Labor Day weekend is right around the corner, which means that millions of families will be hitting the road, celebrating, and spending time with their loved ones. According to a Peoria Journal Star article, statistics from the American Automobile Association (AAA) claim that 1.8 million people are expected to travel on Illinois roadways this holiday weekend. This is an increase of 2.6% over the previous year.
Accordingly, the opportunities for the “fatal four” to rear their ugly heads will increase as well. The fatal four, as Illinois officials call them, are the four most common factors that contribute to deadly car accidents. Drinking while driving, not wearing a seat belt, breaking the speed limit, and driving while distracted comprise the fatal four. Our Illinois car accident attorneys recognize the importance of watching out for the fatal four, especially considering that Illinois has seen a noticeable rise in fatal accidents in 2012.
As such, holidays similar to Labor Day require special attention. Holidays generally are the time of year when people are traveling and drinking the most, or generally have a lot going on in their lives. These factors add up to a lot of stress, potentially poor decisions, and undesired consequences. For example, last year in Illinois nine people died in traffic accidents over Labor Day weekend. Since 2007, 62 people have died on Illinois roads over the holiday weekend, 33% of which were alcohol-related. A Lieutenant from the Peoria Police Department summed it up best when he said “Any distance is too far (to drive) if you’ve had a drink.”
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