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Does Uber Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents?
Uber often touts its mission to end drunk driving across the country. The ride-sharing company frequently reports on declines in incidents of drunk driving within urban areas that have Uber. Uber says that its ride-sharing service has given individuals an affordable, accessible transportation option that keeps them from driving while under the influence.
Although some may find Uber’s claim that it significantly reduced drunk driving hyperbolic, some research supports the claim. A recent study conducted by the City University of New York found that since Uber rolled out its ride-sharing services in four boroughs of New York City, there has been a 25 to 35 percent decrease in drunk driving accidents. This means that there have been approximately 40 fewer crashes per month in the boroughs.
New American Academy of Pediatrics Car Seat Safety Guidelines
As a parent, you want to do everything you can to keep your children safe, and this is especially true when you are in the car. Using a safe car seat can ensure that children are properly protected in any car accidents, but parents may not be aware of which types of car seats are appropriate for children at different ages.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released new guidelines for car seat safety. This update came following a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics which found that only 62 percent of the parents participating in the study used a rear-facing car seat for children 17-19 months old. The study also found that parents who spoke with pediatricians about car seat safety and were aware of AAP guidelines were more likely to use rear-facing car seats.
Opioids Are an Increasing Factor in Fatal Car Accidents
Everyone is aware of the danger that drunk driving poses to people on the road, but many people may not realize that prescription painkillers can be just as dangerous.
As the use and abuse of opioids has increased in recent decades, the number of drivers killed in car accidents while under the influence of these drugs has also seen a major increase.
Study Shows the Impact of Opioids on Car Crashes
A recent study published in the American Journal of Public Health looked at drug test results for drivers who died in car accidents and found that between 1991 and 2015, the number of drivers with prescription opioids in their system at the time of death rose by 700 percent. This increase is likely due to the rise in use of these types of drugs; between 1991 and 2014, prescriptions for opioid painkillers have risen from 76 million to nearly 300 million. Oxycodone, morphine, and codeine were the most commonly detected drugs in the study.
Avoiding Car Accident Injuries: Wear Seat Belts in the Back Seat
The importance of wearing a seat belt when driving or riding in a car is well known, but while adults usually ensure that children are safely buckled up, they sometimes neglect to wear their own safety belts. When adults ride in a vehicle’s back seat, they may feel that a seat belt is not necessary. However, this negligence can result in serious injuries in car accidents.
Adult Seat Belt Usage
A recent survey performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that while 91 percent of the adults surveyed always wear a seat belt when they are in a vehicle’s front seat, only 72 percent always wear a seat belt in the back seat. People gave a variety of reasons for not wearing seat belts, including a belief that seat belts are not necessary because back seats are safer than front seats. People were also less likely to wear seat belts when riding in taxis or ride-sharing services like Uber, with only 57 percent of people saying they always wore seat belts in hired vehicles.
Illinois Ranks as One of the Safest States, but Still Needs Improvement
Every year, over 40 million people are injured and 146,000 people are killed in accidents that could have been prevented, according to data from the National Safety Council (NSC). The NSC notes that these numbers are on the rise, with deaths from car accidents, poisoning, drowning, choking, falls, and fires having increased 7 percent since 2014.
The NSC recently released its State of Safety report for 2017, looking at each state in the United States and giving them grades for safety on the road, in the home, in the workplace, and in the community. Illinois ranked second in overall safety, but it received a “B” grade, since the NSC noted several areas in which safety could be improved.
Road Safety
Traffic safety was one of the key focuses of the NSC’s report, as over 40,000 people died while on the road in 2016. While Illinois ranks #1 in road safety, the state still saw 1,108 fatalities in 2016, and the report noted several areas in which safety could be improved, including:
How an App May Cause Your Next Car Accident
There are countless apps available on mobile phones—messaging apps, navigation apps, and game apps. There is something for everyone.
Although apps provide a great deal of entertainment and a way to make connections that transcend borders, they can also lead to distracted driving.
In fact, many of these apps were developed with the intention of being used on the road.
The Pokemon Go game allows motorists to search for Pokemon while driving. Drivers can use Snapchat, a messaging app, to posts photos that list the vehicle’s speed. Waze, a popular navigation app, gives drivers reward points when they report traffic incidents.
