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Avoiding RV Accidents
It is summertime — which means more Americans are on the
roads than at any other time of the year save holidays for
vacations and leisure. While ownership of
recreational vehicles
hit a low during the economic downturn of 2008 and 2009,
in recent years, the number of Americans who own RVs has
come soaring back. During those years, RV shipments
dropped by more than 30 percent — from roughly 400,000
annually in 2005 and 2006 to less than 170,000 by the end
of the downturn. It did not take long for the industry to
recover, however.
The idea of RV and camper ownership is one that corresponds well with the American dream: there are few memes rooted more deeply in our national psyche than the road trip, yet the independence and self reliance engendered by taking one in a recreational vehicle could be among them. One demographic has contributed significantly to the industry’s rebound: the Baby Boomers. As boomers move into retirement, many are opting to buy an RV or camper to travel during their golden years. That is not to say, of course, that the industry is not looking to millennials and Gen Xers to also become “RV people.”
The Commonality and Risks of Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that can
occur in a motor vehicle accident, especially a
rear-end collision. There are an estimated 3 million cases of whiplash
reported in the U.S. alone every year. The injury may not
manifest until a few days after the accident, which is why
is it important to ensure that as soon as the pain begins
you are working with a legal professional on the case.
The longer that you wait to file a claim against the person whose fault the accident was, the more difficult it may be to prove your claim. You can file a legal claim against someone who causes a motor vehicle accident to cover medical bills, compensate for present and future lost wages, punitive damages for pain and suffering, and for any other costs associated with the whiplash; some cases may be so severe as to require physical therapy, for example.
Seat Belt Safety and the "Driving Dead"
The Illinois seat belt law just turned 30 years old. Lawmakers say the law is working, with 95 percent of the state’s motorists buckling up. Now it is a matter of convincing those other 5 percent to do the same.
Statistics show that the average person who does not use a seat belt is typically a male who is in their twenties. With that age group in mind, the Illinois Department of Transportation has implemented a new program, “Driving Dead” to convince these young drivers to buckle those seat belts. The program is based on the popular television series, “The Walking Dead” and even has one of its lead actors, Michael Rooker, involved in the campaign.
"Driving Dead" is more than just the average public service campaign. Instead, it is an actual web series which can be watched online. According to its IMDB description, the series is set in a post-apocalyptic Illinois, where “tough guys” survive by fighting against zombies, using weapons and a tank-like machine. But they always remember to buckle their seat belts.
Will the Return of Happy Hour to Illinois Mean More Drunk Driving Crashes?
The Governor of Illinois recently signed a new law which
many fear will cause an increase in the number of
drunk drivers
there are on the state’s road – ultimately leading to more
injuries and fatalities from crashes caused by those drunk
drivers.
The new law opens the door for businesses which serve alcohol to offer “happy hours” to their customers. Happy hours were banned by Illinois lawmakers in 1989, but Senate Bill 398 was introduced in order to lift that ban. The bill was presented to the Illinois Senate in January of this year, and passed by that legislative body in April by a vote of 44 to 9. The bill then went on to the House, and lawmakers there passed the bill in May by a vote of 82 for and 31 against.
Distracted Walking: Are You a Petextrian?
Media and the Internet have saturated the public about
the dangers of distracted driving, particularly the perils
of texting and driving. This law firm has published many
blog posts regarding the deadly dangers these behaviors
can result in. However, there is growing concern about the
dangers of
distracted walking, especially among young people. And now a new government
report has revealed that pedestrian fatalities are again
on the increase, leading many to believe that the cause of
this increase is due in part to “petextrians” – people who
text while walking.
The report was prepared by the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA). According to national statistics, pedestrian fatalities showed a steady decline over the past four decades. By the 2000s, just over 10 percent of motor vehicle deaths in this country were pedestrian deaths. However, over the past five years, a steady increase has begun, to the tune of 15 percent. In 2013, approximately 4,700 motor vehicle accident deaths were pedestrians. That means that every two hours, a pedestrian is killed.
