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Common Car Accident Injuries
Every day on our Illinois roadways, an overwhelming number of drivers experience car accident and injury, leaving them to face a barrage of health and financial challenges in the collision aftermath. According to the Illinois State Police, more than one million U.S. annual crashes are due to distracted driving incidents alone, not counting crashes due to intoxication and other factors. Every time we decide to ride in a vehicle, we place ourselves at risk. While taking proper safety precautions - like wearing our seatbelt and refraining from talking on the phone while driving - can increase our chances of remaining safe in the event of an accident, we are still susceptible to a variety of injuries upon impact.
Ongoing Conditions often Triggered by Collision
Senior Drivers: When Should Your Elderly Family Member Stop Driving?
In 2014, there were 46.2 million Americans who were 65 years or older, and this number is projected to rise. With an influx of older drivers on the road, many are concerned about a potential increase in car accidents. According to the American Automobile Association, drivers over the age of 65 are twice as likely as their middle-aged counterparts to die in a car accident.
What you Should Look out for
Unfortunately, many senior drivers do not wish to give up driving because it gives them a sense of independence. If you have elderly family members who drives, you should look for these signs that suggest they are having difficulty in operating a vehicle:
- Scratches or dents on the car. It is unlikely that your grandparents or aging parents will tell you if they often get into minor accidents like striking the mailbox or bumping into buildings with their vehicles. These minor accidents may occur because your family members are confused, forgetful, or disoriented while driving. These incidents could also be the effect of their deteriorating vision.
Are You Adhering to Proper Child Passenger Safety Restraint Requirements?
The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that car accidents are a leading cause of death for children, with more than 600 fatalities taking place in 2014 in the United States alone. Additionally, more than 121,350 children were injured, and many of those injuries were due to lack of proper safety restraint usage. The fact remains: Those transporting child passengers have the power to save lives and prevent these types of incidences when they follow the right safety restraint protocol.
Car Seat, Booster Seat, or Seat Belt?
Whether you are a parent or caregiver, if you are responsible for driving a child to or from a destination, you first need to determine whether or not they require a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt. This depends on certain factors, including the child’s height, age, and weight. This information will help you transport them as safely as possible. Refer to the following guidelines before driving a child anywhere:
When Are the Safest and Most Dangerous Times to Drive?
Over the years, countless studies and surveys have been compiled investigating the patterns that lead to the most car accidents and injuries on our roadways. Safety experts, authorities, and roadway engineers alike all benefit from such statistics, as these facts help paint a vivid picture of what the true hazards are out on the highways, allowing us all to better understand how and where we can work to prevent fatal collisions and life-changing injuries.
Common Collision Predictors
Out of the many studies that have been conducted on the causes behind car crashes, however, specific factors have emerged that are proven to be consistent predictors of collision. Nearly all of these factors are somehow related to dangerous driving behaviors, although others are simply tied to natural hazards, such as bad weather and the elements. Most often, though, it is a combination of these factors that ultimately leads to an increase in accident and injury incidences.
How to Stay Safe While Riding a Bicycle at Night
Summer is here, which means more people are engaging in outdoor activities such as bicycling. While bike riding is an enjoyable activity, it can be dangerous, particularly for those riding their bikes at night. In fact, the pedestrian/cyclist fatality rate is three times higher at night. While it is recommended you ride your bike only during the day, for many that is not possible. If you often do bike at night, you should take certain precautions to avoid a collision with a car or other vehicle.
- Do not ride on busy streets. The more traffic there is on the road, the more likely you will get into an accident with a vehicle. If you can, avoid riding your bike on busy intersections and highways. Speeding cars and distracted drivers can confuse you or cause you to panic — especially at night — which can result in an accident.
Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents on Your Summer Road Trip
As the summer begins, many families are going on road trips or driving to another state for a weekend getaway. Because of the increased number of vehicles on the road for vacation travel, most car accidents occur during the summer months. Therefore, if you are planning to go on a long-distance road trip, you may want to think about the kind of car you drive. Is your vehicle safe enough to drive for hours on the freeway? What can you do to avoid a car accident? Taking into account these questions is essential to your and your family’s safety.
Some of the tips and precautions you should take before and during your road trip include the following:
- Schedule a car maintenance. Battery checks, tune-ups, and oil changes can prevent your vehicle from breaking down while driving. Cars are susceptible to hot weather and long hours on the road, so you should have your vehicle serviced before embarking on your road trip.
How to Teach Your Teen Driving Safety
About 7 percent of all drivers are teens, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). However, teens are involved in approximately 14 percent of all fatal crashes. In fact, car accidents are the number one cause of injury and death for people between the age of 15 to 19.
Teens have a propensity to make poor judgements while driving, to speed, and to drive while intoxicated. Younger drivers also have less experience in driving which increases the likelihood of them being involved in a vehicle crash.
Tips to Help Your Teen Learn How to Drive Safely
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Make sure your teen is ready. If you feel your teen is not prepared to get his or her driver’s license, do not succumb to his or her pressure. Accidents can be caused by a lack of driving experience and poor driving skills. Therefore, it is important to practice driving with your teen until you believe he or she is ready to take the driver’s license test.
Signs You Should Seek Legal Help after a Car Accident
The moment you find yourself in a car accident, the initial shock that takes over makes it difficult to focus on the necessary, immediate steps you need to take to protect yourself. Not only is it crucial to act quickly in order to protect your safety and the safety of your vehicle’s passengers, it is also important for the protection of your rights. Once the collision is over and the aftermath begins, the clock is ticking. Everything you do - or do not do - in the minutes following the crash may work for or against you later on, in a court of law.
Knowing When to Seek Help
It is not unusual for car crash victims to want to rush the process and hurry home immediately after the collision. This can be dangerous for a number of reasons, the most obvious being that you may have incurred injuries during the collision that do not reveal themselves until hours or even days later. There are other reasons to consider staying put and seeking help before you leave the scene, however. Here are four signs that indicate it is a good idea to seek legal help following a car accident:
What You Need to Know about Wrongful Death Claims in Car Accident Cases
Car accidents in Illinois can cause bodily injury or death. According to the most recent data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 296,049 car accidents in the state in 2014. In about 20 percent of the crashes, injuries were sustained. In 845 car accidents that year, at least one person died.
If you have lost a loved one in a car accident where someone else is at fault, the law provides that you are entitled to compensation for your loss. Damages can include a family’s grief, sorrow, and mental suffering. These damages must be asserted in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits Have Certain Requirements
Under Illinois law, wrongful death lawsuits must be brought by the personal representative of the decedent’s estate. A personal representative is a person who helps oversee the distribution of the decedent’s assets and belongings.
Unsafe Conditions that Lead to Truck Accidents
Large trucks present special dangers to others on the road due to their size. Trucks usually weigh 20 to 30 times that of a passenger car. When truck accidents occur, the occupants of the truck are less likely to be hurt than those in passenger cars. In representing victims of truck accidents, our firm sees several common factors that contribute to truck wrecks, including:
- Driver fatigue. Due to demanding schedules, truck drivers are often overworked. Even though there are strict requirements about how long a driver can operate, drivers flout these regulations so that they can meet their deadlines.
- Improper maintenance or defective parts. Drivers and trucking fleets are responsible for regular maintenance. Tire blowouts are one dangerous condition that can occur if a truck is not properly serviced. Brakes are another part that must be kept in good repair.
- Distracted driving. Because of the length of time drivers must operate, driving distracted is a real risk. Whether talking on the phone or surfing the internet, such a habit can take a driver’s eyes off the road.
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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