Drivers risk innocent lives to text behind the wheel in Illinois

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, February 28, 2013.

If you are driving through Champaign and notice a driver in front of you drifting into another lane, ignoring traffic signals or seeming unable to appropriately adjust to slowing or speeding traffic, that driver is likely distracted and it is likely with a cellphone. Although texting while driving is illegal in Illinois, that does not mean that all drivers abstain, unfortunately.

According to one report, if a driver is texting while driving, they are 29 times more likely to take part in a car accident in Illinois. It would be one thing if that driver knew that the risk and potential bodily harm would only impact them. Unfortunately, negligent drivers that choose to text behind the wheel hurt innocent people time and time again.

An Illinois State trooper that was conducting a traffic stop was slammed into by a driver that was texting. The impact shattered the trooper’s pelvis and broke both of her legs. While the officer feels lucky that she escaped with her life, her physical abilities will never be the same and she was forced to endure a long and painful recovery which meant she was unable to work.

There is no text message that is worth the risk to either the driver texting or other innocent lives on the road. If a driver is caught texting while driving in Illinois, it can mean a $120 ticket, even if they are at a stop light. Unfortunately, this ticket is not disincentive enough for many drivers to refrain from the activity. Many drivers fail to comprehend that a measly $120 pales in comparison to the damages that a negligent driver could be held accountable for if they were to seriously injure an innocent victim.

Source: ABC7Chicago.com, “Distracted Drivers: They’re putting you at risk,” Paul Meincke, Feb. 27, 2013

• Our firm has experience assisting injury victims compromised under similar circumstances. For more information, feel free to look over our page on texting-while-driving accidents in Champaign.