Study Finds Link between TBI and Road Rage Incidents
A recent study found that people who suffer from
traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are more likely to
experience episodes of
road rage. The study was conducted by doctors from St.
Michael&s Hospital in Toronto and published in the
journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.
There were approximately 4,000 drivers, between the ages of 18 and 97, who participated in the study. Drivers who had suffered from at least one TBI reported an increased number of road rage incidents than those drivers who had not suffered from any type of head injuries. The study defined TBI has one where the victim had lost consciousness for at least five minutes, or had been hospitalized for a 24 hour period.
For the study, road rage was defined as incidents where the person made threats to physically harm another driver or passenger, or had made threats to damage another driver’s vehicle.
Back to School, Back to School Bus Crashes
Back to school time means back to bus time — which can
be deadly for children.
School buses
are often carrying many children at one time, which can
lead to very grisly crashes in the event that the driver
is not at his or her best.
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that school buses help to keep an estimated 17.3 million cars off roads that surround schools every day — which ultimately makes those roads safer for pedestrians, both children and adults alike. As such, the NHTSA reports that school buses are the safest mode of transportation to get children back and forth from school.
More than half of all student fatalities occur when the student is traveling with a teen driver. Twenty-three percent of all student fatalities occur when the student is traveling with an adult driver. Only 1 percent of student fatalities occur when a student is traveling by school bus. This means that they are approximately 50 times more likely to arrive to school if they travel by bus than if they travel with a friend or a parent in a private car.
Car Seat Recalls May Put Your Child at Risk in Crash
As consumers, there are certain products that we
purchase where we put our trust in the manufacturer that
the product will protect our loved ones the way it is
supposed to. One of the most important products that
parents purchase is car seats. We purchase the car seat
for the purpose of protecting our most precious cargo –
our children – in the event of a
vehicle crash. However, over the past few months, several car seat
manufacturers have announced recalls of their products due
to defects that could cause potential malfunction of the
product in a crash.
In July, Recaro Child Safety, L.L.C. announced they were recalling almost 174,000 car seats. Make and models of seats being recalled include ProRIDE model number 332.01 (all colors) which were made between April 2010 through June 2015. The company is also recalling Performance RIDE model number 333.01 (all colors) which were made between January 2013 through June 2015. According to statements released by the company, the top tether anchorage may detach from the car seat shell in an accident. Recaro is providing a retrofit kit which will repair the dangerous issue, free of charge.
Railroad Crossing Accidents
According to statistics from the Federal Railroad
Administration (FRA), there is an accident which involves
a train and a vehicle every 90 minutes in this country.
The majority of these accidents take place at
railroad crossings
and typically these locations are less than 25 miles from
the vehicle operator’s home. Tragically, in most of these
cases, the crash is a fatal one for vehicle occupants. In
fact, a person involved in a train/vehicle crash is 30
times more likely to die than if they were in a
vehicle/vehicle crash.
A train does not have the same ability as a vehicle to stop suddenly. For example, it takes a 150-car freight train approximately 1 ½ miles to come to a stop. Passenger trains – which usually have much fewer cars than freight trains – also take over a mile to come to a stop.
Seat Belt Use: Do Click It or Ticket Campaigns Work?
Many of us have heard of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Click It or Ticket campaign. The national campaign is focused on convincing people to fasten their seat belts. In particular, the campaign is aimed at teens and young adults. The goal is to convince people to always “click it” when getting into a vehicle, either as a driver or a passenger. Statistics show that almost half of people who die in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their seat belt.
Illinois is one of many states in the nation that participate in the Click It or Ticket program. Typically, the state holds two campaigns every year. The first is held around the Memorial Day weekend and the second is held over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. There are approximately 400 law enforcement agencies, including the Illinois State Police, who participate in the program. For those who are found not wearing a seat belt, the minimum fine is $60.00.
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.
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