Driving is a serious responsibility that must be undertaken with great care and caution. A small mistake can cost lives, and all too often, it does. Fatal car accidents have been on the rise annually, and close to two thousand people have died in Illinois car accidents in 2013 and 2014 combined.
Statistically, in Illinois a little over two people die every day in car accidents and every hour more than nine people are injured. These accidents cost individuals, states, and insurance providers around 5.7 billion dollars. There are many causes for traffic accidents, but both speed and inexperience are major contributors.
Reports indicate that crashes involving eighteen year old drivers accounted for 33 deaths and almost 3,000 injuries in 2013. Young drivers are both immature and potentially careless as well as inexperienced and unaccustomed to all of the “rules of the road.” This has proven to be an often dangerous combination. Excessive speed contributed to one third of all 258,000 collisions, and alcohol was involved in one third of all fatal traffic accidents.
Accidents at higher speeds are more severe because the force of an impact is so much greater. A fender bender at twenty five miles an hour could be a tragedy at 60 miles an hour. Fatalities also occur in vehicle pedestrian and vehicle bicycle collisions which are also often severe since pedestrians and cyclists are largely unprotected and extremely vulnerable to injury.
Do your part to avoid becoming a tragic car accident statistic. Obey the speed limit and follow the flow of traffic. Avoid distractions and try to minimize them as much as possible. Distracted driving is a major contributor to increasing traffic fatalities. Never text and drive, and if you must talk on the phone, consider going hands free.
Illinois has implemented safe phone zones for travelers so they may use technology comfortably while commuting without risking anyone’s well-being. Take advantage of this option and avoid a ticket or an accident. Most importantly, stay alert and never take your safety for granted. You never know what another driver will do, so give yourself a wide margin so you always have time to react.
Our car accident attorneys serve clients throughout the Chicago area, including Aurora, Elgin, Hinsdale, Joliet, Naperville, and Waukegan. If you or a loved one has been involved in a serious accident, contact a Chicago fatal lawyer. Our caring and dedicated staff is ready to fight for you during this tragic time. We understand you have enough to worry about without the added stress of a civil litigation, and we’re here to do everything we can to streamline the process and secure the best possible outcome.
When you’re fighting for maximum compensation, we know what it takes to get it.
