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5 Tips for Avoiding Distracted Driving Accidents
Each year, an average of over 3,200 people are killed and over 400,000 people are injured in distracted driving accidents across the United States. Whether it comes from talking on a cell phone, texting, adjusting the radio, or any other activity that takes a driver’s attention off the road, distracted driving is one of the greatest dangers to public safety in modern life.
In fact, a recent study by Cambridge Mobile Telematics, a technology company that tracks driving habits, found that nearly 25 percent of drivers were using a phone within one minute before being involved in a car accident.
The temptation to pay attention to a phone call or text or perform some other activity that distracts from driving is a problem, but drivers can improve safety on the road by following these tips:
New Vehicle Technologies Increase Safety On the Road
Driving is an inherently dangerous activity, and everyone who uses the road is at risk of injury in a car accident. However, many of these accidents are avoidable. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 94 percent of serious accidents are caused by human error.
While self-driving cars may eventually eliminate human error from the road, their widespread adoption is still several years away. But in the meantime, more and more vehicles are being equipped with automated safety technologies that can address these errors and improve safety for everyone on the road. These technologies include:
- Forward collision protection - Cars equipped with forward collision warning (FCW) systems detect when a vehicle is approaching a slow-moving or stopped car and provide a warning to the driver. In some cases, cars can automatically apply emergency brakes to avoid a crash. Some cars can also detect when pedestrians are crossing in front of the car and provide warnings or stop automatically. A study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) found that these systems reduce the number of rear-end collisions by 50 percent.
Practicing Safety at Railroad Crossings
Train crossings can be incredibly dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. Trains have massive size and weight in comparison to cars. In fact, a train hitting a car is comparable to a car hitting a can of soda.
Due to this huge size difference, train accidents are 40 times more likely to result in someone’s death than car accidents.
The state of Illinois has over 7,000 miles of train tracks, and it ranks second in the United States in fatalities involving collisions between trains and vehicles and seventh in fatalities involving pedestrians.
In order to avoid railroad accidents, it is important to practice proper safety at railroad crossings by following these tips:
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Obey railroad crossing signals - Watch for flashing lights and warning bells, and always stop when a train is approaching or crossing the road. Stop as soon as the signal begins flashing or the gate lowers; do not try to cross ahead of a train.
Are You Required to Provide Aid After a Car Accident?
A car accident can be a traumatic experience for everyone involved, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and even bystanders.
Whether collisions are major or minor, people often suffer injuries, and in the heat of the moment, it can be difficult to determine the best ways to provide them with emergency medical assistance. However, both drivers and bystanders should be aware of their rights and responsibilities in these situations.
The Duty to Render Aid
Illinois law requires a driver who is involved in a car accident in which an injury occurred to provide “reasonable assistance” to the person who was injured. This assistance can include calling 911, administering first aid, or providing transportation to a medical facility.
Conor’s Law: Providing Safety for Minors Arrested for Drunk Driving
Drunk driving is a major, ongoing safety issue on our nation’s roads. Yet while the number of drunk driving accidents and fatalities has been on the decline in recent years, hundreds of people are still killed in these accidents every year in Illinois.
The state’s drunk driving laws aim to address this issue by providing harsh punishments for drunk drivers. One area in which the state hopes to improve safety is in matters involving underage drivers.
Conor’s Law Addresses Underage DUI Arrests
In September of 2017, Governor Bruce Rauner signed Conor’s Law, which changes the way police handle the custody and release of drivers under the age of 21 who have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). This law was named after Conor Vesper, a 20 year old college student who committed suicide after being arrested for drunk driving in 2015.
Safe Driving Tips for Avoiding Truck Accidents
Every driver shares the road equally, but they are not all equally safe when it comes to accidents. Crashes involving large vehicles can be especially dangerous, due to the size difference between semi trucks and regular passenger vehicles.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were approximately 415,000 truck accidents in the United States in 2015 (the most recent year statistics were available), with 3,598 of these crashes causing fatalities and 83,000 causing injuries.
Practicing Safety Around Large Trucks
Earlier this year, the FMCSA partnered with AAA, the American Trucking Association, and the American Bus Association to release Our Roads, Our Safety, an awareness campaign that educates drivers about how to drive safely around large vehicles. The tips offered by the campaign include:
Educating Teens About Driving Safely and Avoiding Car Accidents
This year’s National Teen Driver Safety Week takes place on October 15-21, and schools, communities, and organizations across the country are using this event to promote teen driving safety.
This ongoing effort is incredibly important, since motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens between the ages of 15 and 18, with more than 2,000 teens being killed and 99,000 teens being injured every year in car accidents across the United States.
Parents of teens should speak regularly with their children about the importance of driving safely, ensuring that they follow these rules while on the road:
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Always wear a seat belt - Over one-third of teens who die in car crashes are not using a seat belt. Teen drivers should always buckle up and make sure that all passengers do so as well.
Understanding the Rights of Pedestrians in Illinois
In 2015, the most recent year for which data is available, there were over 5,000 motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians in Illinois, with 4,666 of these accidents resulting in injuries and 150 accidents resulting in pedestrian fatalities. Pedestrians are especially vulnerable in collisions, and being struck by a car, truck, bus, or other vehicle can result in severe, debilitating injuries.
In order to avoid these types of accidents, both drivers and pedestrians should understand the laws governing pedestrians in Illinois.
Right of Way and Pedestrian Responsibilities
When pedestrians are legally crossing the road within a crosswalk, drivers must yield the right of way to them. This means they must stop their vehicles while pedestrians walk on their half of the road, or when they are approaching from the other half of the road. Drivers must also yield right of way to pedestrians on sidewalks.
Recognizing the Signs of Traumatic Brain Injury After a Car Accident
A car accident can be a frightening experience, whether it is a minor bump or a multi-car pileup. Drivers, passengers, and pedestrians who have been involved in a collision are often shaken up and unsure of what steps they should take to seek medical attention and deal with insurance claims and repairs.
In the chaos and confusion that results in the aftermath of a crash, people may not be aware of the extent of their injuries. Brain injuries are especially common in car accidents, but their symptoms may not be immediately evident. Anyone who has been involved in a motor vehicle accident should seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the signs that they have received a serious brain injury.
6 Tips for Avoiding Car Accidents by Driving Safely in a Work Zone
Everyone deserves to stay safe when they are using the road, and that includes both drivers and people working in construction zones. There are over 4,800 car accidents in work zones every year in Illinois, and road construction workers are especially vulnerable in car crashes, since they do not have protection against large, fast-moving vehicles.
One small mistake by a driver can result in a serious crash and major injuries to everyone involved. The consequences of hitting a construction worker are severe; doing so may result in up to $10,000 in fines and 14 years in prison.
In order to provide a safe environment for everyone on the road, drivers should follow these tips when driving in construction zones:
- Be aware of conditions - Drivers should always pay close attention to the traffic patterns and roadway conditions in a work zone. The lanes may be more narrow than usual, the pavement may be uneven, and parts of the road may be closed from traffic. The state of roadway construction or repairs can change from day to day, so drivers should be ready for the unexpected.
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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