Local drunk driving crash survivor speaks at Illinois State Fair

Posted on August 17, 2018
Police used a wrecked car to illustrate safety points on Traffic Fatality Awareness Day at the Illinois State Fair. (Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois traffic deaths are back up to more than a thousand a year. The police want us to do better.

Standing in front of the real attention-getter of a smashed-up car, State Police director Leo Schmitz says it boils down to the “Fatal Four.”

“The four main causes for serious injuries and fatalities in traffic crashes are: driving under the influence; speeding; failure to wear seat belts; and, my favorite, distracted driving.”

The presentation included a young woman who survived a drunk driving crash as an ISU student in 2014, lost three friends to DUI that year, and now works as a program coordinator for MADD Illinois. Allison Seys said her groups used a designated driver but did not count on the most dangerous driver of all: the other motorist, driving drunk and going 130 four years ago in Bloomington. That crash killed ISU student Michael Collins.

Friday, Aug. 17, is Illinois Traffic Fatality Awareness Day.

www.lifeordeathillinois.com

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]. 

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