Litchfield Illinois Motor Vehicle Accident Blog

Many people in the Litchfield area are aware of the dangers they face when they drive near trucks and large commercial vehicles. With the number of crashes increasing each day due to hazardous road conditions, reckless motorists and defective motor vehicle equipment, safety should be every motorist's primary objective. Sadly, it is not. When distractions are present, safety often becomes the last priority. 

Distractions, trucks and motorists do not mix. Drivers should never let their guards down around commercial vehicles. They should drive at safe speeds and distances to avoid collisions with them. They should also avoid distractions so they have enough time to anticipate and coordinate their driving actions accordingly to make the roads safer for themselves and everyone else. 

A previous post talked about the "no zones" of large trucks, along with some other advice for safely sharing the roads with big trucks. The "no zones" are an important subject. Every driver in Illinois needs to be educated in these blind spots and how to safely navigate them. 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration notes you need to stay out of a truck's "no zones" at all times. You cannot do this if you do not fully understand where they are. There is a no zone on every side of a large truck. You will find them in front, behind and on each side. To stay safe, you should never drive in the 30 foot area behind a truck. If you are in front of a truck, you need to be at least 20 feet from the front of it.

Many people in the Litchfield area choose their vehicles based on appearance, safety and affordability. While they are shopping for the ideal vehicle for their situation, they may not realize they should also take into consideration how safe the backseat of their vehicles is for their passengers. According to CBS News, the backseat is not the safest place for adult passengers. Younger rear seat occupants have a lower safety risk.

Throughout the years, car makers have made many design improvements and advances in technology to make safer vehicles. These measures have improved car accident injury and fatality rates for front seat occupants tremendously. There is still room for improvement for backseat vehicle occupants. Not all vehicles are designed with rear passenger safety in mind. Older vehicles have fewer safety features and are more likely to have defects that increase the risk of injury. 

Many people in Illinois herald the arrival of driverless vehicles. The number of car and commercial vehicle accidents that happen is increasing every day. Most of them are the cause of driver distractions, errors and recklessness. According to The Science Alert, traffic fatalities could be reduced by as much as 90 percent with autonomous cars. Currently, several states are testing driverless vehicles.

An autonomous shuttle in Las Vegas was carrying eight passengers when a delivery truck struck it. No one was hurt in the incident. The shuttle travels along an approximately 0.6-mile long route. One passenger stated the truck driver kept backing up his vehicle and did not see the shuttle. The shuttle has sensors that notified it to stop. The truck driver’s vehicle did not. There are many factors that may explain why the driver did not stop in time to avoid the collision.