Car accidents are fatal and lead to ample physical injuries and emotional trauma. Usually, car crashes are common in busy states, such as Illinois, which, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, is reported to be the 5th busiest interstate system. Based on the 2021 statistics, the fatal car crash count went up to 1,217, causing 1,342 deaths.
Edwardsville, a city in Illinois, witnesses pedestrian accidents regularly. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there are close to 4,900 accidents on average. From this number, 148 are considered fatalities, and there are about 4,600 pedestrian injury accidents.
Therefore, if you are driving on the streets of Edwardsville, you need to exercise caution. However, once you know the causes that lead to life-threatening accidents, you can try to avoid them as much as possible.
In this article, we will look into the causes of car accidents and how a personal injury lawyer can be of help to victims.
Car Accidents in Edwardsville: The Common Causes
No one wants to encounter a car crash, as that can cause anything from severe injuries to death. Once you face it, you must consult with an Edwardsville personal injury lawyer to seek legal assistance that will enable you to get compensated for all the damages you’ve encountered.
But until you know the cause of the car crash, your lawyer won’t be able to frame the case well. That aside, when you know these causes, you can try to avoid a crash by exercising caution.
The common causes of car accidents include:
Distracted Driving
It is the principal cause of car accidents in Illinois. Distracted driving takes place when a driver gets involved in any other activity that diverts their attention from their primary task, which is driving. Often texting while driving results in crashes. Not many drivers are aware that behaviors like operating the navigation system while driving or talking over the phone are also considered distracted driving.
According to the CDC, any activity that diverts the driver’s attention is considered a distraction. Typically, there are three kinds of distractions, such as:
- Visual: When the driver takes his glance away from the road, he is driving.
- Manual: This occurs when the driver removes their hand from the steering wheel.
- Cognitive: This occurs when the driver starts to focus on something else other than driving.
Addressing these three kinds of distraction can help reduce car crash rates to a great extent.
Drowsy Driving
The other term for this is fatigued driving, which results in fatal car crashes in Illinois. No one can stay awake and function efficiently all day long. The human body needs adequate rest as well. When drivers miss out on their sleep, they become unmindful and fatigued. As a result, they can’t make correct judgment calls within a few seconds, which might have saved them from a crash.
For instance, when a fatigued car driver hits another car purely because they couldn’t make the right use of the brake, it can result in a fatal accident. It can cause severe injuries like bone fractures, cuts and bruises, ligament tears, and even traumatic brain injury.
If a driver hasn't slept well and is awake for long hours, it can affect their driving ability the same way alcohol does. Studies reveal that waking for 18 hours is much like having a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of 0.05%. And if a driver is awake for 24 hours or more, it's like having a BAC of 0.10%.
Fatal Lane Changes
Before moving past another car, a driver must ensure that they have ample space to move in front of another vehicle. When there is no sufficient space for a vehicle to pass and get ahead of them, drivers should avoid passing.
That aside, it is necessary for drivers to use blinkers as they change lanes to allow users to know about it. For instance, if you are changing lanes and don’t alert other drivers about it, they can’t manage their driving accordingly, which leads to an accident.
Speeding
The majority of car accidents happen due to excessive speed. Several drivers don’t identify this as an issue and don’t control the car’s speed limit. They must realize that the faster they drive their car, the slower their reaction time will be. That means speeding increases the risk of accidents.
Once you know the cause of your accident, you can seek legal help to get compensated for it. TorHoerman Law says that it’s best to work in cooperation with a lawyer who can help you gather evidence and file a case that ensures that the verdict is in your favor. As evidence, you need to present medical bills, hospital records, repair bills, the contact details of witnesses, and accident scene photographs.
The lawyer presents your case at the court and ensures that you get covered for economic and non-economic damages.
To sum up, no one can predict whether they will encounter a car accident. However, when you are driving in a region that is prone to car crashes, it’s best to exercise caution. The causes mentioned above are mostly what lead to car accidents in Edwardsville. Once you note it and exercise caution, you play your part in trying to avoid fatal crashes.
