People drive fast these days. Almost everyone seems to be in a scurry to get to their destination. Frustration mounts as drivers get stuck in traffic for whatever reason. At times, driving on the Interstate seems like a stock car race. One car is so close to the rear of the car in front that it almost looks like the one car is drafting the other. Despite the apparent danger, people insist on driving this way. Excessive speed is one of the most frequently cited causes of fatal motor vehicle accidents.
Of course, driving excessively fast for the given road conditions is dangerous. That is why Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/601(a) is on the books. That particular section of Illinois law commands that drivers must drive at a reasonable speed, and not necessarily in compliance with the posted speed limit, to avoid an accident. Law enforcement officers called to investigate an accident could cite any driver for failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident if the evidence gathered at the scene persuades the officer that someone was driving too fast. The issue is whether the driver used “due care” while driving.
Drivers would take off from most accidents if they could. However, a sense of duty, compassion, morality, and humanity keep people at the scene of the crash irrespective of the relative fault of each driver. Illinois statute 625 ILCS 5/11-401 orders a motorist to remain at the scene of the incident and to provide information that identifies the person and the insurance carrier for the vehicle involved in the crash. Although this law forces people to act against their best interest, the law is just. Without it, many people would go away to try to avoid civil and criminal liability for their failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.
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