On behalf of Giacoletto Law Firm posted in Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, January 18, 2013.
According to the state's transportation chief, auto accident fatalities in Illinois dropped in the second half of 2012, after highway message boards showing the totals of road deaths were made operational. Overall, 2012 showed an increase of 4 percent in fatal accidents.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 887 accidents were reported with 957 fatalities, compared with 835 accidents in 2011 with 918 fatalities. Approximately 148 fatalities were due to motorcycle accidents; this was a 15.5 percent increase over 2011. The message boards have apparently helped in reducing inattentive driving, a major cause of road accidents.
According to the State Transportation Secretary, fatalities dropped as a result of the message boards and the efforts made in social media to make the public aware of the number of deaths due to road accidents. The aim was to spur drivers to adopt safer driving habits during the second half of the year. The electronic message board listings will be operational again in 2013 in a couple of weeks. According to the latest reports from the Illinois Department of Transportation, three fatal accidents have been reported so far; that is lower than the 15 fatal accidents by this time last year.
Heightened awareness seems to be the chief factor in the drop in the number of fatal accidents for the last seven months of 2012 compared with 2011. Fatal accidents on Illinois roads had increased by 17 percent between January and July last year compared with 2011. After the message boards were made operational, 478 deaths were reported compared 500 deaths during the same period in 2011.
Negligent drivers cause accidents, which sometimes result in the loss of a loved one or pain and suffering owing to the injuries sustained during the accident. The laws provide that the liability rests with the negligent driver and that the insurers of the negligent driver are responsible for all damages, such as medical expenses and other monetary expenses. However, no amount of monetary compensation can make up for the loss of a life.
Source: Chicago Tribune, "Fatal highway crashes dip in second half of 2012," Jon Hilkevitch, Jan. 7, 2013
