Most of the car accident cases that I see in my Phoenix personal injury law practice are a result of ordinary negligence, such as speeding, following to close, inattention or failure to yield. However, sometimes I encounter serious cases where excessive speed constitutes recklessness or gross negligence. Under Arizona law, a driver is required to drive at a speed that is greater than reasonable and prudent under the circumstances - Arizona Revised Statutes Section 28-701, a civil traffic offense.

In more serious speeding cases, a driver may violate Arizona Revised Statutes Section 28-701.02 by driving twenty miles over the speed limit in a business or residential district or exceeding eighty five miles per hour on a highway. This dangerous driving is a crime in Arizona, a class 3 misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail. These speeds make it difficult for other drivers to anticipate or react to the speeding vehicle. These high speeds also impact the speeding driver's ability to react or brake timely to avoid a crash. Excessive speed also tends to cause some very serious collisions because high speeds increases the force involved in motor vehicle crash (think physics class:  Force = Mass x Acceleration).

Jay Ciulla is a Phoenix, Arizona personal injury and wrongful death attorney.