2015 has not been a safe year on the roads in Illinois. Studies have shown that deadly car accidents are on the rise across the state. This is also true in nearby Missouri.
In Illinois, there have been a total of 911 fatal wrecks as of Dec. 4, 2015. On this same date in 2014, the total was just 862. That’s 49 more deadly crashes over that time, and December is just beginning. December can often be a dangerous month due to fresh snow and the holiday season, both which can contribute to accidents.
In Missouri, the totals are lower, but the trend is the same. There have been 780 deaths in the year so far. The authorities predict that there will be at least 800 before 2015 comes to an end. If so, that will be an 11 percent jump from 2014.
It’s important to note that the scales of measurement here are not exactly the same. In Illinois, the numbers are for deadly accidents, while the numbers for Missouri are for total deaths. This means there could have been even more deaths in Illinois, as many deadly crashes claim more than one victim. It’s unclear at this time how much that would change these stats.
It’s also interesting to see that Thanksgiving brought about less deadly accidents, at least in Missouri, than it did last year. Usually, the holidays are thought of as more dangerous, but there were 18 fatal wrecks in 2014 and half that many–just nine–in 2015.
When asked, one official said that he thinks driver inattention is a big reason for the overall increase. The roads are curvy and he said that, along with excess speed, can lead to accidents.
Those who have been injured in car accidents need to know their rights.
Source: KMOV, “Deadly crashes on the rise in Missouri, Illinois,” Dec. 04, 2015