Central Illinois Law Blog

Most drivers across Illinois and the United States know that talking or texting while driving is a dangerous practice. To decrease the risk of an accident, many drivers opt to use hands-free or wearable devices in order to text instead. Unfortunately, using these devices doesn't necessarily make using a phone safe.

A recent study done by researchers at the University of Texas found that using wearable devices during driving didn't offer any safety advantages. During the study, participants used a driving simulator while using their smartphone or Google Glass to send texts. Because Google Glass has the ability to send texts with voice control, drivers were able to text without their hands. The study found that participants were more responsive to driving situations and were less distracted. Because the device made texting easier, however, participants used it on a more frequent basis, which resulted in drivers becoming more distracted.

An Erie Insurance study looked at 172,000 traffic deaths over the past five years. What they discovered was that 1 out of every 10 deaths in Illinois and elsewhere were caused by distracted driving. Of those deaths, only 14 percent were related to phone use while in a car. The leading cause of distracted driving deaths was an inattentive driver. This is someone who was thinking about work, winning the lotto or something other than the situation on the road.

The cause of inattentive driving may be related to how humans react when engaged in a mundane task. Since driving a car is something that most adults have done many times, it is easy to become bored while behind the wheel. That conclusion is backed by the fact that Erie Insurance has done surveys about traffic deaths for many years and has generally seen the same results each time.

Although the legal consequences for driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants in Illinois can be serious, drunk driving remains a problem. Nationwide, about one-third of traffic fatalities arise from drunk driving accidents. Young people under age 24, people with a record of DUIs and motorcyclists represent the groups facing the greatest risk of dying in a drunk driving crash.

Multiple factors converge to heighten the hazards for young adults. Their age means that they have yet to gain substantial driving experience. They travel in groups more often than other age groups, which means drivers have more sources of distraction inside their vehicles.

As recreational and medical marijuana use has been legalized in several states, Illinois motorists should be aware that using marijuana can have an impact on their ability to drive safely. In fact, a study showed that increased use of marijuana on April 20, the drug's self-proclaimed holiday, has been linked to a slight increase in the number of fatal car accidents.

For the study, researchers used data from fatal car accidents during the period of 1992 through 2016. The year 1992 was chosen as this was shortly after 4/20 became a popular marijuana holiday. They found that there was an increased risk in most states across the nation, with an additional 142 driver fatalities linked to the 4/20 holiday.