Car Accidents

DRUNK DRIVING

According to data released Thursday by the United States government, the number of women driving under the influence of alcohol has increased dramatically in the last decade. According to data released by the Department of Transportation and the FBI, the number of women arrested for drunk driving or driving under the influence of drugs increased nearly 30 percent from 1998 to 2007. Conversely, the number of men arrested for DUI fell 7.5 percent during the same period. This data comes as no surprise to top car accident and fatal DUI injury lawyers, who represent family members of those killed by drunk drivers.

Still, despite the increase in women driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the vast majority of people arrested for drunk driving (DUI) are men. In 2007, for example, 626,371 men were arrested for DUI, compared with 162,493 women.

In a parallel study released by the Transportation Department found that women drunk drivers were responsible for approximately 2,000 highway deaths each year. According to transportation officials, the number of people killed in a motor vehicle crash by a drunk driver who was a woman increased in 10 states from 2007 to 2008.

These studies were released in connection with the government’s anti-drunk driving enforcement campaign targeting drivers leading up to the Labor Day holiday weekend, which typically results in a spike of alcohol-related car accidents. To speak with a top Chicago personal injury lawyer with experience handling cases involving serious motor vehicle accidents, call Passen Law Group at (312) 527-4500 for a free consultation.

MOBILE TEXING WHILE DRIVING

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute recently completed a national study on cell phone use and driving distraction that adds to the mounting body of evidence that driving while dialing, talking or texting is dangerous, if not deadly. The findings come as no surprise to experienced car accident lawyers, namely that distracted drivers are a substantial cause of motor vehicle accidents.

Specifically, the results of the study show that the risk of collisions involved in “driving while texting” (i.e. sending text messages on a phone) was 23 times greater than when not texting. The risk of vehicle accidents associated with dialing a cell phone while driving was not as severe, but was still 6 times greater than not dialing a cell phone. The result of this study is clear: distracted drivers are indeed more likely to cause motor vehicle accidents.

As the Virginia Tech study makes clear, cell phone usage, including texting, dialing or speaking, is a “triggering event,” which causes thousands of serious auto accidents each year. Other triggering events causing serious car crashes include changing the radio station, reprimanding the kids in the back or putting on make-up while driving.

The resulting accidents range from mere fender benders to fatal, multi-vehicle accidents. Distracted truck drivers, due to the size and weight of their tractor-trailers, are often the source of massive, catastrophic accidents. In addition to civil liability, distracted driving resulting in severe injury or death may be considered criminal negligent homicide.

There are two important pieces of legislation in Illinois that seek to ban distracting activities such as texting while driving, and to punish distracted drivers who cause fatal accidents. Illinois Rep. William Blake, R-Danville sponsored legislation that seeks to create a misdemeanor category of negligent vehicular homicide, which could result in up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. This legislation is still pending.