Month: January 2019

Drunk Driving Accidents Causing Serious Injuries In Will County

Drunk driving accidents continue to be a significant traffic safety issue in the Chicagoland area. Many serious drunk driving accidents – causing injuries and fatalities – have recently resulted due to drivers who are impaired by alcohol consumption.

Additionally, drivers impaired by drug use is a growing problem. Drug use – especially if it is mixed drug use and/or also involves consumption of alcohol – can cause a high degree of driver impairment.

On this site, Will County vehicle crashes that involve DUI and “drugged driving” are discussed in posts found under the “DUI” category.  As seen in these accidents, many serious injuries – as well as fatal injuries – have resulted due to impaired drivers. The types of accidents that result due to impaired driving is broad, and common accidents that occur due to impairment include loss of control accidents and accidents in which the vehicle leaves the roadway. Also, “head-on collisions” also result.

Two recent alleged drunk driving accidents recently occurred on I-355 and I-55. One driver was involved in both of these accidents.

An excerpt from the January 25, 2019 Darien Patch article titled “2 Troopers Hurt By DUI Drivers: State Police“:

Two Illinois State Police troopers were injured by a drunk driver on Thursday evening, state police said. Desmond Glee, 47, of Romeoville, has been charged with aggravated DUI after crashing into two state police squad cars, which resulted in injuries to two troopers.

As seen in the article, the crashes occurred on January 24.

Both the two injured Illinois State Police officers as well as Glee were taken to hospitals for treatment of their accident injuries. Those injuries were considered to be non-life-threatening in nature.

Additional details regarding these Will County drunk driving accidents can be seen in the sources mentioned above.

Adverse Driving Conditions Forecast For Will County

An oncoming winter storm is expected to create adverse driving conditions throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. Wind, snow, ice, and dropping temperatures are forecast.

Given these anticipated adverse driving conditions, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) issued a January 18, 2019 media release titled “Snow, plummeting temps, strong winds, bring challenging travel conditions this weekend.” (pdf)

Notable excerpts include:

The Illinois Department of Transportation is warning the public that a winter storm arriving this evening will make travel a challenge throughout much of Illinois, with some areas possibly receiving up to 8 inches of snow. Motorists should be prepared for high winds and colder temperatures persisting through the weekend, causing drifting and icing even on treated surfaces.

also:

The National Weather Service is forecasting snow to begin this evening across northern and central Illinois, with totals ranging between 2 and 8 inches by Saturday evening. The southern part of the state is expected to see a mix of precipitation with the potential for icing. Gusty winds and low temperatures the remainder of the weekend will create blowing and drifting, reducing visibility to whiteout conditions at times and limiting the effectiveness of salt.

Motorists should expect slick conditions and remain extra cautious at all times.

The media release also offers travel tips for those who must travel. Among the more notable safety tips for adverse driving conditions include:

  • Use extra caution in areas susceptible to ice, including ramps, bridges, curves and shady areas.
  • Always wear a seat belt. It’s the law and your best protection in the event of a crash.
  • If you are involved in a crash, remain inside your vehicle. Exiting your vehicle near a busy roadway can have fatal consequences.

On this site, the benefits of wearing a seat belt – and the risks and potential consequences of not wearing a seat belt – are further discussed on the “Seat Belts As An Accident Injury Preventative Measure” page.

Additional details regarding these anticipated adverse driving conditions for Will County and the surrounding areas can be seen in the sources mentioned above.