Why Are Deadly Car Accidents on the Rise in Illinois?

Per a report in the Peoria Journal Star, Illinois State Police data shows that statewide deadly car accidents have gone up 10 percent since 2014. At the same time, the number of speeding tickets handed out by state troopers in Illinois have dropped by 40 percent since 2010.

More Fatal Car Wrecks Despite Less Speeding Tickets?

Last year, state police issued 126,959 speeding tickets. This year, troopers had handed out 78,006 tickets for speeding as of September 30, which put them on pace to end 2016 having issued around 104,000 speeding tickets. Meanwhile, in 2016, there are over 1,000 motor vehicle fatalities in Illinois, which is the first time there have been more than 1,000 such fatalities statewide since 2008.

Experts the Journal Star spoke to believe there are various reasons that road fatalities rose in Illinois in 2016. Despite the drop in speeding tickets being issued, one of the reasons experts cited for the rise in deadly car crashes in the state was speeding. On January 1, 2014, Illinois raised speed limits on rural highways from 65 mph to 70 mph. According to one expert the Journal Star interviewed, states with higher speed limits tend to see an increase in fatal car accidents. However, the Illinois State Police do not agree, stating that the rise in deadly wrecks has as much to do with DUI, distracted driving and seat belt violations as it does with speeding.

Unfortunately, it does not help that there are less state troopers out monitoring traffic. The Illinois State Police’s primary division for handling traffic enforcement is the division of operations. Since 2009, the number of troopers in the division of operations has gone down from 1,842 to 1,462 due to new troopers not being hired to replace those who retire or resign. Less troopers seems to be translating into fewer speeding tickets.

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The information provided by Walton Telken, LLC in this Blog is not intended to be legal advice, but merely provides general information related to common legal issues. This Blog, and the information contained within it, is Attorney Advertisement. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.

Title: Winter Driving Tips: What Should I Do If I’m Stuck on an Icy Road?

Now that winter is here, it’s important that drivers take the time to make sure they and their vehicles are prepared to travel safely in cold weather. This means making sure their car or truck is running properly, stocking their vehicle with the necessary winter weather driving gear and learning basic icy road driving tips.

Safety Tips for Driving on Snowy and Icy Roads

The best thing to do to avoid getting into to car wreck during snowy or icy weather is to just stay home if possible. However, if you must go out, are trying to get back home or the weather turns bad as you’re driving, here are few snowy and icy road driving tips to help you avoid winter weather car accidents:

• Check Your Tires – Your tires should have a 6/32-inch tread at least. Most tires start out with a 10/32-inch tread before wearing down over time. In addition, if you drive in winter weather a lot, you should invest in tires made specifically for driving in snowy and icy conditions as well as tire chains.
• Electronic Stability Control – ESC can automatically sense when your vehicle begins to lose control on an icy road and take over long enough to bring it back under control. Therefore, when purchasing a car or truck, if you have the option, choose a vehicle with ESC.
• Lights and Wipers – Make sure that your windshield wipers are in good shape and replace them if they are not. Also, use anti-icing windshield wiper fluid and apply a protectant to your windows that sheds water and ice, such as Rain-X. In addition, check your headlights and taillights to ensure they are working properly, so that you can see and be seen on the road.
• Antilock Brakes and All Wheel Drive – If your vehicle has ABS or AWD, you should learn to use them properly. In the case of ABS, remember to stomp, stay and steer. Stomp on the brake pedal, continue to press down on the brake pedal and steer your vehicle smoothly around obstacles. AWD provides forward traction in deep snow, which helps you climb steep roads in snowy conditions, and helps prevent your vehicle from fishtailing as it accelerates.

The information provided by Walton Telken, LLC in this Blog is not intended to be legal advice, but merely provides general information related to common legal issues. This Blog, and the information contained within it, is Attorney Advertisement. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Past results afford no guarantee of future results. Every case is different and must be judged on its own merits.