Car accidents can be devastating and lead to serious, life-altering injuries. Distracted driving, including texting and driving, causes thousands of severe injuries and fatalities each year in the United States. To combat the use of cellphones or other electronic devices when driving, Illinois passed a law prohibiting distracted driving. However, distracted driving continues to be an issue rampant on the roads. Victims that have been injured during a car collision from a distracted driver may be awarded financial compensation to help cover the costs of their injuries. Distracted driving also may lead to severe legal consequences.

Understanding Illinois Distracted Driving Laws 

According to 2022 driving statistics, approximately 400 fatal crashes caused by texting and driving occur each year in the United States. This figure indicates the need for safety laws to prevent distracted driving. Illinois law states that drivers may not use hand-held electronic devices while driving on the road. The legal consequences for texting or using a device while driving can include fines anywhere from $75 to $1,000. If a driver causes bodily harm to another individual due to distracted driving, they may be charged with aggravated use of a device while driving, leading to a Class A misdemeanor for bodily injuries to the victim or a Class 4 felony if the victim is killed. 

Establishing a Faulty Party 

If you were a car accident victim of a distracted driver, you may be entitled to financial compensation to aid in your recovery. To hold the other driver responsible for their distracted driving, you must establish that they were the faulty party. Declaring fault may seem like an easy pursuit; however, it can be challenging to prove fault in a car accident, especially if the faulty driver obtains legal representation. Suppose you are looking to establish fault and receive compensation for your injuries or a loved one’s death. In that case, it is in your best interest to speak with or hire a skilled personal injury attorney with experience establishing fault in distracted driving cases. 

When a manufacturer designs and produces a product that eventually makes its way to the public, the public trusts that the product has gone through rigorous safety testing and that stringent quality controls are in place during the manufacturing process. That is not always the case and many products end up being recalled. Vehicles are one of the most common products recalled each year. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, millions of recalled vehicles are never repaired but are still on the roads, creating a dangerous situation for both the vehicle’s driver and everyone they share the roads with.

Vehicle Recalls

A vehicle can be recalled in a number of different ways. Sometimes, the vehicle manufacturer discovers the defect – either on their own or through warranty claims filed or complaints from customers and/or vehicle dealers – and voluntarily issues the recall in order to repair the issue. In other cases, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) receives complaints from consumers and will conduct an investigation that eventually results in the recall.

Once a recall is issued, all vehicle owners are supposed to be notified in writing, explaining details of the recall and what steps they need to take to get their vehicle repaired. The NHTSA has reported in the past that approximately one-third of owners fail to get their vehicles repaired. The older a recalled vehicle is, the less likely it will be brought in for repairs. This is often due to the vehicle manufacturer’s inability to contact the owner because they have an old address or the vehicle has been sold to someone else. There are also many owners who choose to ignore the recall notices they receive.

Being involved in any type of vehicle accident can result in a victim suffering serious injury, however, accidents involving tractor-trailers and other large commercial trucks often result in catastrophic injuries, usually for the occupants in the other vehicle. The size and massive weight of commercial trucks can do significant damage to a passenger vehicle in a truck accident, leaving the vehicle’s occupants vulnerable to severe injury and death.

Truck Accident Statistics

It is estimated that about 70 percent of all goods transported in the United States get to their destinations by truck. The considerable number of large trucks on the nation's roads appear to confirm this statistic. That number also means that there is a high potential for truck accidents.

According to data collected by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), 75 percent of all fatal passenger vehicle accidents involve a large truck. In 70 percent of all fatal truck accidents, the victims are the passenger vehicle occupants. More than 5,000 people are killed in truck accidents each year.

For years, there have been jokes about how bad women drivers are. This idea has been bandied about for the past century, becoming the topic of many stand-up comedian routines and sit-com television shows. The truth, however, according to multiple studies, is that men appear to be the poorer drivers, responsible for many more vehicle accidents than women.

Bad Driving Behaviors

Many studies have been done that conclude that male drivers have a higher traffic accident rate than female drivers. One of the main causes for the discrepancy is that males tend to engage in bad driving behaviors, such as speeding, aggressive driving, and driving under the influence, more than women. Male drivers are also more likely not to wear a seat belt.

Statistically, when it comes to bad driving behaviors, the rate of men who engage is higher than women in just about every area: