Wrong-Way Driving Accident Attorneys In Chicago
Was Your Accident Caused By Someone Driving The Wrong Way?
According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), roads across America have been getting safer ever since stricter seatbelt laws were introduced and law enforcement increased their efforts to crack down on drunk drivers. Over the past decade, deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents have dropped by almost 25% according to NHTSA – however, the number of deaths caused by wrong-way driving accidents in the U.S. has remained steady at approximately 360 fatalities every year.
Wrong-way driving accidents may only account for a small portion of the tens of thousands of people killed in motor vehicle accidents each year, but they are almost always caused by the wrong-way driver’s negligence or wrongdoing. Our lawyers at Power Rogers have spent decades providing clients with the knowledgeable legal representation they need to secure the outcome and compensation they deserve. If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a car accident, contact us today to discuss your case with a member of our firm.
Fill out our online form to request a free case evaluation from one of our wrong-way driving accident lawyers in Chicago.
What Causes Wrong-Way Driving Accidents?
Federal agencies keep a close eye on accidents like these in order to learn what led up to them and what changes need to be made to prevent them in the future. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a Highway Special Investigation Report (PDF) in December of 2012 that detailed their findings following research and analyses of a number of wrong-way driving crashes. Surprisingly, officials reported that one of the most common factors leading to these types of crashes included confusing roadway design and poor signage.
In addition, the drivers who were traveling in the wrong direction were often at fault. Leading factors include:
- Age: The NTSB report showed that drivers 70 years old and above were the wrong-way driver in approximately 15% of all wrong-way driving crashes, while they were the right-way driver in only 3% of these types of crashes. In the crashes studied, drivers in this age group were driving the wrong direction in 233 crashes, while 51 were driving in the correct direction.
- Alcohol: The NTSB report cited driving under the influence (DUI) as the most common factor involved in wrong-way driving accidents. Their data shows that 69% of at-fault drivers had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least 0.08%, and 59% of people driving in the wrong direction during these types of crashes had a BAC of at least 0.15%. As high as these numbers already are, officials believe that the actual number may be even higher due to missing BAC level information missing from a number of crashes.
- Nights and weekends: The vast majority of wrong-way driving accidents occurred at night – 78%, according to the NTSB report – and approximately 57% occurred between Friday and Sunday.
Call Now To Discuss Your Case With A Lawyer For Free
Our Chicago wrong-way driving accident attorneys at Power Rogers are committed to providing our clients with the dedicated and passionate legal representation our firm has become known for. Since we first opened our doors more than two decades ago, we have successfully recovered more than $5 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients. If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a car accident, give us a call at 312-500-1792 to speak with a member of our firm, or fill out our online form to request a free case evaluation today.
