Driving is an activity many of us take for granted. And when we take it for granted, we forget just how dangerous it is. Few events in life are more traumatic and life-altering than being in a car accident. Injuries in a car accident can range from minor cuts and bruises to severe and life-threatening injuries or death. Today, we will discuss the most common injuries associated with car accidents. Remember, if you are ever in a car accident, do not hesitate to contact a personal injury attorney to help ensure your rights are protected. While, at the same time, you pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.

Common Injuries Caused by Car Accidents

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained in a car accident. Whiplash takes place when the neck is suddenly and violently jerked back and forth, causing damage to the soft tissue area of the neck. Symptoms of this kind of injury can include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and dizziness. Other kinds of soft tissue injuries can include sprains, strains, and contusions. These types of injuries can be excruciating and may take a long time to heal fully.

Another common injury is broken bones. For example, the violent impact of a car accident can cause bones to fracture, which can be painful and require extensive medical treatment. Unfortunately, broken bones can sometimes lead to long-term disabilities and impairment.

Passing your driver’s test and getting your license is a seminal moment in the lives of so many young adults. However, it is important to keep in mind that with great power comes great responsibility. Driving is a privilege and not a right; thus, drivers have to practice caution on the road to help ensure their safety and the safety of others. When drivers fail to exercise caution, especially if they are new to driving, deadly car accidents can occur.

Today, we will discuss what new drivers need to know to stay safe while on the road. If you are ever involved in a car accident, call a personal injury attorney to ensure your rights are advocated for and not infringed upon.

What New Drivers Need to Know to Stay Safe Out on the Road

Here are some tips that new drivers need to know to help avoid getting into a car accident, including:

In our world today, traveling by car has become second nature to many of us. As a result, we sometimes forget how dangerous driving in a car can be. What makes cars especially dangerous is that regardless of how safe of a driver you are, it only takes one other person to make a bad decision, which can result in devastating car accidents. Car accidents can be highly traumatic and confusing experiences, especially when they are caused by another driver’s negligence. 

If you are ever in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, understand that there are certain things that you should do and certain things that you should not do. The first thing that must be understood is that if you are ever in a car accident, contact an experienced car accident attorney to pursue the compensation you may be entitled to.

What to Do After a Car Accident

So, you have been in a car accident. The following tips are what you do and keep in mind following the event. These tips include the following: 

Cell phone use is behind quite a few traffic accidents these days, from minor fender-benders to very serious multi-vehicle pileups. Drivers may be using their cell phones for any number of reasons. They may have received an urgent text from their child’s babysitter, or they may be merely using a navigation app to find their next turn. Regardless of the situation, using a cell phone while driving is dangerous. Drivers cannot pay adequate attention to the road while they are focused on a screen. Aside from being dangerous, using a cell phone while operating a vehicle is also illegal in most cases. This may be important if you have recently been hit and injured by a driver who was on their phone. In Illinois, if it is found that a driver was breaking a statute that is in place for safety reasons and ultimately causes just the kind of harm the law aimed to prevent, they may be automatically considered negligent. 

Thus, if the driver who harmed you can be shown to have been using a phone in the moments leading up to the accident, it may help your case quite a bit. If you have been injured by a distracted driver, an attorney may be able to help you recover compensation. 

Illinois State Law and Cell Phone Use While Driving

Drivers in Illinois are not permitted to use a cell phone while driving, with limited exceptions. Drivers under the age of 19 may not use a mobile device at all while driving, and those 19 and older may use hands-free devices. The only times that a driver in Illinois may use a cell phone that is not hands-free are:

When you are riding a bicycle or walking down the street, you have nothing but perhaps a helmet to protect you from the impact of a car accident. Negligent drivers present a grave danger to bicycle riders and pedestrians, as their bodies will bear the full force of the collision. These accidents can result in catastrophic injuries that may permanently alter the course of your life. Harms such as traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, neck and spinal cord injuries, or internal damage may necessitate prolonged hospital or rehabilitation stays. Few are able to return to work promptly, rendering lost income an additional concern. The expenses associated with these accidents may be insurmountable without recovering adequate compensation, particularly in cases in which the victim requires ongoing medical care or cannot return to their chosen career. If you have been hit by a car while walking or riding a bicycle, an attorney may be able to recover compensation on your behalf. 

How Negligent Drivers Endanger Bicycle Riders and Pedestrians

There are a number of careless behaviors drivers may engage in that can endanger those who are walking or on a bicycle. To recover compensation, it is critical that proof of this negligent behavior be obtained by your attorney. A skilled attorney-led investigation may suffice, or severe accidents may require the involvement of a dedicated accident reconstruction specialist. Common iterations of driver negligence that lead to accidents of this nature include: 

• Distraction - Particularly when cyclists are riding on the edge of the roadway, a driver need only look away for a matter of seconds to drift unintentionally into a person riding a bike. Pedestrians may be at a high degree of risk while crossing intersections, as distracted drivers may fail to notice that a pedestrian has entered a crosswalk. 

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