Wrong way driving is posing a serious threat to all motorists in the Chicago area. It can occur whenever an individual drives against the intended direction of traffic and may take place on a one lane road, multi directional road, intersection, expressway, parking lot, or parking garage, to name some locations.
When a motorist drives the wrong way on a public road, the odds of a collision taking place increase dramatically. Other drivers suddenly may find themselves faced with a wrong way vehicle and may attempt to avoid an impact by swerving or leading the road’s driving area, potentially causing a crash. If the other drivers cannot take appropriate action, a head-on collision may happen between the wrong way vehicle and an innocent motorist who is traveling in the appropriate manner. Head-on crashes are deadly and responsible for many of the most extreme injuries sustained in Illinois annually so they should be avoided at all costs.
So why do wrong way car accidents continue to happen? Unfortunately, many different mistakes can lead to a wrong way crash so it can be difficult to identify exactly what happened in any particular collision. Generally, the initial action can be divided into two categories: intentional action and unintentional action.
Intentional wrong way driving is where a motorist knows that she is traveling against the specified direction of traffic but she continues to move forward. Often, this can be seen when a driver misses an exit on an expressway or other limited access road and turns around, driving against traffic instead of taking the next exit. In other cases, a driver may notice that operating the wrong way down a one way street may provide him with a shortcut to his destination and therefore he may choose to “risk it,” driving the wrong way on purpose with the idea that it will benefit him and not hurt anyone. And in truly troubling situations, some drivers operate their vehicles against traffic intentionally in the hopes that they will cause a collision that will hurt themselves or others, and some motorists have even admitted to driving incorrectly because it was a dare or they were trying to seek a thrill.
In contrast, unintentional wrong way driving happens when a motorist does not mean to operate against traffic but does so all the same. In Chicago, this happens with regularity when tourists are unfamiliar with the city’s many one way streets and therefore they drive the wrong direction down one of them. In other cases, an elderly motorist may become confused about what she is doing and may drive against traffic without realizing that her actions are threatening to others. In some areas, the lack of signage or confusing directions may lead a driver to operate in an improper manner.
While any of the above actions can lead to a wrong way incident, experts believe that the most common factor continues to be the presence of alcohol or drugs in a motorist’s system. Being under the influence leads drivers to be confused about the proper way to drive and they may operate against traffic as a result. Oftentimes, impaired drivers also speed and when combined with driving in the wrong direction, these motorists are an extreme threat to others and regularly cause harm due to their actions.
If you were involved in a wrong way car accident in Chicago or if someone you love was hurt or killed, know that you may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages. You may be able to recover for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering with the use of a civil claim against the individuals or insurance companies who are responsible for the crash and you can retain a lawyer of your choosing to help you with the process.
If you have questions about your rights, know that the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575. When you call Abels & Annes, P.C., one of our licensed lawyers will offer you a free case consultation without obligation and that lawyer will keep everything discussed confidential. If you were hurt, call Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us fight for the relief you deserve.
Prior Blog Entry:
Car Accidents are Common on the Eisenhower Expressway, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published January 11, 2016.