According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation, approximately 33,654 fatal car crashes occurred throughout the United States in 2018. While any and all car accidents can come with inherent dangers, some collisions are simply more dangerous than others. Head-on collisions are the most dangerous form of motor vehicle collision, due in large part to the proximity of the collision on the vehicle and the merging speeds of both vehicles. While head-on collisions only account for 2% of all annual motor vehicle collisions, they make up more than 10% of all traffic fatalities. Below we will explore some of the most common injuries that occur in head-on collisions, as well as some of the most common causes of these dangerous motor vehicle collisions.

Injuries in Head-On Collisions

As mentioned above, head-on collisions are notoriously dangerous. This is in large part due to the fact that both drivers and front-seat passengers collide instantly with the other vehicle. Unsurprisingly the injuries suffered in head-on collisions can be incredibly severe. The most common forms of injury range from brain trauma, spinal injuries, broken or fractured ribs, and various injuries to the limbs. If you or a loved one are injured in a head-on collision, it is critically important to document the full extent of all injuries suffered.

Why Do Head-on Collisions Occur?

Because head-on collisions generally only occur when one driver swerves into the other lane of traffic or is traveling the wrong direction down a one-way street, the vast majority of these collisions are caused by driver negligence. Distracted driving such as eating or texting while driving can cause a person to take their attention off of the road and veer into the other lane of traffic. Drinking and driving is also a common cause of head-on collisions due to the deterioration of the guilty party’s motor skills and vision. Additionally, if a driver is recklessly passing other vehicles, their reckless actions can lead to a head-on collision. In short, if you suffer injuries in a head-on collision, proving negligence can be fairly straightforward.

Throughout the United States, an average of 16 pedestrians are killed after being struck by a car, each and every day. According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), just under 6,000 pedestrians were fatally injured in car crashes, throughout 2017 alone. Due to the sheer size difference between a standard automobile and a pedestrian, pedestrians often suffer severe if not fatal injuries in these accidents. Perhaps it should come as no surprise, that pedestrian fatalities accounted for 16% of all traffic deaths throughout 2017. If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, it is time to speak with a qualified legal professional.

Reacting to the Accident

After you or a family member has been struck by a motor vehicle, it is imperative to act in a timely fashion. First and foremost, ensure that all injured parties are safe and sound. If any person is significantly injured, seek out emergency medical attention immediately. It is also worth noting that brain and spinal injuries often display delayed symptoms, and you should seek medical attention if you are experiencing any head, neck, or spinal discomfort. Once all medical aspects of the collision have been taken care of, it is time to contact the police. Police presence can be an incentive for the driver to remain on scene and answer any questions regarding their insurance or the incidents that lead to the accident honestly. When proving negligence in a personal injury case, a police report can also be critical throughout the legal process.

Once medical personnel (if needed) and law enforcement officials have been contacted, it is time for you to document everything you can from the crash. Taking photos of skid marks, debris from the collision and damage to the vehicle involved can be key to the case. If the driver is still present, take pictures of the make and model of the vehicle, as well as the license plate number. If the driver ultimately does flee from the scene this information will be invaluable to law enforcement. If any witnesses are present, speak to them about the events that lead up to the accident, and take document their contact information. Witness testimony can be imperative in proving a driver was acting in a negligent manner such as speeding, disregarding traffic signs, or texting while driving. Lastly, speak with the driver and get their insurance information. Making the assumption that the driver will contact their insurance company on their own, can be a mistake.

Here in the state of Illinois, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is seen as one of the top safety concerns in the state. Recognizing this, law enforcement officials arrested approximately 28,386 people for driving while intoxicated, throughout 2018 alone. Tragically, despite diligent work of local law enforcement, just under 300 Illinoisans lost their lives in accidents involving drunk drivers in 2018. Alcohol-related crashes accounted for 28% of all fatal car accidents throughout Illinois, in 2018. If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is time to speak with a knowledgeable legal professional.

Filing Your Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Suit

If the accident you or a family member were injured in involved an inebriated driver, it is more than likely that the collision will involve a criminal investigation. That being said, a personal injury or wrongful death suit must be filed by an individual. In both instances, the lawsuit will be filed if the plaintiff (the person filing) believes that another party acted recklessly or negligently leading to the injuries of themselves or a loved one. If the injuries suffered proved fatal, a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed by family members of the victim.

