Rise in Illinois Traffic Fatalities Indicates Need for Revised Road Safety Measures

A recent study has found that Illinois traffic fatalities have continued to rise within the first six months of 2017, despite the decrease in national deaths. This increase indicates that more safety measures need to be implemented in the state to help prevent fatalities and overall accidents.

National Safety Council Study

The study revealing the increase in fatalities was conducted by the National Safety Council, which is a safety advocacy group based in Itasca. The study stated that deaths in Illinois rose by four percent in the first six months of this year, from 494 to 516, when compared to deaths within the same period in 2016. However, the national average has dropped by one percent for the same period.

Many experts are speculating regarding the cause of the increase in fatalities. Ken Kolosh, the National Safety Council's statistics group manager believes that two main factors include the absence of a motorcycle helmet law and the recent increased speed limits on highways. Safety experts have stated that they attribute this increase to unresolved problems revolving around drunken and distracted driving along with speeding and the presence of additional vehicles.

The national average has likely decreased because of a decrease in vehicle miles traveled in recent years, but fatalities are likely to increase in the second half of the year based on previous patterns.

Keeping Roads Safer in Illinois

There are many factors that can result in increased traffic fatalities in Illinois, and as a result there should be more safety measures in place. More restrictive speed limits may be required in some cases, whereas the issuance of motorcycle helmet laws may be another.

Illinois traffic also suffers from harsh weather conditions in the winter months, and many vehicles may not be equipped to handle snow or rain. It's important for vehicle owners to make sure they have proper tires that have enough traction, which could help them avoid accidents during this time of year. While seasonal tires in general may be ideal and provided by manufacturers, switching to tires from non-OEM brands could be a better decision, as manufacturers often attempt to save money by installing tires that are of inferior quality.

Without these safety measures, vehicle fatalities may continue to rise over the years as more vehicles appear on the road and fewer driver restrictions are in place to prevent speeding and reckless driving.