Posted on June 03, 2013 in Firm News

Agriculture is ranked as one of the most hazardous industries in our country today. Illionois agricultural workers are at risk every day of tractor accidents, combine accidents, grain bin explosions and more. Due to the involvement of machinery, resulting injuries can result in the loss of limbs or even life. The ability to be aware of an accident and respond as quickly as possible is one component to ideally minimize the severity of injuries or save lives. Many farm accidents happen in a second and leave the victim unable to call for, or otherwise obtain help.

Given that tractors are often utilized on parts of a commercial farm with little to no other structures or roads nearby, accidents frequently leave the operator alone. It is estimated that about 10 percent of tractor operators will be involved in a rollover at least once in their working years. 

However, commercial farms may soon be able to utilize mobile technology to get help in the event of tractor accidents resulting in rollovers.  An app designed to automatically send both phone and email messages in the event of a detected tractor rollover is in the final phase of research now. If approved, the app would be available for download to any smartphone or tablet device and installed on the actual tractor for maximum accuracy.

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 Posted on May 31, 2013 in Articles

According to state-by-state statistics compiled by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Illinois ranks right in the middle of the states when it comes to the percentage of total motor vehicle fatalities caused by drunk driving. Statistics, though, cannot capture the personal impact of each DUI accident.

Illinois numbers

In 2010, the latest year of complete statistics in MADD's report, 278 people died in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents on Illinois roads. This figure represents 30 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in the state that year. While the proportion of alcohol-related fatalities declined by 4.8 percent from 2009, the number is still striking.

Statistics on repeat DUI are not encouraging. Close to 50,000 drivers were charged with third-time DUI offenses in Illinois in 2010, and over 5,600 were charged with a fifth offense. A survey of alcohol use included in the MADD report does not inspire hope for improvement, as teens and even pre-teens report consuming alcoholic beverages. Among young people aged 12 to 20, 28.1 percent reported that they had used alcohol recently, within the past month; and nearly one fifth of those in this age group, 19.4 percent, reported binge drinking in the past month.

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 Posted on May 30, 2013 in Firm News

The exact impact of vehicular speed in crashes varies, based on many factors, but there is nonetheless a connection between higher speeds and more severe accident outcomes, including brain injuries, amputations, and spinal cord injuries. In a truck accident, for example, one reason may be the increased impact that naturally occurs as the rate of movement climbs. Another might be the decreased time for driver response when travelling faster.

A recent opinion expressed concern about increased risks of collisions if a new bill is successful in raising the speed limit in Illinois from 65 to 70 miles per hour. The opinion points out that the enactment of such a law would result in more deaths and uses findings from studies to back up their argument. While supporters of the bill point out that the speed increase could be friendly for businesses in the state, the opinion says that traveling at higher speeds will create more accidents because people will fail to increase their distance from other vehicles.

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 Posted on May 20, 2013 in Firm News

Car accidents continue to kill drivers in the U.S. every day. Despite safety efforts to reduce fatal car accidents, a new report found that fatal car accidents have increased during the last year. A total of 34.080 deaths due to traffic fatalities were reported in 2012, which is a 5.3 percent increase. 

Traffic safety experts say that this is the first time traffic fatalities have increased in the U.S. during the last seven years. Due to the significant increase in fatalities in just one year, experts are trying to figure out why more people are being killed in car accidents. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that traffic fatalities increased in every category they analyzed. They reported that fatal accidents increased in every season as well as in every region in the U.S.

In addition to fatal car accidents increasing last year, the report also noted that more bicyclists and pedestrians were killed in accidents last year too. The NHTSA reported that fatal bicycle accidents increased by nine percent last year, and fatal pedestrian accidents increased by four percent.

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 Posted on May 16, 2013 in Articles

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, distraction is a factor in approximately one in five car crashes that result in injury. Most distraction related crashes are completely preventable, and Illinois lawmakers have already taken steps to reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by electronic distraction behind the wheel. But could more be done?

Currently, all drivers in Illinois are prohibited from texting, and cellphone use is banned completely in school zones and highway construction zones. Yet, there is evidence that even just talking on the phone behind the wheel can be dangerous. If ultimately passed, a new measure in the Illinois Senate could prohibit all handheld cellphone use by drivers.

Texting major danger for drivers, but talking on a cellphone also distracting

A Virginia Tech study commissioned by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that mobile electronic devices are the number one source of driver distraction. Texting behind the wheel is a particularly dangerous use of a wireless device behind the wheel, because it involves all three major forms of distraction: cognitive (taking your mind off the road), manual (taking your hands off the wheel) and visual (looking away from the road).

