The Government Has Accurate Data on the Type and Frequency of Illinois Car Crashes

According to information from the National Freeway Website Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), automobile accidents are most likely to happen:

According to statistics, the majority of deadly car accident occur between the hours of 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. This should really be no surprise since this is when most people are the most tired. 28% of all fatal traffic crashes occur during this time frame. As nighttime sets in, there are typically more intoxicated or impaired drivers on the roads. The second most unsafe time of day is between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. 16% of all fatal traffic crashes occur during this time frame. These times of day tend to me more harmful due to the number of drivers hitting the road, e.g. “heavy traffic” for commuters coming home from work.

Weekends also yield higher amounts of motor vehicle accidents. Reported auto accidents are higher on Saturdays and Sundays than on any other day of the week. Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to have fewer reported accidents.

While there are plenty of auto accidents that occur in Winter months as a result of road conditions, more accidents actually occur in the Summer months. The NHTSA reported that August is the leading month for traffic accidents to occur. Experts believe that when the temperatures rise, more drivers tend to hit the roads and thus, more accidents occur.

Anytime a driver chooses to operate his/her motor vehicle impaired whether under the influence of alcohol or medications, the danger of a car or truck accident increases. The NHTSA has reported that an alcohol impairment at a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.08 can significantly boost the risk of motor vehicle and truck crushes by about 8 times. The threats of these crashes are increased by 25% when a driver is impaired by marijuana.

Accidents caused by impairment from marijuana are an issue that Illinois and Champaign County will have to deal with in particular with both medicinal and recreational pot use legalized in Illinois. In fact, Illinois police are already trying to prepare for the problem.

While impaired driving is the reason for a significant amount of auto mishaps, the NHTSA reports that 95% of all automobile accidents are created at last partly by human error.

What Do Drivers in Champaign-Urbana and Central Illinois Who Want to Avoid Car Accidents and the Accompanying Injuries Need to Do?

All drivers must understand:

• Evening and nighttime hours are the most dangerous–so stay alert!
• Impaired driving is not just due to alcohol–it can also be from marijuana and even fatigue.
• The slower you travel (within speed limits) the safer you will be. Speeding is a major cause of Illinois Accidents as well.

Have you or a loved one been harmed in an automobile accident? If so, contact the Illinois motor vehicle accident lawyers at Koester Law, PLLC. Our skilled and compassionate attorneys have been offering assistance to our clients since 1895.

To find out more about our services, please call 217-337-1400 to schedule a free initial consult with one of our partners at Koester Law, PLLC.

Unfortunately, serving as an Illinois state trooper can be a very dangerous job. There has been much attention given to recent deaths of Illinois state troopers on the highway while in the line of duty. These tragic accidents happen when drivers in the right-hand Lane fail to move over to the left when is Trooper is performing a traffic stop. In March of 2019, when Illinois State Trooper Gerald Ellis was struck and killed, he was the second death of the year, with 16 other of Illinois’ finest struck by passing vehicles. In light of these accidents, the state of Illinois has passed legislation to attempt to deal with this dangerous problem. The illegal practice of failing to move over is incredibly dangerous not only two state troopers but also to civilian motorists tending to their vehicles on the side of the road. The next time you are passing the Champaign County and Central Illinois and you see a State Trooper or other motorists on the side of the road, pull over to the left hand lane and do your part to increase road safety and cut down on dangerous accidents.

Apart from patrolling on the highways Illinois state troopers provide a wide array a safety education programs ranging from the processor use of seatbelts, the simulations involving texting and drinking and driving. The Illinois State Police Focus much of their attention on ending distracted driving and operating Motor Vehicles while impaired since these two types A behaviorist lead to a high number of accidents across Illinois. Other Illinois State Police safety programs include Prom Night Safety, Motor Vehicle Safety, and rollover simulations which are intended to help inexperienced in teen drivers understand the deadly impact that improper vehicle control can have on themselves and other people sharing the road.

