This week, the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (“AHAS”) published their 19th annual report on highway fatalities and the state of highway safety in this country, together with their recommendations on making our nation’s roadways safer for everyone. Read, Out of Control: 2022 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws (“Report”), published by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety on January 18, 2022.
The findings confirm our earlier warnings that things are steadily becoming more and more dangerous for everyone on the roads of Indiana and Illinois.
For more on the increasing danger of deadly car accidents and fatal semi-truck crashes in our part of the country, read our discussions in:
- Public Crisis Declared by DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg as Traffic Fatalities Have Largest Increase Since 1975;
- Illinois’ NSC Warns: Escalating Number of Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents; and
- How Deadly are the Roads of Chicago, Illinois? Unacceptably High Risk of Traffic Deaths in the Windy City.
Who is the AHAS?
The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety describes itself as “an alliance of consumer, medical, public health, law enforcement, and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to improve road safety in the U.S.” It has been at work since 1989, when it was formed by a coalition of members of the consumer and safety advocacy groups together with representatives of the insurance industry.
Working together, the AHAS membership tries to develop and support legislation at both the state and federal level that is designed to “prevent motor vehicle crashes, save lives, reduce injuries, and contain costs.” Accordingly, this group not only studies fatality realities but also develops and lobbies for changes in the law to try and lessen the risk of dying in a fatal roadway accident.
AHAS’ endeavors are respected by safety groups as well as those advocating for victims of fatal roadway accidents. As an example, the national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (“MADD”), Alex Otte, said this in response to the AHAS’ Report:
“The reports over the past two years are not good. Alcohol and drug impairment, speeding, not wearing seatbelts are cited as the leading contributors to more crashes, more injuries and more deaths at a time when fewer cars are on the road. This is a public safety crisis. State legislatures can do their part to stop this by passing laws that keep their communities safe and spare families the trauma of being impacted by someone else’s choice to drive impaired.”
Rating and Ranking the States: The AHAS Roadway Report Card
The Report analyzes death reports from each state, using the latest data available (2019). Each state is then ranked according to how risky it is in five different areas: Occupant Protection, Child Passenger Safety, Teen Driving, Impaired Driving, and Distracted Driving. Afterwards, each state is given an overall report card ranking of “green,” “yellow,” or “red,” insofar as the state’s progress in passing sixteen (16) different proposed traffic safety laws advanced by the AHAS as necessary to combat the current “epidemic” of traffic fatalities in this country.
Eight (8) states (RI, NY, WA, DE, ME, OR, CA, LA) scored “green” in the new Report. At the other end of the continuum, eleven (11) (MO, WY, MT, AZ, FL, NE, NH, OH, SD, VT, VA) were labelled “red” and considered “dangerously behind” in the passage of the AHAS’ proposed safety legislation.
Indiana and Illinois Scores and Death Totals in the Report
In the Report, both Illinois and Indiana were given a “yellow” score. According to the AHAS data, Illinois suffered 1009 highway fatalities in 2019, with a ten-year crash death total of 9926. Indiana reported 809 highway deaths in 2019 with 8046 fatalities over a ten-year period. See, Report pp. 44-45.
The Report found that Illinois needs the following highway safety laws:
- All-Rider Motorcycle Helmet Law
- Booster Seat Law
- GDL – Minimum Age 16 for Learner’s Permit
- GDL – Stronger Nighttime Restriction
- GDL – Stronger Passenger Restriction
- GDL – Age 18 for Unrestricted License.
The Report found that Indiana needs the following highway safety laws:
- All-Rider Motorcycle Helmet Law
- Rear Facing Through Age 2 Law
- Booster Seat Law
- GDL – Minimum Age 16 for Learner’s Permit
- GDL – Stronger Nighttime Restriction
- GDL – Age 18 for Unrestricted License
- Ignition Interlocks for All Offenders.
State and Federal Legislation Regarding Traffic Safety
For drivers in Indiana and Illinois, roadway dangers are addressed not only by local traffic laws but also state and federal legislation. For instance, the need to curtail the growing trend in traffic deaths was one of the major concerns in the passage of the recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. See, Passage of the 2021 Infrastructure Act and Deadly Motor Vehicle Accidents in Indiana and Illinois.
The AHAS is pushing for increased federal action to thwart the “out of control death toll” on our nation’s highways. This is independent from its continuing endeavors to get state laws passed in our local statehouses, as described in its “yellow” scores for Illinois and Indiana (see list above).
From Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety President Cathy Chase:
“The new public opinion poll we commissioned found that nearly 75 percent were not aware of the drastic jump in traffic fatalities during the first six months of 2021. Still, 66 percent of respondents said not enough is being done to address dangerous roadway behaviors. These findings emphasize the need for progress on traffic safety laws at the state level and swift action at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to implement the safety provisions in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ((IIJA), Pub. L. 117-58). The IIJA took essential steps forward for vehicle safety that the DOT should consider as a ‘floor’ for what must be achieved, not a ‘ceiling.’ We have proven solutions at hand. We need our nation’s leaders to step up and implement them with urgency.”
Justice for Victims of Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
The sad reality we face today here in the Crossroads of America is that the COVID Pandemic has not resulted in lower traffic fatalities. Instead, we have shocking statistics where in 2020 national traffic fatality rates were the highest reported since 2007. It is getting more dire. The AHAS warns that the first half of 2021 looks to have a “nearly 20 percent spike in crash deaths,” which will be the highest six-month jump since national traffic fatality data began being compiled. Report, page 5.
Of course, there are many reasons for these motor vehicle accidents, semi-truck crashes, and motorcycle accidents. Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol; driving in excess of posted speed limits; driving while distracted; and driving vehicles that are in need of repair, maintenance, or subject to recall are all factors in the current death epidemic.
For victims of fatal accidents on the roadways of Indiana and Illinois, there are state laws on the books that can provide avenues for justice. Among the current state laws are those that provide claims for relief based upon:
- Distracted driving laws (such as current state laws regarding the use of phones while driving);
- Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs criminal statutes;
- State laws regarding employer supervision and monitoring of employee-drivers;
- State laws regarding serving alcohol or selling drugs (including marijuana); and
- State laws regarding proper upkeep and repair of vehicles (tires, brakes, etc.).
There will be tragedies on our local highways and interstates which are entirely preventable. The AHAS report warns all of us that this danger continues to grow.
For more, read:
- Liable for Drunk Driving Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: Social Party Hosts, Bars, Restaurants
- Trucking Companies Liable for Semi-Truck Crashes in Indiana and Illinois
- Uber Accidents in Chicago: The Growing Danger of Serious Injury in an Uber Rideshare Car Crash
- Speeding Causes Almost Half of All Fatal Car Crashes in Illinois (Around 25% in Indiana).
The risk of death on the roadways of Indiana and Illinois is unacceptably high. Experts are warning this epidemic is “out of control” and the risk of preventable accidents causing tragic loss of life is continuing to rise. Please be careful out there!
