State police team up with Effingham Sheriff and IDOT to reduce I-70 crashes

Valerie Wells^[1]

EFFINGHAM — A week after a five people were killed and others injured in a crash in Teutopolis, the Illinois State Police, Effingham County Sheriff's Department and Illinois Department of Transportation announced enhanced enforcement efforts along the nearby Interstate 70 corridor.

According to a State Police news release, law enforcement details will target distracted driving, speeding, and other reckless driving behaviors, with special focus in and around constructions areas, as well as roads drivers are using for detours.

State Police will use both marked and unmarked vehicles, along with other strategies, to enforce traffic violations and reduce crashes.

It was a Sept. 29 crash on Interstate 70 that diverted traffic to U.S. 40. It was on the detour route that a tanker truck carrying anhydrous ammonia rolled over. The tank was punctured when it collided with utility trailer parked off the road, allowing the chemical to gush out.

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Three adults and two children were killed and others injured by the toxic plume. Nearly 500 residents were evacuated from northeastern parts of Teutopolis for nearly 24 hours.

State Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Teutopolis, has been among the the most vocal officials seeking immediate action to improve safety in a construction zone along Interstate 70 between Effingham and Montrose.

Niemerg said in a press release Wednesday that he has sent a letter to Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman and Gov. J.B. Pritzker urging them to take action.

The State Police said there are seven details scheduled for October. This is a continuation of other details that have taken place several times each month since March.

At the end of July, State Police said two details resulted in:

• 27 commercial motor vehicle inspections

• 12 distractive driving citations

• 2 distractive driving warnings

• 1 speed citation

• 3 speed warning

• 2 warnings for other violations

• 1 seatbelt citation

• 1 following too closely citation

How do people die in U.S. traffic collisions?

How do people die in U.S. traffic collisions?

In 2021, nearly 43,000 people were killed in traffic collisions in the United States. This represents a 10.5 percent increase over 2020 and the most traffic deaths in a single year since 2005^[2].

While it's clear that U.S. roads have become increasingly more deadly in recent years, what circumstances lead to fatal crashes? Are there regional differences in how they occur?

How, exactly, do people die in motor vehicle collisions?

Morris Bart^[3] examined the latest available year of fatal crash data from the NHTSA to find answers.

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What events or objects cause the most traffic deaths?

As you might expect, collisions with other vehicles are the most common cause of traffic deaths. Vehicle collisions killed over 18,000 people in 2021 and accounted for 42 percent of all traffic deaths in the United States.

However, while motor vehicle collisions were the most common single source, the majority of traffic deaths — 58%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's FARS database — were caused by something else.

Morris Bart

Other vehicles cause the most traffic fatalities, but there are a surprising array of other causes

The NHTSA keeps 56 different objects or events that lead to fatal crashes. This data includes collisions with fixed objects like trees, curbs, or mailboxes; incidents involving non-motorists such as pedestrians or bicyclists; and non-collision events such as vehicle rollovers.

Pedestrian crashes were the next closest cause, accounting for 6,876 deaths, followed by vehicle rollovers or overturns, then collisions with trees.

Outside the top ten, there were several interesting or surprising ways people die on the road:

• Parked Motor Vehicles: 609 people died after hitting a parked car.
• Mailboxes: 266 people were killed after colliding with a mailbox.
• Live Animal: A live animal wandering on or near a roadway resulted in 164 fatalities. Another 23 people died in collisions with a ridden animal or animal-drawn conveyance (such as a horse-drawn carriage).
• Fire Hydrants: 32 people died after a vehicle struck a fire hydrant.

Morris Bart

Regional differences paint an unusual picture of national road safety

In all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the most common cause of traffic deaths is either collisions with other vehicles^[4] or pedestrians. However, if we remove these crashes, some very interesting regional differences emerge. Seven different objects or events appear as the next most common cause in at least one state: rollovers, trees, curbs, ditches, embankments, bicycles, and occupants falling or jumping from vehicles.

Vehicle rollovers and overturns: Especially dangerous for large SUVs and trucks, vehicle rollovers or overturns killed nearly 3,000 people in 2021. They were the most common type of crash in outside vehicle and pedestrian collisions in twenty states, including Texas, Colorado, and Arizona.

Collisions with standing trees: While tree-lined roads have been shown to lower average traffic speed and reduce the rate of head-on collisions^[5], trees can be dangerous fixed objects in crashes. As the fifth most common cause of crash deaths overall, collisions with standing trees took the lives of 2,852 people. Tree-related crashes were the most common cause of death in twenty states, including most of the states along the East Coast.

Curbs: While striking a curb may immediately bring visions of wheel damage to mind, curbs can be dangerous fixed objects. In fact, nearly 1,500 people were killed in traffic crashes caused by collisions with curbs. They were most common in four states - California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey - and the District of Columbia.

Ditches: Ditches are essential to road safety, carrying rainwater away from the road and preventing them from flooding. However, when motorists veer off the road and into a roadside ditch, it can be disastrous. Just under 11,000 people died after their vehicles veered into a ditch and they were most common in three states - Iowa, Louisiana, and Ohio.

