Naperville Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer. For many Illinois families, the holiday means one last road trip, a visit to friends or relatives, a trip to a lake or campground, or a backyard gathering. Unfortunately, the combination of increased travel, heavier traffic, impaired driving, speeding, and distracted driving can make Labor Day weekend particularly dangerous on Illinois roads.
For people injured in a Labor Day weekend car accident, the consequences can extend far beyond the holiday. A collision can result in broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, internal injuries, permanent disabilities, or even death. When another driver’s negligence causes a crash, an injured person may have the right to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 505 people were killed in traffic crashes across the United States during the 2024 Labor Day weekend. Of those fatalities, 33% involved a drunk driver, while 77% of the fatalities involving a drunk driver involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of at least .15.
For Illinois drivers, these national statistics are particularly important. Illinois experienced more than 303,000 motor vehicle crashes in 2024, including more than 63,000 injury crashes and 1,085 fatal crashes.
Why Is Labor Day Weekend So Dangerous for Illinois Drivers?
Labor Day creates a unique combination of factors that can increase the risk of a serious motor vehicle crash. Millions of people travel during the final major holiday weekend of summer, while others attend parties and gatherings where alcohol may be served.
More vehicles on the road naturally create more opportunities for collisions. However, traffic volume is only one part of the problem. Dangerous driving behaviors can become especially consequential when roads are crowded and drivers are traveling at highway speeds. Some of the most common contributors to Labor Day weekend crashes include:
- Drunk or drug-impaired driving
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Driver fatigue
- Aggressive or reckless driving
- Failure to yield
- Following too closely
- Unsafe lane changes
- Poor weather conditions
- Increased motorcycle and pedestrian traffic
Illinois crash data demonstrates how significant some of these factors can be. In 2024, crashes involving speed accounted for 31.1% of all Illinois crashes and 45.3% of fatal crashes. Motorcycle-involved crashes represented only 1.1% of total crashes but 13.1% of fatal crashes.
Increased Holiday Travel Can Lead to More Crashes
Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the summer. Drivers may be traveling across Illinois to visit family, heading to Chicago, taking a weekend trip, or driving to recreational destinations.
Longer trips also mean more time spent on highways and interstates. Illinois has several heavily traveled roadways, including Interstate 55, Interstate 88, Interstate 90, Interstate 94, Interstate 80, and Interstate 294. A crash at highway speed can cause catastrophic injuries even when occupants are wearing seat belts.
Traffic congestion can create additional risks. Drivers may become impatient and speed through gaps in traffic, make unsafe lane changes, follow other vehicles too closely, or become distracted while navigating unfamiliar roads. Holiday drivers should slow down, leave additional following distance, and remain alert to changing traffic conditions.
Drunk Driving Is a Major Labor Day Weekend Concern
One of the most serious dangers associated with Labor Day travel is impaired driving. NHTSA states that 30% of all traffic fatalities in 2024 involved an alcohol-impaired driver, resulting in 11,904 deaths nationwide. NHTSA also reports that alcohol-impaired fatal crashes occurred at a rate three times higher at night than during the day.
The risk becomes particularly concerning during holiday weekends because many people attend parties, cookouts, sporting events, festivals, and other celebrations where alcohol may be served. NHTSA specifically warns that impaired-driving deaths typically increase during the Labor Day holiday period. The federal agency’s annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is designed to address this problem, with increased law-enforcement patrols around Labor Day.
A driver does not have to appear obviously intoxicated before causing a devastating crash. Alcohol can impair reaction time, judgment, coordination, and the ability to recognize hazards. When an impaired driver causes a collision, the injured victims may have a personal injury claim against the negligent driver. In particularly serious cases, additional legal issues may arise depending on the circumstances surrounding the driver’s conduct.
Speeding Makes Holiday Crashes More Dangerous
Speeding is another major concern during Labor Day weekend. When traffic is moving quickly, a driver traveling too fast has less time to react to stopped vehicles, pedestrians, debris, changing lanes, or sudden traffic congestion. Higher speeds also increase the force involved in a collision.
