Illinois Inattentive Driving Laws: What You Need to Know

 Posted on December 00, 0000 in Car Accidents

Everywhere you look, people are digitally connected. The increase in mobile devices over the past few years, especially the surge in smartphone use, have led to a change in driving laws nationwide to help prevent car accidents due to inattentive driving. The state of Illinois bans:

• Cell phone use for bus drivers and novice drivers;
• Texting for all drivers;
• Cell phone use when driving in a school zone or construction zone; and
• Talking while holding a cell phone.

The last ban went into effect on the first of last year and a violation of the law can result in a fine. Talking on a handheld device while driving is considered a moving offense and three violations in one year could mean a driver license suspension. Exemptions that allow drivers to use their handheld devices occur when:

• Reporting an emergency;
• Parked on the shoulder of a roadway; or
• Stopped due to normal traffic obstruction and the vehicle is in the neutral or park position.

Drivers who use a cell phone while driving increase their chance of a car accident by 400 percent, according to the Illinois State Police. The department also reports that every year more than one million car crashes in North America involve inattentive driving.

In an effort to prevent these types of accidents from occurring, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a web series entitled “Faces of Distracted Driving,” which illustrates the tragedies that could occur as a result of distracted driving. The videos highlight people’s stories whose loved ones died as a result of texting or using a mobile device while driving.

According to a study referenced by International Business Times, driving at 55 miles per hour for less than five seconds, the average time drivers took their eyes off the road to text, equaled traveling the length of a football field. Inattentive driving is against the law, but it also literally takes a few seconds for an accident to occur. It poses a threat to motorists, passengers, and other drivers on the road, causing thousands of injuries and fatalities year after year.

If you or a loved one have been injured or has died as a result of inattentive driving in Illinois, contact a qualified Lake County car accident attorney today for a free case evaluation.