In personal injury and wrongful death cases, proving negligence can be one of the most difficult parts of an attorney’s job. A skilled attorney will work diligently to compile surveillance footage and witness testimony. In some crashes, proving liability may be difficult, such as proving that a driver was texting while driving. Fortunately, in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits involving drunk drivers, a criminal investigation can provide ample evidence for your attorney to prove that the other driver was acting in a reckless manner. Evidence such as the reading on a breathalyzer test or other forms of chemical testing can be critical to the success of your case.

Losing a loved one can be one of the most emotionally difficult times in a person’s life. Unfortunately, the financial future of a family can also be put at risk when a provider loses their life in a workplace accident. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 5,250 American workers died on the job throughout 2018. In other words, an average of 100 workers dies per week, throughout the United States. If your loved one has been fatally injured while working, it is time to seek out legal guidance.

Fatal Injuries in the Workplace

Today, the most dangerous private sector industry in terms of worker fatalities is the construction industry. According to statistics compiled by OSHA, more than 20% of all private sector fatalities occur in construction. The vast majority of construction fatalities are caused by falls, electrocutions, or an employee being struck by an object (such as a piece of equipment). While accidents are sometimes unavoidable, the truth is that employer negligence is routinely the cause of construction site fatalities. In many cases of burns or electrocutions, the injured employee was not equipped with proper safety equipment. In other instances, a fall in the workplace could have been avoided if the employer had set up proper fall protection.

While the construction industry is the most fatal private sector industry in the United States, other industries such as commercial trucking rely heavily on compliance with safety procedures. If your loved one was fatally injured in a commercial trucking accident, it may be due to faulty brakes, an overloaded truck, or their company pressuring them into driving over the legally mandated hours limit. Regardless of the industry, a workplace fatality should never go uninvestigated. If your loved one has lost their life while working, speak with an experienced lawyer to discuss your options.

Here in the United States, thousands of Americans are fatally injured in motor vehicle collisions, each and every year. While some car accidents are simply unavoidable, many are caused by the negligence of a driver. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), approximately 90% of all car accidents throughout the United States are caused by driver error. One of the most common forms of negligent driving is distracted driving. Below we will discuss the impact of distracted driving on our nation’s roadways, and how you can seek compensation if you have been injured in a motor vehicle collision caused by distracted driving.

Why is Distracted Driving so Dangerous?

Distracted driving is simply defined as an act that serves as a visual, manual, or cognitive distraction while driving. In other words, any action that takes your eyes off the road, or hands off the wheel. While cell-phone use has sparked an increased discussion on distracted driving, other forms of distracted driving such as eating while driving, adjusting the radio dial, or conversing with other passengers have been causing accidents for decades. Today though, the most notorious form of distracted driving is cell-phone use. According to a study conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC), cell phone use while driving has increased by 1,500% since 2005. The main concern for safety officials with cell phone usage is texting while driving. It should come as no surprise that over 275,000 Americans suffered injuries in collisions caused by distracted driving, throughout 2018 alone. Of those injured, approximately 2,628 ultimately died due to their injuries.

Seeking Compensation After a Distracted Driving Accident

In the aftermath of a car accident, it is entirely common to feel flustered and overwhelmed, but after every injured passenger has received the necessary medical attention, it is time to speak with a legal professional. An experienced lawyer will help you navigate conversations with the other party’s insurance provider, and ensure that you do not accept an unfair settlement offer from the insurance company. In a distracted driving accident, an attorney will work diligently to compile witness testimony and surveillance video to confirm that the other driver was distracted while driving, thus operating their vehicle in a negligent manner.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rear-end collisions make up approximately 28% of all annual car accidents throughout the United States. Rear-end collisions often result in serious injuries due to the fact that the passengers in the vehicle that is rear-ended rarely have time to brace for the collision. In many cases, rear-end collisions are strictly the result of negligent driving. If you or a family member are injured in a car accident caused by negligence, you are entitled to significant injury compensation.

