Last updated: July 2026
It seems to me that the most frequent cause of car accidents here in Chicago is getting hit in the rear when a person’s coming to a stop or is stopped what happens is that the drivers behind are not paying attention and they hit the rear end of the vehicle and that can cause a significant injury when a person’s head snaps back that can cause a significant injury with regard to the muscles tendons and ligaments in the back and neck getting injured the second most common that we see often is a car turning in front of another car and what we call in slaying t-bone another vehicle hits either the driver’s side or passenger side again very serious injuries as a result of car accidents you.
Stephen D. Phillips, Managing Partner, Phillips Law Offices
Most car accidents in Chicago trace back to a handful of preventable driver behaviors, made worse by the city’s density, congested intersections, and hard winters. Understanding what caused your crash matters, because the cause is what determines who is legally responsible.
The Most Common Causes We See
- Distracted driving. Texting, navigation apps, and in-car screens remain the leading story behind rear-end and intersection crashes.
- Speeding and aggressive driving. Higher speeds shrink reaction time and turn survivable collisions into catastrophic ones.
- Failure to yield and red-light running. Chicago’s busy intersections produce a steady stream of T-bone and left-turn collisions.
- Impaired driving. Alcohol and drug impairment remain a factor in many of the most serious and fatal crashes.
- Drowsy driving. Fatigue slows reactions in ways drivers consistently underestimate.
- Weather and road conditions. Snow, ice, and potholes contribute, though drivers are still expected to adjust to conditions; weather rarely excuses negligence.
For a closer look at the driving habits behind these crashes, see our breakdown of common dangerous and reckless driving behaviors.
The Injuries These Crashes Cause
Injuries to the back and neck are very common injuries that are sustained in motor vehicle accidents this is because of the natural way that a body moves in response to the force involved in the collision depending on the force of that collision there may be other injuries if parts of the body strike the interior of the vehicle such as head injuries or broken bones. You can learn more about recent severe crashes by visiting this Illinois truck accident report.
Back and neck injuries lead the list because of how the body absorbs collision forces, followed by head injuries and fractures when the body strikes the vehicle interior. Even a seemingly minor crash can produce injuries that surface days later, which is why medical evaluation after any collision matters.
Why the Cause of Your Crash Matters Legally
Every cause on the list above is a form of negligence, and proving it is what your claim rests on. A distracted driving case is built from phone records; an impaired driving case from police and toxicology reports; an intersection case from camera footage and witness accounts. Identifying the cause early tells us what evidence to preserve before it disappears.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do right after a crash in Chicago?
Get to safety, call 911, get medical attention, photograph everything, and exchange information without discussing fault. Our step-by-step guide on what to do after a car accident covers each step in order.
Does bad weather excuse the other driver?
Rarely. Illinois drivers are required to adjust their speed and following distance to conditions. A driver who slides through an intersection on ice was almost always driving too fast for those conditions, and that is negligence.
Injured in a Chicago Crash?
The Illinois personal injury law firm of Phillips Law Offices has represented injured people and their families for decades. Talk to a Chicago car accident lawyer on our team for free, and pay nothing unless we win.
