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Motor Vehicle Accidents 
In early June, Illinois law enforcement responded to a single-car accident. According to the Chicago Tribune, a 73-year-old man was driving the vehicle when it left the road and slammed into a tree. Both the man and his 72-year-old wife, who was in the passenger seat, died as a result of the accident.
One of the greatest hazards on Chicago’s roads is aggressive drivers. Although Illinois currently has no formal aggressive driving laws in place, many of the behaviors that would be covered under that provision are still prohibited because of their increased potential for accidents. A car accident attorney in Chicago may see many aggressive driving accident victims in just a single year.
According to the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, the state of Illinois saw 321 alcohol-related automotive fatalities on its roadways in 2012. Many people try and minimize their risk of involvement in an impaired driving accident by utilizing a designated driver.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 285,477 motor vehicle crashes and 991 fatalities in the state during 2013. Aggressive driving behaviors that lead to road rage have become a major contributor to the rise in collisions.
According to Illinois crash data, there were 142 traffic fatalities involving large trucks in 2013. This number has risen steeply since 2009. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that jackknifing is involved in 10 percent of all fatal truck crashes.
Voice-activated systems in vehicles are very popular. These systems allow Illinois drivers to control the features of their vehicles while keeping both hands on the wheel. A recent cognitive study shows that voice-activated technology is not always safe to operate while driving.
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.
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.