Rear-End Collision Injuries

In the United States, roughly 2.5 million rear-end collisions occur each year, making rear-end collisions the most common car accident nationwide. Approximately 950,000 Americans suffer injuries in rear-end collisions, each and every year. Many of the injuries suffered in rear-end collisions, such as broken wrists, ribs, and knee injuries are common in all car accidents, but other injuries are more likely to occur in rear-end collisions. Injuries to the spine and back are increasingly common in rear-end collisions.

Serious injuries to the spine can cause significant nerve damage, loss of motor function, and even paralysis. Some spinal injuries such as whiplash can come with life-changing ramifications, but are notorious for delayed symptoms. Even if you have minor back or neck pain after a rear-end collision, it is wise to seek out medical attention and speak with a legal professional. Traumatic brain injuries are also increasingly common in rear-end collisions due to a passenger’s inability to brace for the collision.

According to statistics compiled by the National Safety Council, approximately 2.2 million Americans suffered serious injuries in motor vehicle collisions throughout 2019. Despite the fact that motor vehicle collisions dropped in comparison to 2018, over 38,000 Americans lost their lives in collisions, throughout last year. While the vast majority of car accident injuries are non-fatal, many of them come with life-changing ramifications, including changes in quality of life as well as the financial security of your family. If you or a member of your family have been injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is time to speak with a knowledgeable legal professional.

Life-Changing Injuries

Car accident injuries can range from minor bumps and bruises to serious life-changing injuries, some of the most common severe injuries include broken bones, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Broken bones can occur in any type of motor vehicle collision, but are especially common in head-on collisions due to the impact of the crash. The most common bone fractures and breaks are arm or wrist injuries, broken ribs, and leg fractures. Arm and wrist breaks commonly occur due to the injured party attempting to brace themself for the collision, and the impact of the airbag deployment.

Rib breaks and fractures are common in motor vehicle collisions, even when all safety procedures are utilized and executed properly. In fact, injuries to the rib are oftentimes caused by the impact of an airbag deploying or the pressure of the passenger’s body pressing against the seat belt restraint system. Injuries to the head and spine can occur in even the most minor of rear-end collisions, and lead to long term implications for motor skills and cognition.

Hundreds of car accidents occur every single day, throughout the state of Illinois. Unfortunately, many of these collisions result in serious injury. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, upwards of 20% of all motor vehicle collisions result in some injuries to one or more parties involved. Throughout 2017 alone, approximately 66,889 motor vehicle collisions resulted in injury. If you or a loved one have been injured in an automobile accident, it is time to seek out the assistance of a seasoned legal professional.

Negligence Leading to an Accident

In many instances, automobile accidents are caused by driver negligence. The most common forms of driver negligence include driving over the speed limit, disregarding traffic signs, texting while driving, and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In some cases, one negligent act can lead to a collision, this can occur when a driver recklessly passes a vehicle, follows another vehicle too closely, or fails to use their turn signal. If another party’s negligence leads to injuries to yourself or a family member, you may be entitled to injury compensation.

After revisiting the events of the accident with your attorney, and establishing that the other party operated their vehicle in a negligent manner, you and your attorney can begin seeking compensation. This process can begin with your attorney discussing a settlement with the other party’s insurance company. Insurance companies consistently attempt to provide victims of car accidents with low settlements and minimal compensation. With the help of an attorney, you can seek the compensation you deserve, through the threat of a trial. If the case goes to trial, it is important to hire an attorney that will work diligently to prove the other driver was acting negligently, while also providing thorough documentation of the damages you and your family have suffered (injury expenses and motor vehicle damage).

After suffering an injury in the workplace, there can be a lot going through a person’s mind. Questions surrounding medical bill payments and potential loss of work hours can leave a person and their family in a time of financial anxiety. In many cases though, your family may be entitled to workers’ compensation payments in the aftermath of a workplace injury. If you or a loved one have suffered an injury at work, it is time to seek out the guidance of a knowledgeable legal professional.

Life-Changing Construction Site Injuries

It is no mystery that construction sites present a number of dangers that are not present in the vast majority of workplaces, because of this worker injuries are incredibly common in the field. The most common construction injuries include slip and fall injuries, electrocutions, burns, and injuries to the eyes. Unfortunately, many of these injuries can be incredibly severe and even fatal. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), over 1,000 construction workers suffered fatal injuries throughout 2018. In all, construction site deaths accounted for approximately 21% of all private industry worker fatalities in 2018. If your loved one has been severely hurt or fatally injured in a construction accident, it is time to speak with an attorney.

