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Studies: Most Dangerous Times to Drive
The sheer volume of car accidents that take place due to distracted and intoxicated driving incidents is astounding, but studies reveal other factors that contribute greatly to overwhelming crash statistics, such as certain times of the day. For example, experts have revealed that traveling during specific times of day or during certain window periods tends to increase our chances of collision, as those times tend to represent peak accident incidences.
High Risk Driving Time Trends
So, what times of day are considered the most dangerous times to drive, and what does that mean for our daily transportation routines? Should we attempt to work around these peak collision times to avoid accident and injury, or does prevention simply begin with good driving habits from the get-go? Forbes reported findings from a combination of sources, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, as well as Berkeley’s Traffic Safety Center from the University of California. Together, these studies uncovered the following:
Yellow Light Signals and Intersection Safety
With the abundance of car accidents that take place at intersections across the state of Illinois and all throughout the nation, it is no wonder experts have been compelled to take a closer look at traffic signal efficiency. While countless other factors contribute to the overwhelming number of collisions at intersections, such as distracted driving, speeding, and influenced driving, studies have shown that traffic signals often play a big role in the moments leading up to intersection-related accidents.
The Red Light Risk
One issue in particular that has prompted an ongoing, controversial debate among authorities and experts alike is the issue of red-light running. Many drivers take the risk of sailing through red lights at the very last minute, placing everyone in close proximity of the intersection in great danger. Red light camera installation has been a widespread response to this problem over the years, using the enforcement of traffic violations via camera to discourage the running of red lights.
Winter Weather Driving Safety
All across the nation, drivers must brace themselves for snow and icy weather conditions when the winter season rolls around. Similar to driving in rain, fog, or other conditions that limit visibility and create hazardous situations, driving in winter weather can significantly increase your chances of experiencing a car accident. Thankfully, there are a number of actions you can take to prevent a collision when snow season strikes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests every driver take the following precautions before venturing out onto the highways when winter weather conditions are present:
1. Schedule your car for maintenance.
Accident prevention begins with the start of the winter season. Before snow begins to fall and icy weather begins to pick up, schedule your car for complete service and have a proper tune-up. Ensure your windshield wipers, tires, and brakes are in good working order, and have anything else repaired that needs attention. Breaking down is never fun, but it is especially dangerous when driving on ice or in snow.
Traffic Signs that Drivers Should Never Ignore
All roadway signage exists for a reason: To direct and protect us as we navigate the highway, ultimately preventing car accident and injury. Certain roadway signs are especially important, however, as some are more prevalent than others. We may see them multiple times a day throughout the course of our commute, at multiple locations. Usually stationed at busy intersections, these are sadly the signs that are most often disobeyed or disregarded entirely, causing a surplus of collisions that could have easily been prevented.
Stop and All-Way Stop
Running stop signs is one of the most common causes of pedestrian and vehicle accidents on our roadways. Regular stop signs require you to come to a full stop and to yield to the right of way to pedestrians and other oncoming traffic. All-way stops must be obeyed in the same way, but they indicate that there are four stop signs at the same intersection. This means all traffic must stop and that each driver must take turns. The first driver to stop should be the first driver to go when approaching this type of intersection.
Who Is at Risk for Drowsy Driving?
There are a number of causes for drowsy driving, making the problem a widespread danger all across the nation. Everything from driver fatigue and drug or alcohol intoxication are common factors that lead to drowsy driving, which all too often results in car accidents, injury, and even death. The problem is so prevalent that the National Sleep Foundation has named the first week of November each year “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week” with goals to raise awareness and hopefully reduce the number of sleep-related collisions around the country.
Who Are the Drowsy Drivers on Our Roadways?
No one is immune from the danger of driving while tired; all it takes to cause a collision due to sleepiness is the simple decision to get behind the wheel when tired and fatigued. While everyone is capable of causing a sleep-related accident, there are certain drivers more at risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The following drivers have a greater chance of driving while drowsy:
Filing a Car Crash Insurance Claim
There is no getting around the headache that accompanies the insurance claim process following an auto accident. The moment you are in a collision, you are faced with a number of challenges, especially if any kind of injury was incurred due to the crash. Add potential passenger injury to the list of concerns, and you have your work cut out for you. If your passenger experienced injury alongside you, the situation instantly turns messier, further complicating the insurance claim process.
