Don't be dumb! (Traffic Accidents)

This is the first of a series of perhaps 100's of blog posts and maybe even books with the title, "Don't be dumb!" A hat tip goes to Rando, because this was his life motto for a while, and I totally stole it from him. The first installment of "Don't be dumb!" involves traffic accidents.

If you ever have the misfortune of being in a traffic accident, it is your responsibility to move your vehicle so that it does not block the flow of traffic IF it is possible to do so. Somewhere along the line a myth has been perpetruated that you are supposed to stop your vehicle wherever you are and leave it there until the police arrive, supposedly so that they can see how the accident occurred. DON'T BE DUMB! Why on earth would any village, city, county, or state police force want you to block traffic?! Get out of the way! Besides the obvious aggravation that miles of backed up traffic causes, you are putting yourself and others at risk by leaving your vehicle in the middle of traffic.

As follows is Illinois State law:

(a) The driver of any vehicle involved in a motor vehicle
accident resulting only in damage to a vehicle which is driven
or attended by any person shall immediately stop such vehicle
at the scene of such motor vehicle accident or as close thereto
as possible, but shall forthwith return to and in every event
shall remain at the scene of such motor vehicle accident until
the requirements of Section 11-403 have been fulfilled. Every
such stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than
is necessary. If a damaged vehicle is obstructing traffic
lanes, the driver of the vehicle must make every reasonable
effort to move the vehicle or have it moved so as not to block
the traffic lanes.