Facts and Figures for Fatal Car Accidents in Illinois

The 2008 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that across the U.S., more than 34,000 motor vehicle traffic crashes resulted in fatalities. This means there are approximately 18 fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers.

In Illinois, the 2008 statistics show a reported 1,043 fatal car crashes in 2008, which is the 4^th consecutive year that the rate has fallen since it was at 1,363 in 2005. While 58% of these accidents occurred with non-drunk drivers, the statistics also show that intoxication plays a large role: 

• 7% of all fatal crashes involved a driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .01 to .07%;
• 35% of all fatal crashes involved a driver with a BAC of .08% or higher; and
• Most alcohol-related crashes occurred between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m. and involved a single vehicle. 

The factors of the fatal crashes reported in 2008 are also varied: 

• 38.5% involved collision with another vehicle;
• 16.7% involved collision with a pedestrian;
• 29.5% involved collision with a fixed object;
• 3.9% involved collision with a non-fixed object;
• 10.4% did not involve collision and resulted from a rollover; and
• 1% were not determined at the time of report. 

A high percentage of victims who lost their lives in Illinois 2008 fatal crashes were ages 25 to 34 years and: 

• 51.3% were drivers;
• 19.9% were passengers;
• 12.8% were motorcyclists;
• 12.9% were pedestrians;
• 2.6% were bicyclists; and
• 0.5% were unknown. 

Illinois has shown improvement in their fatal crash statistics, but the state still has a long way to go to lower their numbers. If your loved one has become an unfortunate part of these statistics, you owe it to your family to educate yourself on fatal car accidents and wrongful death claims. 

Once you've learned the basics, an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer can help you with the filing and lawsuit procedures to work toward recovering damages for your loss. The lawyers at The Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. are available to help you through your claim, contact us today for a free case evaluation. (312) 263-1080