Illinois’ 2024 crash statistics illustrate the significance of speeding. Speed was involved in 45.3% of fatal crashes in Illinois that year. Speeding can contribute to many different types of collisions, including:
- Rear-end crashes
- Head-on collisions
- Rollover crashes
- Intersection crashes
- Motorcycle collisions
- Pedestrian accidents
- Crashes involving commercial trucks
A speeding driver who causes a Labor Day weekend collision may be legally responsible for the resulting injuries and losses.
Distracted Driving Can Turn a Moment of Inattention Into a Serious Crash
Holiday travel can also increase the potential for distracted driving. Drivers may be using navigation applications, checking text messages, adjusting music, looking at passengers, or attempting to find an unfamiliar destination. Taking your eyes off the road for only a few seconds can have devastating consequences.
Distraction is particularly dangerous on congested highways because traffic conditions can change rapidly. A driver who looks away from the road may not see brake lights until it is too late. If a distracted driver causes a crash, evidence such as cell phone records, vehicle data, surveillance footage, witness statements, and police reports may help establish what happened.
Motorcycle Accidents Can Be Especially Serious
Labor Day is also one of the last major summer weekends for motorcycle riders in Illinois. Motorcyclists may take advantage of favorable weather to travel, attend rallies, or simply enjoy the roads before the arrival of colder weather.
Unfortunately, motorcycles provide substantially less physical protection than passenger vehicles. Illinois’ 2024 crash data shows that motorcycle-involved crashes represented 13.1% of fatal crashes, despite accounting for only 1.1% of all crashes. Motorcyclists can suffer catastrophic injuries when another driver:
- Fails to see a motorcycle
- Turns left in front of a rider
- Changes lanes without checking blind spots
- Follows too closely
- Speeds
- Drives while impaired
- Opens a vehicle door into a motorcycle’s path
A motorcycle crash can result in traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, road rash, fractures, amputations, and other permanent injuries.
Truck Accidents During Labor Day Weekend
Holiday travel can also increase the interaction between passenger vehicles and commercial trucks. Large trucks require considerably more distance to stop than passenger vehicles. A truck driver who is speeding, distracted, fatigued, or following too closely can cause a devastating collision.
In Illinois, tractor-trailer crashes accounted for 3.7% of total crashes in 2024 but 8.4% of fatal crashes. Truck accidents can be particularly complicated from a legal standpoint. Depending on the circumstances, potentially responsible parties may include the truck driver, trucking company, vehicle owner, maintenance provider, cargo loader, or another entity.
Evidence may include driver logs, electronic data, maintenance records, onboard computer information, surveillance footage, witness statements, and trucking-company records.
What Should You Do After a Labor Day Weekend Car Accident?
If you are involved in a collision, your first priority should be getting medical attention and moving to a safe location when possible. If you are physically able to do so, consider taking these steps:
- Call 911 and report the crash.
- Obtain medical treatment for any injuries.
- Exchange insurance and contact information with other drivers.
- Take photographs and videos of the vehicles, roadway, and surrounding area.
- Obtain contact information from witnesses.
- Avoid admitting fault or speculating about what caused the crash.
- Preserve photographs, medical records, bills, and other documentation.
- Notify your insurance company as required by your policy.
- Avoid providing a recorded statement to another driver’s insurer without first understanding your rights.
- Consider consulting a Naperville personal injury attorney before accepting a settlement.
Some injuries are not immediately obvious. Symptoms from traumatic brain injuries, soft-tissue injuries, internal injuries, and certain spinal injuries may develop or become more apparent hours or days after a collision.
What Compensation May Be Available After an Illinois Labor Day Crash?
When another person’s negligence causes an accident, Illinois law may allow an injured victim to seek compensation for damages caused by the collision. Depending on the circumstances, damages may include:
- Emergency medical treatment
- Hospital bills
- Surgery and rehabilitation
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Disability or disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Loss of normal life
- Property damage
The value of a claim depends on the specific circumstances. A serious injury that requires surgery, long-term rehabilitation, or permanent care can be worth substantially more than a minor injury. Fatal crashes can also result in wrongful death claims brought by eligible surviving family members.