Choosing a First-Party or a Third-Party Claim
As tricky as the claim process can be after an accident, it is crucial to follow through with the help of proper legal assistance to ensure your rights are protected in the aftermath. In the state of Illinois, the law requires drivers to carry bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. This coverage is intended to help pay for any damages they cause in an accident. A first-party claim means you are filing with your own insurance company (assuming you have the proper coverage), while a third-party claim means you are filing with the other driver’s insurance company. You have the option to choose the type of claim you will pursue, but be aware that insurance laws can differ, depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Pedestrian Crosswalk Dangers
The Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) reported that since 2013, nearly 5,000 pedestrians were killed due to car accidents in the United States alone, and more than 150,000 were treated in the ER due to crash-related injuries. Older adult and children pedestrians are at most at risk of injury and fatality and accounted for the largest portion of these reported statistics.
Crosswalk Markings Make a Difference
Although pedestrian accidents happen on all kinds of roadways, intersection crosswalks are particularly dangerous, posing the biggest threats to those commuting by foot. One study that found that a significant number of drivers tend to ignore crosswalk protection laws. When other safety features are present, however, such as stone or brick crosswalks or in-road “stop for pedestrians” signs, the same study found that 61 percent of drivers did stop for pedestrians. This observational survey was conducted at 52 separate locations, scattered through the Chicago area and its surrounding suburbs.
Law Enforcement Efforts to Reduce Car Accidents
Drivers and pedestrians are susceptible to car accident and injury on our Illinois roadways on a daily basis, for a variety of reasons. Certain factors, like weather conditions, are simply out of our control and may affect the safety of a roadway at any given time. Other factors that are within our control, such as distracted driving behaviors or roadway design and development, also have the power to shape the overall safety of the highways on which we travel.
Illinois Department of Transportation Law Enforcement Efforts
While we may not have the ability to prevent every single collision or resulting injury, the Illinois Department of Transportation believes we can make efforts to seriously reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on our roadways. A number of state and federal sources work with the IODT to help fund these traffic law enforcement efforts. Here are three enforcement efforts that exist to protect all Illinois drivers and pedestrians:
Photo Speed and Red Light Running Automated Enforcement
Speeding Dangers on Illinois Tollways
The Illinois State Police report an overwhelming number of alarming statistics regarding speeding and its impact on car accidents and injury throughout the state, drawing our attention to the ongoing need to reduce speeding behaviors on our roadways. According to their statistics, approximately 32 percent of all fatal crashes are speed-related, and the number of vehicles operating at 65 mph or higher has increased over time, which has resulted in higher crash impact incidents and a significant increase in fatalities.
Tollway Speed Study Findings
Speeding is especially problematic on our Illinois tollways. A surplus of vehicle traffic operating at such a fast pace, particularly during rush-hour times, creates a prime opportunity for collision and injury. Still, many drivers choose to drive over the limit in an effort to get to where they need to be. The Chicago Tribune revealed a tollway report that found that only one in 20 people obey a 55 mph speed limit on tollways. Even worse is the finding that the average driver speed on tollways floats in the mid to high seventies.
Signs of an Impaired Driver
Out of the countless causes for car accidents and injuries on the roadways, intoxicated and fatigued driving are among the most tragic, as they are entirely preventable. In a perfect world, no one would ever get behind the wheel when they have been drinking or when they are too tired to drive, but sadly, such choices are made every day, placing everyone on the roadways at risk.
Protecting Yourself on the Road
While most of these collision cases involve drivers who made the choice to drive when they were too tired and shouldn’t have, some fatigue-related cases are unfortunately due to legitimate, undiagnosed sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. Others are the result of having to work late-night or excessively long hours.
Whatever the reason for tiredness behind the wheel, it is never okay for a driver to operate a vehicle when they are unable to remain alert, focused, or when they have been consuming alcohol. We cannot prevent tired drivers from getting behind the wheel on a daily basis, but we can remain proactive and take the necessary steps to protect ourselves on the roadways we all share. Being observant is key.
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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