Injured During Your Commute? Contact an Experienced Lake County Attorney

 Posted on January 12, 2018 in Lake County Injury Attorney

Commuting into the city is a huge part of life for many Chicagoland citizens. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois ranks among the tops in the nation when it comes to commuters. Upwards of eighty thousand commuters drive from Lake County alone, every day, to get to work.

With the sheer numbers of commuters traveling into Chicago, collisions are inevitable. Over three hundred thousand crashes occurred on Illinois roadways throughout 2015. If you or a member of your family are injured during your commute to or from work, speak with an experienced Lake County personal injury attorney.

The Dangers of High Speed Commuting

Commuting to work can be a dangerous proposition in the state of Illinois. Ranking as one of the top commuter states in the nation, while facing bumper to bumper traffic and harsh winter road conditions, commuting in Illinois is a uniquely risky endeavor. In 2015 alone, 914 fatal collisions occurred in the state of Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation—nearly three citizens were fatally injured on an average day.

For a number of reasons, including increased congestion and lessened distance between vehicles, roughly 25 percent of all vehicular collisions nationwide occur during rush hour.

Limiting the Risk of Commuting

While commuting naturally comes with risk, due to the sheer number of commuters on the road, there are ways to reduce the potential for a collision:

• Keep Distance: For years, the rule of thumb was to keep roughly two seconds of distance between one’s vehicle and the vehicle in front. These days, three to four seconds of distance are encouraged, especially when facing less than ideal road conditions. Ensuring that there is a large enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you can be the difference between life or death. Hence, it is essential to keep your distance.
• Do Not Speed: We all know how stressful it can be to be late to work. Still, it is better to arrive late than to not arrive at all. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, just under one-third of all crashes in the state occurred while drivers were traveling at speeds higher than the speed limit.
• Avoid Distractions: While bumper to bumper traffic can be excruciating, it is incredibly important to avoid distractions while driving. Using a mobile phone while driving takes eyes off the road and hands off the wheel. This contributes heavily to the increased rate of car accidents during rush hour. The slow movement of traffic during rush hour increases mobile phone usage while driving, not adding to the problem could save you the pain of an automobile accident.

The Aftermath of a Commuting Collison

If you or a loved one are involved in a vehicular collision while commuting to or from work, contact an experienced Lake County personal injury attorney. Commuting to work can be an aggravating experience, dealing with that aftermath of a car crash can be debilitating, let us do the heavy lifting. Contact us today at 847-662-3303 or visit our motor vehicle collision page online.

Sources:

https://www.nbcchicago.com/traffic/transit/Report-Illinois-Among-Top-Commuter-States-195277951.html

http://www.idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Transportation-System/Resources/Safety/Crash-Reports/crash-facts/2015%20Crash%20Facts%20with%20cover.pdf

https://www.drive-safely.net/safe-driving-rush-hour/