Common Causes of Chicago Car Accidents and How to Avoid Them

Chicago has many residents who love what the city offers. You can experience the nightlife, sports, concerts, museums, and more. That’s why this city also attracts many tourists every year from around the world.

However, you need to watch out when you’re driving on Chicago’s streets. 2021 saw 98,563 Chicago car accidents, and you can expect close to that number yearly.

This alarming statistic highlights how crucial it is to stay vigilant while navigating the city. Reckless driving behaviors, distracted driving, and failure to obey traffic laws contribute significantly to these incidents.

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, understanding the common causes of accidents can help you stay safe on Chicago’s busy roads.

In this article, we’ll talk about some activities in which drivers engage that cause many of these accidents. If you’re going to drive in the Windy City, whether you live there or you’re visiting, you need to avoid making these mistakes to avoid Chicago car accidents.

Consuming Alcohol

Drunk driving kills and injures many individuals all over the world every year, and that’s certainly true in Chicago. If you consume any alcohol while at a bar in the Windy City, then you shouldn’t drive afterward. Instead, you can call for an Uber or taxi.

Some people feel like they’re fine if they drink one or two beers. Maybe they’re slightly over the legal limit, but they don’t feel intoxicated. They may also feel like they’re an excellent driver, so they should have no issues.

Even if you’re just slightly over the legal limit, though, you shouldn’t drive. Maybe you’ll get to your destination without incident, but perhaps you’ll run into a police checkpoint. If so, the cops might smell alcohol on your breath. They may give you a breathalyzer that you will fail.

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Also, if you’re over the legal limit, you might get a little more reckless with your driving than normal. You may try to roll through a yellow light when you would normally stop.

Doing that sort of thing can definitely cause an accident. If you’re going to drink, and you don’t want to call a cab or a ride-share vehicle, designate a driver. That way, you can feel confident that you’re obeying the law and keeping yourself and other motorists safe.

Speeding

Speeding also causes a lot of car accidents in and around Chicago. Some people seem to feel the need for speed. They have a heavy feet, and they like to test their car’s capabilities. Maybe they’ll do so on the highway, but others like to ignore the speed limit in residential neighborhoods.

Doing so can cause an accident if you lose control of your vehicle. Even if you think you’re a great driver, it can still happen.

If you’re speeding in bad weather, that’s even worse. If you’re driving around Chicago in the heavy snow or rain, you should slow down and not even drive the speed limit.

Going five miles under it makes sense. That way, you can stop in plenty of time if you see a car in distress ahead of you or you have poor visibility.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving causes perhaps more car wrecks in and around Chicago than any other activity on this list. It’s a catchall term that includes several different activities.

For instance, if you let your smartphone distract you while you’re driving, that can cause a wreck. Maybe you get a text while you’re driving and you don’t feel like you can wait till you get to your destination before looking at it. Perhaps you’re communicating with someone via a dating app and you want to see what they said to you.

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You may also want to check your email or do something else on one of your apps. Smartphones have so many different functions, and cell phone addiction happens quite a bit.

Turn off your phone if you’re driving, though, or at least leave it in your pocket. Don’t look at it until you park the car and turn off the engine.

You might also let a funny billboard or a bus stop ad distract you. Maybe you have some kids in the back seat, and they keep yelling or throwing things at each other. Perhaps you have someone sitting beside you and you’re having a heated conversation with them.

Any of these things can distract you, and if it happens, it can endanger your life and that of the other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists near you. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and obey all traffic laws.

Road Rage Incidents

Road rage incidents often cause Chicago car accidents as well. If one happens, maybe you cause it, or perhaps someone else does. You need to keep your temper while you’re driving. You should also try to avoid antagonizing another driver if they seem emotionally unstable.

Road rage seems to happen so often in the modern world because many people have problems at home or at work that seldom leave their minds. If someone cuts them off at the wrong moment, maybe they’ll let some frustrating situation in their life cause them to completely fly off the handle.

If you feel like you’re about to lose control of your temper while you’re driving through Chicago’s streets, take a few deep breaths and try to steady yourself. A single rash action in these moments might change your life, and never for the better.

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Street Racing

You might encounter drivers on Chicago’s streets who like to race each other. Street racing culture has an illegal status, but that does not stop some individuals from engaging in it.

Many times, it’s a machismo thing. They want to prove that they have the best car with the aftermarket modifications they made.

If someone next to you at a stop light starts gunning the motor and giving you the eye, just ignore them. If you try to race them, then it accomplishes nothing.

You can easily crash into another vehicle or some large inanimate object if you take them up on their challenge. Also, you should know that the Chicago police look for drivers racing and they come down hard on them wherever they find them.

Staying away from these activities should keep you safe as you enjoy your stay in the Windy City.