Is hitting a person at 20 mph speed serious?
4 Answers
Hitting a person at 20 mph speed is serious, ranging from fractures to severe injuries. It is recommended to drive safely and yield to pedestrians. Relevant information about speed is as follows: The meaning of speed in 'miles per hour' (mph, short for miles-per-hour, commonly referred to as 'mph'). It is a unit of speed measurement, indicating miles per hour. It is typically used in the UK, former British colonies (such as the US), and Commonwealth countries for calculating speed limits on roads, tennis serve speeds, etc., and is also used to calculate the central wind speed of tropical cyclones. Conversion: 1 mph equals 1.609344 kilometers per hour. The term 'mph' is often misused. In fact, 100 mph is equivalent to over 160 kilometers per hour, not the commonly assumed 100 kilometers per hour.
A collision at 20 mph is absolutely serious – I must emphasize never to underestimate low-speed accidents. 20 mph is approximately 32 km/h, which may not sound fast, but the impact force when a car hits a pedestrian is tremendous. Imagine the landing force after being thrown – it can cause fractures, internal bleeding, or concussions. Especially for children or the elderly, even minor injuries could be fatal. I once witnessed a case where a driver turning at 25 mph hit a pedestrian, shattering the person's shinbone, requiring six months to recover. The key point is: never assume it's trivial – pedestrian safety entirely depends on the driver's attentiveness. Always scan your surroundings while driving, and reduce speed below 15 mph to ensure sufficient braking distance. Remember: no matter how slow, collisions must be avoided. Legal liabilities are severe in such incidents, insurance claims become complicated, and those extra seconds of cautious driving could save a life.
A 20 km/h collision with a pedestrian can be quite severe, and I'd like to share based on personal experience. Last year, my friend was driving at about 20 km/h in a residential area when a pedestrian suddenly dashed out from the roadside. The pedestrian wasn't hit hard enough to break any bones but suffered extensive bruising and abrasions on the leg, requiring several days of hospitalization. That incident taught me a valuable lesson—lower speed doesn't necessarily mean safety, as a vehicle's momentum remains strong, and the human body is fragile enough to sustain serious injuries even at low speeds. Many factors come into play, such as the point of impact; a frontal collision with the torso poses higher risks. My advice is to always reduce speed to under 10 km/h in urban areas, maintain safe distances, and watch out for blind spots. Never underestimate this—it's about human safety. Personally, I've now developed the habit of braking at every intersection.
A collision at 20 km/h is no trivial matter. Simply put, at this speed, a pedestrian could be thrown several meters, with an impact force equivalent to falling from a second-floor height. Imagine the force—enough to break bones or cause internal injuries. Many low-speed accidents occur this way in reality: drivers assume slow speeds are safe, only for pedestrians to suffer severe or even permanent injuries. How to avoid it? Stay focused while driving and maintain clear visibility in your lane. It's advisable to regularly check your vehicle's braking system to ensure responsive performance. In short, don't take risks—even slow speeds can be dangerous. Safety first.