Seeking Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance designed to ensure compensation for workers who suffer injuries on the job. For construction workers, this could include a worker that suffered a fall while installing a window on a building. Workers’ compensation payments can cover medical bills, compensation for loss of work hours while on medical leave, and payments to families that lost an income source due to a fatal injury. The first step you and your family should take after a workplace injury is hiring a competent attorney and examining the case with your legal team. In many construction accidents, the injuries suffered are a direct result of employer negligence meaning that the case could prompt a personal injury or wrongful death claim.

Placing a loved one into the custody of a nursing home facility can be one of the most difficult decisions a family can make. In most instances, the family can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that their family member’s needs are being met by trained professionals. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. According to statistics compiled by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), approximately 10% of all Americans over the age of 60 have experienced elder abuse. If you believe that your loved one may be facing nursing home abuse, it is time to seek out legal guidance.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse can come in various forms including emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Emotional abuse occurs when a nursing home staff member verbally berates, threatens, or harasses a resident. Physical abuse is the act of physically harming a resident, and sexual abuse occurs when an employee engages in any sexual behavior with a resident that cannot or does not consent to the act. It should be noted that patients with cognitive impairments such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease are common victims of nursing home abuse and negligence.

How You Can Help

When you place your loved one into the care of a nursing home facility, it is critically important to be on the lookout for signs of abuse. Recognizing physical abuse can be somewhat straightforward due to the fact that the symptoms often come in the form of bruises or abrasions to the skin. Signs of emotional or sexual abuse can be more difficult to recognize, especially if visits to your loved one are infrequent or irregular. The first step you can take to recognize signs of abuse is spending as much time as possible with your loved one, giving you an opportunity to recognize their behavior patterns within the facility. If you notice that they are beginning to withdraw from social activities, experience changes in mood, or acting tense around their caregiver, they may be facing some form of abuse.

When a large commercial vehicle is involved in an accident with a standard automobile, the results can be catastrophic. In the vast majority of these instances, the injuries suffered to the passengers of the standard motor vehicle can be long-term life-changing injuries or fatal ones. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), over 4,700 large trucks and busses were involved in fatal crashes throughout 2017. In many cases an accident involving a commercial truck only occurs due to the negligence of the operator or the trucking company itself.

Types of Negligence Leading to Commercial Trucking Accidents

With thousands of fatal commercial trucking accidents occurring throughout the United States each year, it is important to understand the leading factors of these collisions. First off, many of these collisions could be avoided if not for driver error. Driver error is one of the leading causes of commercial trucking accidents and can range from driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving at reckless speeds, or texting while driving. In other cases, a driver may be looking to make some extra money and will drive over their legal hour limit causing them to be dangerously tired or attempt to drive up hazardous terrain without chains in order to save time on their load.

While driver error is common in commercial trucking accidents, employer oversight or negligence can oftentimes be the leading cause of a collision. Commercial trucking companies will oftentimes pressure their drivers into falsifying their logs to drive over the legal hours mark and overload a vehicle’s cargo weight making it more difficult to operate and stop. These types of employer pressures are dangerous to employees and other drivers on the road. If you have been involved in a collision with a commercial truck, it is time to seek out the help of a qualified legal professional.

Sexual assault against an adult who can consent is a crime, but the sexual abuse of a child is an especially sensitive topic. This year, Illinois eliminated the statute of limitations on sex crimes no matter the age of the accuser. The statute of limitations for minors had already been eliminated in 2017. Facing sexual abuse as a minor has life-lasting damaging effects, and it may take a victim time to realize they have been abused. Here we will discuss how to recognize signs of sexual abuse.

Any kind of sexual contact with a minor is considered child sexual abuse. The age of consent in Illinois with a person of trust or authority is 18 years old. A person under this age cannot consent to any sexual activity. Sexual abuse is not only penetrative sex. It is illegal for an adult to participate in any of these acts with an underage child:

• Fondling
• Sex trafficking
• Send or ask for nude photos
• Owning, producing, or sharing child porn
• Oral sex
• Masturbation
• Indecent exposure, or exhibitionism

Something that felt wrong as a child may not be recognized as sexual abuse until much later. The majority of child victims know the person who is abusing them. This may be someone they trust like a family member, teacher, or priest. Child victims are especially vulnerable because they may not know to report abuse or know they are being abused. One out of every six child abusers offend because of the vulnerability of children, and may not reflect sexual orientation.

