Fatal Wilmington Motorcycle Crash On Roberts Street

There was a fatal Wilmington motorcycle crash Monday (August 27, 2018) night. The crash is being attributed to a motorcycle loss of control.

According to information seen in the August 27, 2018 Channahon Patch article titled “Wilmington Motorcyclist Dies In Wreck” this fatal Wilmington motorcycle crash happened in the 1900 block of Roberts Street.

The motorcyclist was identified by the Will County Coroner’s Office as Cody O. Most, 22, of Wilmington. He was pronounced dead at 5:35 a.m.

An excerpt from the article:

Most died after suffering multiple injuries as the result of “a motorcycle mishap,” authorities said.

This fatal Wilmington motorcycle crash is under investigation by the Will County Sheriff’s Office.

As discussed on the “Motorcycle Accident Injuries And Fatalities In Will County” page, motorcycle loss of control is one reason that can cause a motorcyclist to crash. Should this loss of control occur at higher speeds, which is often the case, injuries can be serious in nature and often are life-threatening.

There are many reasons why these loss of control crashes can occur. For example, a defective motorcycle part or component can cause or contribute to a crash. Another cause of loss of motorcycle control is if there is a tire blowout, which often leads to a crash. Tire blowouts on a motorcycle are particularly dangerous as high levels of instability can instantly occur. Often an accident investigation is needed to determine the cause of the loss of control.

As seen in many Illinois motorcycle accidents, in the year 2018 motorcycle loss of control has been a frequent cause of fatal Illinois motorcycle crashes.

New Illinois Distracted Driving Law Effective July 2019

Distracted driving continues to be a major traffic safety issue nationally, as well as in Will County as well as throughout Illinois. There are many possible actions that can lead to a driver being distracted to the point where the driver is susceptible to a loss of vehicle control. Two of the most problematical actions that frequently lead to distracted driving is the use of cell phones while driving as well as texting while driving.

A recent study, which is discussed in the April 2, 2018 post titled “‘Distracted Driving’ Seen As Top Threat To Traffic Safety” indicates that such driving was seen by motorists as the top threat to traffic safety.

There are many reasons why distracted driving is such a traffic hazard and often leads to loss of vehicle control accidents. Loss of control accidents often lead to serious injuries for both the occupants of the vehicle that has lost control as well as any other individuals involved in the crash.

Various reasons as to why distracted driving is hazardous, as well as various statistics, are further discussed on the “Distracted Driving Accidents” page.

Recently, a new Illinois law (further) addresses distracted driving. The Daily Herald article of August 22, 2018 (“Why Illinois is making penalties for texting while driving tougher“) discusses the new law and various statistics regarding driver distraction. An excerpt:

State Sen. Cristina Castro, an Elgin Democrat who sponsored the legislation, says penalties under the current law, which went into effect in 2014, haven’t done enough to curb motorists from using cellphones while driving. In 2017, about 9 percent of Illinois motorists were observed using electronic devices while driving, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Nationwide, distracted driving caused 3,450 deaths in 2016.

also, with regard to the new law:

The stricter penalties, which go into effect on July 1, 2019, were signed into law last week. People who illegally use handheld electronic devices while driving will be given a moving violation on the first offense instead of a nonmoving violation. Motorists who rack up three moving violations within a year can have their driver’s license suspended.

An excerpt regarding this new law and its penalties regarding distracted driving, from the August 17, 2018 Chicago Tribune article titled “New distracted driving fine, bike safety rule signed into law“:

One law signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner imposes a harsher penalty on drivers caught using a phone behind the wheel without a hands-free device.
The new law, which goes into effect next July, makes the penalty $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second, $125 for a third and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense. Under current law, drivers get a warning and no fine the first time.

Additional details regarding these distracted driving issues can be seen in the sources mentioned above.

Plainfield Motorcycle Accident On Route 59 Critically Injures Rider

There was a Plainfield motorcycle accident Saturday (August 18, 2018) on Route 59. This Will County motorcycle accident happened near Route 59 and Champion Drive and involved a motorcycle that collided with a sedan.

An excerpt from the August 18, 2018 Joliet Patch article titled “Motorcyclist Airlifted After Route 59 Crash“:

A motorcyclist was in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle at around 5:05 p.m. Saturday near Route 59 and Champion Drive. Police said the man, 48, was heading south on Route 59 when a woman driving a two-door sedan attempted to make a left turn on Champion and the two collided.

The motorcyclist was flown to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove for treatment of his accident injuries. He was reported to be in critical condition.

The driver of the car refused medical treatment at the accident scene.

This Plainfield motorcycle accident remains under investigation.

Additional details and possible updates concerning this collision can be seen in a variety of media sources, including the article mentioned above.

Tire Blowout On I-55 In Joliet Leads To Fatal Collision

Tire blowouts pose a great potential risk to motorists. If a tire “blows” it can cause a significant – if not substantial – vehicle imbalance that can easily lead to a loss of vehicle control. The tire blowout usually occurs suddenly with little or no advance warning. The resulting instability and other conditions can make steering the vehicle very difficult.

Tire blowouts have been the cause of many accidents, with some resulting in fatalities. The subject of tire blowouts – including what causes them – is further discussed on the “Tire Blowouts As An Accident Cause” page.

There was a crash on Interstate 55 (I-55) in Joliet early Thursday (August 16, 2018) morning. The crash happened after a tire blowout occurred, causing a minivan to crash into the median. A subsequent collision involving another vehicle then occurred.

The crash is discussed in the August 17, 2018 Joliet Patch article titled “Morris Woman Dies After I-55 Tire Blowout In Joliet.” An excerpt from that article:

The Illinois State Police is investigating an early morning traffic fatality along Interstate 55 that killed a 54-year-old woman from Morris after police say one of her tires blew out prior to being struck by a Toyota Highlander. Thursday’s fatal wreck happened shortly after 1 a.m. along the southbound portion of I-55 near Joliet’s Black Road. Police say that Linda Reynolds of Morris was driving south in a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country when a tire blew.

After the tire blowout, the Chrysler Town & Country ran into the center median wall. Due to this crash, the minivan was disabled in the left lane, when it was struck from behind by the Toyota Highlander.

Linda Reynolds died at the accident scene. A 45-year-old passenger in the minivan was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries that were considered to be non-life-threatening in nature.

The driver of the Toyota Highlander was also taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries that were considered to be non-life-threatening in nature.

Additional details and possible updates concerning this fatal accident that involved a tire blowout can be seen in the sources mentioned above, as well as the August 16, 2018 Chicago Sun-Times article titled “Woman dead, 2 hurt in I-55 crash in Joliet.”