The combination of texting and driving has become a real problem throughout the U.S. Distracted driving, the category into which hand-held cellphone use, texting, and any other form of electronic communication fall, is illegal in Illinois. However, fines of $150 or less per offense don’t deter many motorists, which explains why you’ll regularly see your fellow Marion drivers operating their vehicles looking down at or using their phones any moment they can do so.

If you take time to research different approaches for minimizing your chances of causing or becoming involved in a crash, you’ll quickly find that winterizing your vehicle is at the top of the list. This information might catch you a bit off-guard if you’ve only ever heard the term “winterize” used in conjunction with storing a boat or camper or prepping a home for the winter.

You can take steps to optimize your vehicle’s functionality and safety during the winter months, so read on to learn what those are. These strategies will hopefully keep you on the road and accident-free during some of the most bitterly cold days of the year.

There’s no question that driving through slush can be dangerous. Slick, slippery, icy, wet, slushy roads present significant hazards to motorists attempting to navigate safely through these tricky winter pitfalls. Our state is no stranger to the perils winter brings to drivers in the northern parts of our nation. As Illinois drivers, we are well familiar with the risks associated with snow and ice. But how dangerous is driving through slush?

Being the victim of a hit and run comes with so many different things to consider and worry about. For instance, if you didn’t get a good look at the person who struck your vehicle, you might be worried that the police won’t be able to find who did it. Or if your car was severely damaged, you’re likely wondering how much it’s going to cost to fix it and who covers it.

Car accidents can happen in so many different ways. On roadways with parking spaces, parking lots, and other areas where a driver might be reversing to accomplish what they need, another vehicle could hit them when they’re backing up. This leads to an accident where both parties could be wondering who was in the wrong and who caused it.

When you’re behind the wheel on any kind of road, you’re probably trying to stay focused on driving and avoid any and all possible accidents. You might be more nervous to drive on one specific type of road compared to others, though. For example, highways might feel more dangerous to drive on than the roads in town.

Dealing with a hit and run accident is stressful on its own. When someone else crashes into your car, cause damage, and then drives off, it is more frustrating than a regular accident because you might not know who was responsible, and you might not have any way of tracking them down. Now you have to deal with the physical damages that they caused to your car and the injuries that you sustained if you were in your car.

In order to cover those costs that weren’t your fault, you probably are interested in filing a claim through your insurance, but you might be wondering what that will do to your policy. Let’s take a look at whether or not a hit and run that you didn’t cause will affect your insurance.

Filing a car accident claim can feel like the start of a long road that will ultimately end in court, but that’s usually not the case. Most car accident claims are settled outside of court, which is actually favorable for you. When claims go to court, it will take more time, money, and cause more uncertainty for you that can be avoided by settling outside of court.

T-bone accidents are one of the deadliest types of car accidents for passengers of vehicles because they are a combination of the two deadliest accidents—frontal and side impact collisions but is known solely as a side impact collision. One car hits from head-on into the side of the other car at a perpendicular angle, which puts all passengers involved at risk for serious injury and death from the collision, especially the passenger on the side of the collision.

After a car accident, you’re likely worried about physical injuries, property damage, how much it’s going to cost, and how long your recovery will take. However, there are other injuries you can sustain after a car wreck. These traumatic events can cause psychological trauma as well. When filing a claim, you can seek compensation for your physical and psychological injuries. Let’s go over what counts as emotional distress after an accident.