When motor vehicles collide with bicyclists, the results often are deadly. Given that automobiles are much larger and heavier than bicycles, a traffic crash can result in the total devastation of a bicycle, and cyclists can sustain life-threatening and fatal injuries. As residents of Lombard may know, there is no federal bicycle helmet law, and there is no helmet law in Illinois or in DuPage County more specifically. Only bike messengers in Chicago are required to wear helmets, and then only a handful of counties across the state require children to wear helmets. This means that adults throughout DuPage County and Cook County can ride a bicycle legally without a helmet.

Even though bicycle helmets are not required by law, they can save lives in the event of a collision with an automobile. According to a recent article in Science Nordic, a new study suggests that bicyclists decrease their risk of head injuries by 60 percent when they use helmets, but experts wrangle on the question of making them mandatory by law.

Bicycle Helmets Greatly Reduce the Risk of Brain Injuries in Traffic Collisions

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that older adults are often at greater risk of being involved in a car accident than younger drivers. At the same time, there are more than 40 million adults aged 65 and older, and they rely on their ability to drive in order to remain independent. Yet, the CDC emphasizes that the risk of being hurt or killed in an accident increases with age.

One of the reasons why aging increases a person’s accident risk is diminishing eyesight. According to a recent article in Reuters, older drivers who have elective cataract surgery may decrease their chances of getting into traffic accidents.

New Study Shows Cataract Patients Who Have Surgery May Lower Their Auto Accident Risk

We often hear about the dangers of drinking and driving in Lombard and throughout Chicagoland. For instance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 10,000 people suffer fatal injuries in alcohol-impaired accidents each year, and drunk driving causes nearly 30 percent of all reported motor vehicle crash deaths in the United States. In addition, more than one million drivers are arrested each year for DUIs, and about 111 million drivers admit to drinking and driving. To be clear, drunk driving is a serious problem that leads to deadly motor vehicle crashes. What about other forms of impairment? According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, more drivers are causing drugged driving accidents than ever before.

Growing Dangers of Drugged Driving Crashes

If you thought drunk driving was a serious problem, it is time to recognize that drugged driving has also become a significant cause of serious and sometimes fatal traffic collisions. Indeed, according to the article, an increasing percentage of drivers who die in road accidents test positive for drugs. In order to combat the problem, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) emphasizes that states must do a better job of educating the general public and law enforcement on the risks of driving while on marijuana, opioids, and other substances.

When we think about pedestrians getting hurt in car accidents in Lombard and throughout DuPage County, we often think about negligent automobile drivers and others who are not on foot when the crash occurs. However, sometimes pedestrians can be at least partially to blame for a collision involving distracted walking. We consider the risks of distracted driving with much frequency, and laws are even in place in Illinois to prevent motorists from texting while driving. However, similar laws do not exist to ban texting while walking on city streets, and safety advocates suggest that distracted walking can play a significant role in the rates of motor vehicle collisions involving pedestrian injuries and deaths.

In other words, looking down at your cell phone to text or surf the Internet—or even simply listening to music and avoiding the environment around you—while you are on foot can mean the difference between life and death. Consider the following information provided by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) about distracted walking.

Is Distracted Walking Really a Problem?

Residents of DuPage County can be at risk of a pedestrian accident involving a distracted motorist almost anywhere, from a parking lot in Lombard to a crosswalk in downtown Chicago. Does it seem like you are hearing about more and more pedestrian accidents that result in serious and fatal injuries? According to a recent report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), pedestrian deaths have indeed increased recently. Since 2009, the rate of deadly pedestrian accidents has risen by 46 percent, and pedestrian crashes have become both deadlier and more frequent, according to the report.

While fatal pedestrian accidents are on the rise, the IIHS report suggests that there may be some solutions. Furthermore, curbing distracted walking behaviors can help to keep pedestrians focused so that they can avoid dangerous collisions with automobiles.

Increase in Deadly Pedestrian Accidents in Urban and Suburban Areas