final incident report, our Road Traffic Accident Investigators examine all these factors and leave no stones unturned.
The driver could be a neophyte who has been on the wheels for a grand total of ten minutes when the calamity happened, the time spent spinning upside-down on the pavement included. Quite on the contrary, a person with years of experience cruising along the highways could be drunk, distracted, inattentive, or worse, asleep. In these cases, speed is immaterial and beside the point.
In a similar note, the perfectly experienced and cautious person could be seated behind the wheels of a sedan with factory defects. Moreover, an average driver would not be tempted to tip the limits if the automobile itself was not built for maximum speed. Naturally, the flashy sports car tends to run faster than the next-door minivan.
Finally, we should not forget about the stationary and firm road which is as dangerous as the moving vehicles themselves. Blind curves, dark corners, uneven pavements, potholes and open manholes, stockpiles and roadblocks, and the ever so enigmatic “slippery when wet” street is a catastrophe just waiting to happen.
In sum, speeding is just one among the many possible causes of accidents. And in most cases, it is always coupled with several other factors. But the way things are, it seems that every time a car hits a pedestrian, another vehicle or a light post, speeding is always the first angle the authorities look into. And when witnesses or cameras indicate driving beyond the safety limits, the case is speedily closed.
Source: YourRoads.com
