Illinois Fatal Accidents Blog

Earlier this week, we wrote about new government data showing that the auto accident fatality rate rose last year for the first time since 2005. While there are probably many factors that contributed to the uptick in road deaths, there is little doubt that distracted driving was significant among them.

Teenagers are not the only motorists who drive distracted, but recent research suggests that texting and other cellphone use behind the wheel is especially prominent among this age group. The results of a nationwide survey given to nearly 8,000 high school students in 2011 reveals that 43 percent of driving-age teens admitted to texting behind the wheel at least once during the previous month.

Earlier this week, we began a discussion about a piece of legislation currently being considered by federal lawmakers. The Safe Highways and Infrastructure Preservation Act seeks to freeze current weight and size limits for trucks and close loopholes that allow overweight trucks to continue operating.

Proponents of the bill argue that truck accidents on American roads already kill more than 4,000 people each year. If we allow the size and weight of trucks to continue to grow, the number of truck accidents and fatalities will almost assuredly rise as well.

Certain kinds of accidents are particularly devastating. For example, a roll-over accident is generally going to cause more human and property damage than a low-speed fender bender will. It is with a profound understanding of the damage capacity of certain kinds of truck accidents that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has become invested in prevention of underride crashes. Because in focusing on these particularly devastating crashes, the NHTSA hopes that it will save a substantial number of lives.

An underride crash generally occurs when a small car collides with the back of a large truck and slides partially underneath the body of that truck. These crashes can lead to devastating injuries and fatalities from decapitation and generally severe impact. In addition, it is particularly difficult for first responders to extract victims from these kinds of crashes in time to administer life-saving care.

When constructing buildings, green spaces and vehicles, American engineers should always strive to consider the most vulnerable among us. While floors strewn in inches of tiny pebbles may serve older kids well in a playground setting, babies are prone to eat this material and become sick from the ingestion. While small elevators may serve to open up space in a building, wheelchair-bound individuals must be able to fit within these devices in order to adequately move from one floor to the next as stairs are not an option for them. Vulnerable populations should always be considered when some new space or device is created.

In the case of motor vehicles, vulnerable populations should be uniquely accommodated when it comes to safety and accident prevention. Should children or elderly persons be involved in car or truck accidents, restraint systems, seat construction and air bags must be tailored to their unique characteristics. Failure to take certain vulnerabilities into account when manufacturing vehicles for families and elderly persons can lead to fatal consequences.