Why You Should Be Careful With Insurance Companies After a Crash
After a serious accident, an insurance company may contact you relatively quickly. While the insurer may appear helpful, its primary responsibility is to protect its own financial interests. An early settlement offer may not account for the full extent of your injuries, future medical care, lost earning capacity, or the long-term consequences of a permanent injury.
This is one reason injured people should understand the full scope of their damages before agreeing to a settlement.
At John J. Malm & Associates, we investigate the circumstances of serious crashes, gather evidence, communicate with insurance companies, and pursue the compensation our clients may be entitled to receive.
“A serious car accident can change someone’s life in an instant. When another driver’s negligence causes that harm, injured victims and their families deserve a thorough investigation and an advocate who will fight to protect their rights.” — John J. Malm, Naperville car accident attorney
How Can Illinois Drivers Reduce Their Risk This Labor Day?
Many Labor Day crashes can be prevented when drivers make responsible decisions before getting behind the wheel. Before traveling, drivers should:
- Designate a sober driver if alcohol will be consumed.
- Never drive while impaired by alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs.
- Put the phone away while driving.
- Get adequate rest before a long trip.
- Obey posted speed limits.
- Leave additional following distance.
- Check blind spots before changing lanes.
- Remain alert for motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians.
- Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained.
- Avoid aggressive driving and road rage.
NHTSA emphasizes planning ahead for a sober ride and preventing impaired people from getting behind the wheel.
Frequently Asked Questions About Labor Day Car Accidents
Are there more car accidents over Labor Day weekend?
Labor Day is recognized by NHTSA as a particularly dangerous holiday travel period, especially because of impaired driving. In 2024, 505 people were killed in traffic crashes during the Labor Day weekend nationwide, and 33% of those fatalities involved a drunk driver.
What should I do if I am injured by a drunk driver on Labor Day weekend?
Call 911, seek medical attention, document the crash if possible, and preserve evidence. You should also consider speaking with an Illinois personal injury attorney. A DUI conviction and a civil personal injury claim are separate matters, so you may have the right to pursue compensation even when criminal proceedings are also taking place.
Can I sue if a speeding driver causes my Labor Day accident?
Potentially. If another driver’s negligent or wrongful conduct caused your injuries, you may have a claim for damages. Evidence such as the police report, witness statements, photographs, vehicle data, and accident-reconstruction evidence may help establish how the crash occurred.
What if I was partially at fault for my Illinois accident?
Being partially responsible does not necessarily prevent an injured person from recovering compensation under Illinois law. Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence system. The specific circumstances of the accident should be reviewed by an attorney before you assume that you cannot recover.
How long do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit after an Illinois car accident?
Illinois generally imposes a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, although exceptions can apply and different deadlines may govern particular claims. Because missing a legal deadline can prevent recovery, injured people should consult an attorney promptly after a serious accident.
What if my loved one was killed in a Labor Day crash?
A fatal crash may give eligible family members the right to pursue a wrongful death claim. These cases can involve medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, lost financial support, loss of consortium or society, and other damages recognized under Illinois law.
Contact the Top-Rated Naperville Injury Lawyers at John J. Malm & Associates After a Serious Labor Day Crash
Labor Day weekend should be a time for families and friends to enjoy the final days of summer, not a time to deal with the devastating consequences of someone else’s reckless decision behind the wheel. Unfortunately, drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving, and other negligent behaviors continue to cause serious crashes on Illinois roads.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Labor Day weekend car accident, you do not have to navigate the insurance claims process alone. The Naperville car accident attorneys at John J. Malm & Associates have decades of experience representing people injured in motor vehicle crashes and other serious accidents. Our firm has recovered more than $100 million for clients and has more than 90 years of combined litigation experience.
If another driver’s negligence caused your injuries, contact John J. Malm & Associates for a free consultation. Call our office today to discuss your accident, your injuries, and your potential legal options.