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Motor Vehicle Accidents 
Numerous jobs in Illinois involve outdoor work. Construction workers, firefighters, road workers, public transportation staff and other employees spend many hours outside. These workers are subject to several injury risks from extreme weather. By learning the warning signs of weather-related trauma and how to prevent it, employees can stay safer during outside jobs.
Commercial truck weights are regulated by federal and state limits. Illinois officials set the state’s weight limits on the loads trucks can haul within the borders based on risk reduction. Overweight trucks compromise traffic safety and road conditions and may be a contributing factor in injury or fatality crashes.
Illinois currently has a speed camera law that does not allow municipalities with fewer than 1 million residents to install cameras. According to BND, Chicago is the only city in the state that can use them under this legislation. State Rep. Jay Hoffman recently filed a bill that seeks to expand the law and give local governments the option to install speed cameras in their districts.
Distracted driving has always been a concern on the Illinois roadways and across the U.S. According to distraction.gov, the number of motor vehicle crashes caused by distracted driving has increased in recent years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that approximately 387,000 injury accidents and more than 3,000 traffic fatalities in 2011 were directly related to distracted driving.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 285,477 motor vehicle crashes occurred in 2013. This is equivalent to roughly 782 accidents every day. Although many of these collisions only lead to damaged vehicles, even minor fender-benders can cause a soft tissue injury known as whiplash.
According to a recent story in the News-Gazette, a recent lawsuit filed in Illinois cited severe negligence as the cause of a resident’s death. The man entered the nursing home to recover from chest pains that had taken him to the hospital the month before. The patient’s wife claimed that his death was directly related to the poor care the nursing home delivered.
Truckers drive the largest, most dangerous vehicles that can occupy the nation’s roads. When they fail to get the adequate sleep that they need to stay alert, devastating accidents can occur. An Illinois truck accident lawyer may see many cases each year that show just how life-altering these truck accidents can be. Despite knowing what can happen if they allow themselves to become drowsy, many truckers fail to get adequate rest.
Illinois drivers are faced with many hazards as they travel the state’s roadways. A car accident lawyer in Illinois understands that these hazards are only going to increase as technology improves. Recent developments in technology have created additional ways for motorists to become distracted, such as cell phones, GPS navigation systems and advanced radio systems.
Drunk drivers have been causing devastating accidents since the invention of the motor vehicle. In 1990, over half of all traffic fatalities were caused or contributed to by alcohol. While that rate has significantly decreased over the years, a third of all traffic deaths are still caused by those who choose to drink and drive.
Traumatic brain injuries are among the leading causes of both death and disability in the United States. TBIs make up about 30 percent of all injury deaths, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A CDC study conducted from 2006 to 2010 reports that falls are the leading cause of brain injury, resulting in about 40 percent of all occurrences.