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 Posted on May 15, 2013 in Firm News

It's well-known that texting while driving is a very dangerous behavior. That danger might be rubbing off on teen drivers as a new study found that teens who text behind the wheel are more likely to portray other risky behaviors while driving.

Teenagers in the U.S. that text while driving are less likely to wear their seat belt and often ride with an intoxicated driver, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study found despite texting while driving being illegal in most states, many teens still send and read texts behind the wheel. They reported that four out of nine high school students surveyed sent or read of text while driving within the last month.

The study surveyed high school students across the U.S. The study reported that teens who texted behind the wheel more frequently were also more likely to admit to other risky driving behaviors that increase the risk of being in a car accident. The researchers said that teen drivers who more frequently texted while driving also got behind the wheel after drinking more often.

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 Posted on May 09, 2013 in Farm Accidents

The agricultural, forestry and fishing industry is the most dangerous industry for workers in the U.S. Workers in this industry have a fatality rate eight times higher than any other industry combined. Farming is part of this industry and it continues to be plagued with safety hazards.

One of the lesser-known safety hazards for farm workers is the threat of manure pit deaths. Research shows that 10 farm workers die every year due to manure pit accidents. While this is not a high number, manure pit deaths are a preventable farm accident and a new standard may be able to help reduce these tragic accidents from happening on Illinois farms.

Why are manure pits so hazardous? Manure pits are dangerous to workers because of the toxic gas that is built up in the storage facilities. Fatal manure pit accidents usually happen when a worker enters the storage facility to repair or clean out the pit. When they enter, they are exposed to so much toxic gas that they pass out and die in the pit. Often times, another worker or family member sees the worker in the pit and enters to try to help them. Unfortunately, many of these people end up dying due to the toxic fumes as well.

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 Posted on May 01, 2013 in Farm Accidents

Farming poses many risks for workers. One of the most dangerous risks for farm workers is being involved in a tractor accident. Tractor rollovers cause the most fatal farm accidents in the country, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. They report that roughly 250 fatal accidents are caused by tractor rollovers every year.

To address the risk of being in a tractor accident, researchers have started designing and testing a mobile device application that could potentially save farm workers from being killed in tractor rollover accidents. The University of Missouri is testing an app that uses sensors and a GPS device to detect tractor rollovers. When a rollover is detected, the app sends an emergency email and text message to alert others of the location of the accident.

The app is still being tested on standard tractors to see how well it works but researchers are hopeful that it will work on all tractors. This mobile app could be a lifesaver for many farm workers in Illinois and throughout the country because many tractor rollover accidents do not happen near a road or house where someone would notice it.

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 Posted on April 24, 2013 in Car Accidents

Bicycle accidents can be very dangerous and often result in serious injuries and even fatalities for cyclists involved in these accidents. While many cities have started planning for cyclists by making bicycle lanes, rural roads can still be very hazardous for cycling.

In Illinois, more bicyclists are riding on rural roads because it allows them to ride without having to stop at intersections and traffic signals in the city. While many bicyclists enjoy the freedom of the open road, the increase in cyclists riding on rural roads has highlighted the risks of being in a bicycle accident.

Bicycle safety advocates say that more awareness is needed for cyclists on the road, including in rural settings. Cycling on a rural road can be very dangerous because vehicles travelling on these roads are often driving at higher speeds and if they hit a cyclist, he or she is likely to be seriously or fatally injured.

With the weather warming up and summer just around the corner, more bicyclists will be riding on rural roads in Illinois. Safety advocates are concerned that bicyclists are not as protected while riding on rural roads because there is less space for them to ride safely on the road. Even though state law requires motorists to slow down and give bicyclists at least three feet while passing, many motorists don't. This puts bicyclists at risk for being hit or involved in an accident.

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 Posted on April 19, 2013 in Car Accidents

Texting while driving has been touted as the most dangerous behavior behind the wheel. However, a new study shows that drivers should be just as worried about daydreaming while driving. In fact, the study reported that daydreaming and driving can be more dangerous than texting while driving.

Erie Insurance Group conducted the study and reported that drivers who daydream and don't concentrate on the road are five times more dangerous on the road compared to drivers who use their cellphones while driving.

The study's results are somewhat surprising since texting while driving has been in the news so often. While these findings don't downplay the risks of texting while driving, it does show that drivers need to be aware of other dangerous behaviors, like daydreaming, that can significantly increase the risk of being in a car accident.

The study found that 62 percent of distracted driving accidents were blamed on a driver who was daydreaming, while 12 percent of distracted driving accidents were caused by drivers who were using cell phones.

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