To attempt to reduce the number of Chicago car crashes and injuries over the Thanksgiving holiday, IDOT, the Illinois State Police, and other local authorities are partnering in a safety crackdown throughout the State. There are are supposed to be more than 2,000 seatbelt enforcement zones, 68 roadside safety checks locations and nearly 1000 additional nighttime patrols. Police officers will be on the lookout for seatbelt violators and DUI drivers.
The additional patrols are supposed to focus on nighttime hours where statistically fewer people wear seatbelts and more people drink and drive. In an Illinois Department of Transportation press release, the State is also urging drivers to silence and/or put cell phones in the glove compartment when driving.
IDOT reports that last year on Thanksgiving weekend in Illinois 12 people died in auto accidents. Of those killed, nine were not wearing safety belts and five involved drinking and driving.
Illinois seatbelt use is at an all-time high of 92.6%, however 45 million Americans nationwide are still not using them. Further, in 2008 almost 13,000 passengers died in the United States that were not wearing seatbelts and it is estimated that around one third of these victims could have survived had they buckled up.
NHTSA statistics also show that teenagers, young adults, males, nighttime riders, motorists on rural roads and people traveling in pickup trucks are the least likely to wear seatbelts. Also, when seatbelts are used properly the risk of a front seat passenger death is reduced by 45% and the risk of moderate to serious injury is reduced by 50%.
If you’ve been injured in a Chicago area car accident, contact the Illinois personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak to an attorney now.