To combat distracted driving in Illinois, state troopers are now riding along in the cabs of semi trucks bringing their quote trooper and a Truck quote Ride Along program to the state of Illinois. The program was started in the Chicago area and and could spread to Champaign County and throughout Illinois. The intent of the program is to catch distracted drivers in the act without the trooper having to be in an easily identifiable Illinois State Police vehicle. After all, how many times have we all passed semi trucks without paying attention to who is behind the wheel? The program is part of the Illinois State initiative to crack down on distracted driving which is a major source of accidents and deaths in Illinois and in Champaign County. Koester Law, PLLC actively pursues and recovers for our clients and distracted driving cases.

At Koester Law, PLLC, we support our Illinois State Troopers in all of their work and remind all drivers in Illinois to stay alert and move over when a vehicle is pulled off the road. Should you be injured in an car wreck in Central Illinois, just let us know how we can help.

With 10 gears, 500 horsepower, hauling 80,000 pounds and an average cruising speed of 65-70 miles per hour, today’s commercial vehicles were built with the long-haul in mind. But if you’ve ever gotten stuck behind an 18-wheeler in the city, you are all too aware of how slow and clumsy these big rigs can be off the highway.  In Central Illinois in particular the prevalence of semi trucks is even higher with so many major interstate highways including:

• Illinois Interstate 57, which runs north and south through the entire state;
• Illinois Interstate 74, which rus east and west through Champaign Urbana;
• Illinois Interstate 72, which serves as the direct link to Springfield Illinois.
• Rural and Country Roads which semi truck uses, particular during farming operations, and which cause many vehicle accidents in Illinois.

The Champaign trucking accident team at Koester Law, PLLC has studied the causes of trucking accidents for decades and has come up with the following tips Illinois drivers can use to protect themselves from the destructive power of semi trucks and big rigs.

Getting Up To Speed

Never pass or maneuver around a commercial vehicle – truck or bus – illegally, even if it means taking a few more minutes on your commute. Although you may think you can zip around and in front of that trucker, keep in mind that most passenger car/tractor trailer accidents are much more than fender benders.

Safe in the Zone: Learn Where Trucks Can See You

Most professional truck and bus drivers try to leave a safe distance between themselves and the vehicle in front of them. This cushion of space is known as the “safety zone”.  Yet, the safety zone is often invaded by risky drivers trying to better their position on the road.

Never zoom around a truck or bus only to pull directly in front of them. Stay out of the safety zone! As a rule when you pass a commercial truck or bus,allow 50 feet (five car lengths) between you and the big guy before merging back in front of him.  If you enter the zone in front of a big rig and need to apply your brakes, the 18-wheeler on your tail may not be able to stop in time.

Is He Making a Pass? Remember, Trucks Are Bigger Than You Are.

When you make the decision to pass, always be sure you can complete your pass quickly.  As you’re approaching a big rig from the rear, anticipate what your passing speed needs to be and be sure you can get by without getting stuck behind another passing vehicle – you might be in one of the truck’s blind spots.  Better to wait to start your pass after the one ahead of you has completed its maneuver and is clear of the safety zone.

Peek-A-Boo: Never Play Games with Trucks to Avoid Accidents

If you can’t see a truck’s mirrors, you’re in the truck’s blind spot and the trucker can’t see you.  Keep this in mind as you select your road position behind or alongside a truck or bus.  Always make sure you can be seen.  When passing, keep in mind that the truck driver has a big blind spot to his left just behind his cab. If you get caught in that blind spot the truck might start a passing maneuver of its own and squeeze you off the road or into oncoming traffic, or worse yet, collide with you.

Semi-Truck Accidents Will Still Happen

Koester Law, PLLC dedicates a significant amount of our practice to helping drivers injured in trucking accidents.  Remember, trucks have one goal in mind, deliver the load as quickly as possible and pick up another load.  That is how trucking companies make money–and they make lots of it.  Trucking companies almost always have large insurance policies as well.  This means that if you or a loved one are injured in a trucking accident, you should absolutely call a local Champaign and Illinois trucking accident lawyer so that you are paid the compensation that you deserve.