Embankments: Embankments are raised structures used to hold back water or, most commonly along highways and overpasses, carry a roadway. Nearly 1,000 people died after striking an embankment along a roadway. Collisions with embankments were the leading cause of road deaths in one state - Kentucky.

Bicyclists: In Florida, collisions with bicyclists killed more people than any other type of collision outside those involving other vehicles or pedestrians. In fact, 20 percent of all bicycle deaths (195) occurred in the state of Florida.

Fell or jumped from vehicle: In Hawaii, seven people died after falling or jumping from a moving vehicle, accounting for seven percent of all traffic deaths in the state.

Morris Bart

The most common cause of fatal crashes in each state

Below, we list the most common events or objects that cause fatal crashes in the U.S., outside collisions with pedestrians and other vehicles.

Alabama

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 4

Fatalities: 119

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 1%

Alaska

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 6

Fatalities: 6

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 9%

Arizona

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 98

Fatalities: 107

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 9%

Arkansas

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 68

Fatalities: 71

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

California

Cause: Curbs

Fatal Crashes: 281

Fatalities: 307

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 7%

Colorado

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 77

Fatalities: 80

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 12%

Connecticut

Cause: Curbs

Fatal Crashes: 24

Fatalities: 27

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 9%

Delaware

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 11

Fatalities: 11

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

District of Columbia

Cause: Curbs

Fatal Crashes: 4

Fatalities: 4

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

Florida

Cause: Bicyclists

Fatal Crashes: 195

Fatalities: 195

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 5%

Georgia

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 155

Fatalities: 167

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 9%

Hawaii

Cause: Fell or Jumped from Vehicle

Fatal Crashes: 7

Fatalities: 7

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 7%

Idaho

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 58

Fatalities: 58

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 21%

Illinois

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 72

Fatalities: 80

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 6%

Indiana

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 65

Fatalities: 70

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

Iowa

Cause: Ditches

Fatal Crashes: 50

Fatalities: 51

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 14%

Kansas

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 41

Fatalities: 45

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 11%

Kentucky

Cause: Embankment

Fatal Crashes: 72

Fatalities: 74

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 9%

Louisiana

Cause: Ditches

Fatal Crashes: 72

Fatalities: 73

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

Maine

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 31

Fatalities: 33

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 22%

Maryland

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 41

Fatalities: 47

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

Massachusetts

Cause: Curbs

Fatal Crashes: 33

Fatalities: 33

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

Michigan

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 113

Fatalities: 119

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

Minnesota

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 78

Fatalities: 82

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 17%

Mississippi

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 84

Fatalities: 90

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 12%

Missouri

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 98

Fatalities: 100

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

Montana

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 45

Fatalities: 47

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 20%

Nebraska

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 30

Fatalities: 32

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 14%

Nevada

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 40

Fatalities: 41

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 11%

New Hampshire

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 16

Fatalities: 18

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 15%

New Jersey

Cause: Curbs

Fatal Crashes: 49

Fatalities: 55

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

New Mexico

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 83

Fatalities: 95

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 20%

New York

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 89

Fatalities: 94

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

North Carolina

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 150

Fatalities: 160

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

North Dakota

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 20

Fatalities: 21

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 21%

Ohio

Cause: Ditches

Fatal Crashes: 72

Fatalities: 77

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 6%

Oklahoma

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 81

Fatalities: 86

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 11%

Oregon

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 54

Fatalities: 58

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

Pennsylvania

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 89

Fatalities: 93

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 8%

Rhode Island

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 8

Fatalities: 10

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 16%

South Carolina

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 122

Fatalities: 129

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 11%

South Dakota

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 34

Fatalities: 36

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 24%

Tennessee

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 112

Fatalities: 117

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 9%

Texas

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 318

Fatalities: 337

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 7%

Utah

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 42

Fatalities: 45

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 14%

Vermont

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 10

Fatalities: 11

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 15%

Virginia

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 110

Fatalities: 117

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 12%

Washington

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 46

Fatalities: 48

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 7%

West Virginia

Cause: Trees

Fatal Crashes: 26

Fatalities: 27

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 10%

Wisconsin

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 66

Fatalities: 67

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 11%

Wyoming

Cause: Rollovers

Fatal Crashes: 26

Fatalities: 28

Percentage of all Traffic Deaths in State: 25%

Data sources and methodology

This analysis is based on Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data^[6] from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2021 - the latest available year.  FARS contains data on a census of fatal crashes within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Vehicle collision causes^[7] are based on the First Harmful Event (FHE) field, defined by the NHTSA as the first injury or damage-producing event in each crash. 

This story was produced by Morris Bart and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.^[8][9]

 

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Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter

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References

1. ^{^} Valerie Wells (herald-review.com)
2. ^{^} the most traffic deaths in a single year since 2005 (www.nhtsa.gov)
3. ^{^} Morris Bart (www.morrisbart.com)
4. ^{^} collisions with other vehicles (www.morrisbart.com)
5. ^{^} lower average traffic speed and reduce the rate of head-on collisions (www.researchgate.net)
6. ^{^} Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data (www.nhtsa.gov)
7. ^{^} Vehicle collision causes (www.morrisbart.com)
8. ^{^} This story (www.morrisbart.com)
9. ^{^} Morris Bart (www.morrisbart.com)