A benefit of stay-at-home order: Way fewer crashes in Macon County

Apr. 24--*

Facebook

*

Twitter

*

WhatsApp

*

SMS

*

Email

*

Print

*

Save

addasset

json

97d82ac1-b81e-5f58-bcf0-dc12bc22aaf1

editorial

true

articles

Save

DECATUR -- There is a silver-lining to the state's coronavirus stay-at-home order: The number of traffic wrecks in Macon County are down by nearly half compared to a month ago and overall crime numbers show similar declines.

Decatur police Deputy Chief Shane Brandel said 125 crashes were reported from March 21 to Monday, a 49% drop from the same 2019 period. Remote working and businesses closing during the pandemic mean way fewer people on the roads.

"In addition to that, you have the nighttime traffic, especially traffic that may have alcohol factored into it or any kind of impaired driving," Brandel said. "Those numbers have been reduced."

Gov. J.B. Pritzker last month ordered that nonessential businesses stop operating to contain COVID-19. He previously shuttered schools, restaurants and bars. Trips outside the home for grocery shopping, medical visits or other essentials were allowed. The governor extended the ban on Thursday.

Similar traffic crash trends are being seen in California, which also has a shelter-in-place rule in effect. Traffic crashes dropped 60% between March 21 and April 11 compared to the same span last year, according to the Road Ecology Center at University of California, Davis.

Insurance companies also have cut rates as fewer on the roads and crash rates decline. Bloomington-based State Farm, for example, is offering credits on future bills amounting to 25% on premiums from March 20 through May 31. That's about $20 per month per vehicle.

The Consumer Federation of America projects discounts should be larger in April because stay-home orders will have been in effect in many states for the entire month. As some businesses gradually are allowed to reopen, traffic still will be down into the summer, and that should bring further discounts, the group said.

"We'll have to see where the data takes us," said Glenn Shapiro, president of personal property and liability for Allstate, which is offering 15% discounts for April and May that amount to about $60 per customer.

------

SIDEBAR: Read the traffic, crime data here

------

But Shapiro says lower traffic doesn't automatically translate to reduced costs for insurers. As the crisis goes on, the collision repair parts supply chain is being disrupted, driving up costs, he said. Allstate also incurs costs when payments are deferred, and it could see people switch to other companies after the two-month deferral period, he said. Also, companies still have expenses such as claims departments, which won't be downsized even though crashes are down, because they'll be needed later, he said.

"Accidents are only part of the expense of insurance," Shapiro said.

Passenger vehicle travel was down 48% nationwide the week of April 6 when compared to the final week of February, when automobile travel was normal, according to the traffic information firm Inrix.

The Macon County Sheriff's Office, which patrols unincorporated areas, responded to 14 crashes between March 21 and Tuesday compared to the same 2019 period, said Sheriff Tony Brown. That's a 64% reduction.

Brandel said that while crash numbers are down, there doesn't seem to be a connection with motorists being more careful.

"I don't necessarily believe the reduction has much to do with people driving safer, because as I've driven around the city in my personal vehicle, it seems like there's more careless driving," he said. "However, that's my personal observation."

Overall, Decatur police have responded to 27% fewer incidents from March 21 to Tuesday versus last year. That includes service calls and traffic stops.

One area with a less severe decline are calls for domestic violence situations, which are up 5%, to 364. Brandel said the number may be higher because some calls are initially coded disorderly conduct or something else but end up including cases of domestic violence.

The same trend is being seen across the country as people are forced to stay home.

"When people are quarantined, it can be even more difficult for domestic violence victims to call for help because they have nowhere to go when they're locked inside," Brandel said. "Anytime someone's a victim of domestic violence, they're encouraged to call police so we can investigate. Domestic battery is still an offense where we'll take someone to jail, even during this time."

Brown said they've also been seeing more bookings at Macon County Jail lately. The jail was housing 234 detainees Tuesday and has a maximum capacity of 425. Bookings for domestic violence from March 21 to Tuesday totaled 54, a 70% increase compared to the same time last year.

"The calls for service are down, but are on an upward trend," Brown said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

------

A switch to Medicaid managed care worries some Illinois foster families

2 additional cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Moultrie County

Lawmaker files lawsuit to thwart Pritzker's stay-home order

------

Selfies: The face masks of Central Illinois

------

Contact Garrett Karsten at (217) 421-6949. Follow him on Twitter: @GarrettKarsten

MORE ONLINE

Visit herald-review.com to see more traffic and crime data during the coronavirus pandemic.

Concerned about COVID-19?

Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.

https://herald-review.com/newsletters/thank-you/#tracking-source=coronavirus&ir=true

Sign up!

* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

___

(c)2020 the Herald & Review (Decatur, Ill.)

Visit the Herald & Review (Decatur, Ill.) at www.herald-review.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.