Having a lawyer is not a requirement for even the deadliest accidents, but it can be difficult to know when legal representation is needed. Car accidents happen every day, and most people can handle minor accidents with cosmetic damage only to the car themselves. When injuries occur, there is serious damage to the vehicle, and the accident was not your fault, you may want to consider calling an attorney.

From a recent release by the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 311,679 motor vehicle crashes in Illinois during 2017. Accidents with injuries accounted for 21.5% of all accidents, but fatal crashes only accounted for less than 1%. Approximately three people were injured a day in Illinois due to car accidents. One of the highest contributions to car crashes that year was speeding. It is considered negligent to go over posted speed limits on a roadway, and if that causes a car accident, then that driver may be able to be held liable if another driver is injured.

Injuries can vary from car accidents, but they can be life-altering such as paralyzation or brain damage. It can be difficult for people to realize they have been injured after a car accident, so even if injuries appear minor or non-existent, medical attention is still advised. For a personal injury claim, it is important to prove that damages occurred because of the action of another. When it comes to the human body, the best way to document this is through medical care. If you have an injury that prevents returning to work within a couple of days, compensation can be won to make up for medical expenses, time away from work, and for your suffering.

While every qualified worker is entitled to apply for workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace accident, receiving benefits can be a different story. There can be red tape from employers and insurance companies that prevent injured workers from receiving the benefits they rightfully deserve. While reporting a workplace injury and requesting benefits does not require an attorney, seeking legal counsel is in the best interest of any person who is hurt on the job.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

A government program to assist workers if they are injured at work, workers’ compensation provides benefits to employees who cannot return to their job. Benefits include wage replacement and coverage for medical bills related to the injury. All employers in Illinois are required to have workers’ compensation insurance and refusing to comply results in fees and potential jail time.

If an employer agrees an injury occurred at work, or an injury was minor enough where minimal work was missed, then benefits will likely not be challenging to receive. Benefits for people injured long term, or who experience permanent defects, are especially important. Work accidents can prevent people from returning to their job or decrease their wage-earning potential. These kinds of injuries also have high medical bills, which should be covered by workers’ compensation too.

Whether in assisted living or a nursing home, elderly people that live there still have rights. Unfortunately, the people who work for these institutions take advantage of their vulnerable residents and take away their rights and endanger their lives. Nursing homes are supposed to be safe places with specialized care for the elderly, but the World Health Organization reports that 2 out of 3 staff members admit to having committed an act of abuse. Refusing to take care of a patient, or taking advantage of them for personal gain, is negligence.

The Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 was created to give a standard of care for nursing homes. Residents of nursing homes have the right to a safe environment free of abuse or fear. They also have the rights to:

• Privacy
• Accommodations for medical and social needs
• Be treated with dignity
• Be fully informed about treatment or changes in care
• Communicate without repercussions

Nursing homes are a great alternative for families with elder members that need care. They are a place for people to live the rest of their lives comfortably, so nursing home abuse is a serious offense. These signs and kinds of abuse in elderly patients in nursing homes may be caused to seek legal advice.

Toys can provide hundreds of hours of play and learning experiences for children of all ages. Most children have a favorite toy, but what happens when it is a hazard to their life due to a manufacturing defect or poor design? Toys that fall under these categories can cause death or serious injuries. When companies release hazardous products and children get hurt, they must be held responsible through product liability lawsuits.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 217,000 children a year are treated for toy-related injuries. Not all of these hospital visits are for defective toys, but when companies do not carefully develop products, children can suffer from suffocation, burns, or the effects of dangerous chemicals.

As a parent, it is important to keep aware of consumer recalls and potential hazards when providing a toy to a child. These dangerous products were recalled due to company oversights that caused harm to children.