Even the useful navigation app by Google Maps can cause drivers to be distracted every time they have to look to the phone for directions or to accept a different route.
We Can Decrease Drunk Driving Accidents. Here’s How.
Every year in the U.S. there are approximately 111 million instances in which adults drive after drinking over the legal limit. About 10,265 people die in drunk driving accidents across the country annually. Every two minutes, a person is injured in an alcohol-related traffic accident.
While the statistics do not resemble the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents during the drunk driving epidemic of the 1970s and 1980s, the rate of drunk driving is still a concern among many, and researchers and policymakers are seeking ways to address the issue.
What Can Be Done?
Whether it be a change in policies or the leverage of social media campaigns, there is much that can be done to combat driving under the influence:
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DUI laws. Since the 1970s, the national drunk driving rate has decreased by 57 percent. Many in the science, policy, and government sectors attribute the rollout of DUI penalties and an increase in the drinking age to the reduction. Whether strict driving-under-the-influence laws are correlated with low drunk driving rates is up for debate. For example, South Dakota has the most lenient DUI penalties in the U.S. and has the highest drunk driving rate among all states. However, Arizona also has some of the toughest DUI laws in the U.S., but in 2013, the state had the 17th highest DUI fatality rate in the U.S. In Illinois, more adults commit alcohol-impaired driving than the U.S. average—regardless of the state’s relatively strict DUI laws.
How Google’s Self-Driving Cars Teach Safe Driving
The safety of vehicles with autonomous technology is being debated across the globe. Those who drive vehicles with autonomous technology oftentimes become too dependent on the vehicle—which can lead to catastrophic accidents. However, self-driving cars can teach drivers of any vehicle more about safer and better driving.
Certain “behaviors” and mechanisms were installed in self-driving cars to improve safety and prevent traffic accidents. Drivers can learn from such behaviors to avoid collisions while on the road.
The Behaviors of Autonomous Vehicles
Keep your eyes open. Self-driving vehicles such as Google’s driverless car constantly and consistently watch other vehicles, pedestrians, movements, objects, and all other activity on the road. Through its sharp observations, Google’s driverless car can predict what other drivers intend to do, not just where the other cars are currently located. For example, if it sees a cyclist that will need to get around a vehicle that is in front of it, the car will slow down or give the cyclist space.
Bars Involved in Pub Crawls May Be Liable for Drunk Driving Damages
Drunk driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents, and more than 10,000 people die in drunk driving accidents every year in the United States. When you or a family member are injured in an accident involving a drunk driver, navigating the legal system as you seek compensation for your damages can be a daunting prospect. However, a recent case in the Chicago suburbs highlights how Illinois’ dram shop laws may allow you to recover damages from a bar or restaurant that was responsible for a driver’s intoxication.
Pub Crawls and Dram Shop Liability
In February 2017, Crystal Lake resident Lawrence Madigan was killed in a head-on collision with Tyler Stewart, who was driving home after a pub crawl that had taken place in multiple Chicago suburbs, with the participants traveling between bars using Metra. Stewart was also killed in the crash, and according to sheriff’s report, a blood test performed after the accident found that he had a blood alcohol level of .167, which is more than twice the legal limit.
The Dangers of Bicycle “Dooring” Accidents in Chicago
Chicago has been named America’s Best Bike City, but there are still plenty of dangers for cyclists throughout the city. One of the most common and dangerous types of bicycle accidents is “dooring,” in which a cyclist is struck by a car door that is opened in their path.
Even though Chicago has added over 100 miles of bike lanes to its streets in the past several years, the prevalence of dooring accidents has increased during that time, demonstrating the need for both drivers and cyclists to stay safe when using the road.
Increased Instances of Dooring
In April of 2017, the Illinois Department of Transportation released the latest road accident data for Chicago, covering the year 2015. This report showed that 302 bicyclists were doored in 2015, which was a 50 percent increase from the previous year. There were a total of 1,720 accidents involving bicycles in 2015 (an increase three percent from the previous year), resulting in 1,644 injuries.
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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