A premises accident can happen anywhere, and under the right circumstances, the property owner can be held responsible for injuries or damages. After being injured at someone’s home or business, a victim may not know where to turn or even know they are eligible for compensation. Like a car accident or medical malpractice, when negligence is involved, a person injured on the property of another may be able to get restitution for their pain and suffering.

What Is Negligence?

When a person does not act with reasonable care towards a situation and a person gets injured, they can be held responsible for being negligent. For any personal injury cases, such as a premises accident, negligence must be proved. To prove negligence, there must be a duty to establish for the property owner to maintain under law, refusing to provide maintain that standard, and an injury with damage caused by inaction. For example, if there is a wet spot in a grocery store and no effort was made to clean up the spill or warn patrons, the store owner may be held liable if someone slips and breaks a bone.

Not all unsafe properties, dog bites, or slippery surfaces are treated the same. The invitation status of a person on a property is another factor of whether someone can sue for personal injury. If a person is a licensee, such as a customer, or an invited party, then the property owner is expected to uphold reasonable safety accommodations. While this does that guarantee the absolute safety of invited parties, the property owner can be held responsible if they knew about an issue and refused to act.

When regular visits to a doctor’s office are a habit, the first sign of life-threatening illnesses can be detected. Most medical professionals have their patient's best interests in mind, but mistakes do happen. When a mistake has been made, or a patient is second-guessing their treatment, it can be difficult to determine the difference between medical malpractice and the sometimes uncertainty of medicine.

A woman in Oak Park was recently awarded $50 million in a settlement against West Suburban Medical Center. The birth of her baby in 2014 resulted in the child having severe brain damage. Although a representative from the hospital claimed that appropriate action was taken during the natural birth, experts in the medical malpractice trial testified that a cesarean section would have prevented injuries to the child. An ultrasound showing that the child did not move for six hours during labor was ignored by medical staff, and the mother expressed concerns to her doctor that she could not feel the unborn baby move. Today, the child is five-years-old and is unable to sit, stand, or talk.

Brain damage to a baby during birth can be caused by physical injury or a lack of oxygen. If a child cannot safely have a vaginal birth, or if a problem arises such as the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck, a doctor will often choose to perform a cesarean section. Making this decision at the correct time is crucial to the health of mother and child.

A fall or mechanical accident will cause physical harm to a worker, but what happens when their psyche is affected instead? Many people have a mental illness and they go to work and function regularly, but when mental illness is caused by a work environment or circumstances, then their treatment may be covered by workers’ compensation. Treatment for mental illnesses can also go alongside treatment for a physical injury, as these issues may arise after trauma.

What is Workers’ Compensation?

When an employee is injured or becomes ill due to circumstances surrounding their job, their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance steps in to assist the worker. If the employee cannot return to their job, workers’ compensation provides replacement wages based on their current income and limits set by the state. If a person can eventually return to the workforce but their earning potential is affected, workers’ compensation will assist with the differences. Any medical treatment an employee requires because of a work-related injury will be financially covered, as long as the treatment is considered reasonable and medically proven to help an ailment.

When it comes to mental health and workers’ compensation, unfortunately being constantly stressed at work or being in a hostile work environment is not enough for benefits. A person may qualify for benefits if they are diagnosed with one or more of the following because of a work-related incident:

As December comes to a close, we reflect on the previous year and look forward to the fresh start that a new year brings. In this century, we celebrate our second decade, so there is bound to be extra excitement as we enter 2020. The new year brings resolutions and champagne toasts, but unfortunately, new years eve and day are a couple of the most dangerous times to be on the road and car accidents spike.

One of the biggest contributions to this spike is drunk driving. Crashes having to do with alcohol or drugs increase 71% compared to an average weekend from 6:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve to 6:00 a.m. on New Years Day. Like it's winter holiday counterparts, New Years encourages drinking alcohol. Many people top off at midnight with a glass of champagne. While that one glass of champagne would likely keep someone within the legal limit to drive, it is the drinks before and after that can create a problem.

What Is Considered Drunk Driving?

Across the United States, the legal limit to drive after consuming alcohol is 0.08%. If a person is caught with a higher concentration of alcohol in their system, they will be arrested and potentially charged with a DUI. This is because anything higher than 0.08% is considered too dangerous for a person to be driving a car. Alcohol affects decision making and reaction times, which can contribute to the cause of an auto accident.