Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Women and teenagers were most likely to be seriously injured in Illinois car accidents, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation's 2008 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics report.

The Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes are published a series of blogs taking a look at the comprehensive traffic data here and on our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog. The latest data shows teenagers and women are at increased risk of injury as a result of a traffic accident.

Last year, an average of 1,115 Illinois traffic crashes claimed three lives a day and injured 11 people an hour.

Almost 20 percent of injury crashes injured 16,119 occupants ages 25 to 34, followed by drivers 35 to 44 (13,532 injuries) and 45 to 54 (12,491 injuries).

However, teenagers were at 5 times greater risk of an injury accident after being old enough to drive. Just 2,068 injuries were reported among kids ages 10 to 14 compared to 10,869 injuries in teenagers ages 15 to 19.

Women in every age group were more likely to be injured. Last year in accidents where age was reported, 45,260 women were injured in Illinois car accidents compared to 39,885 men.

Age 15 to 19
Men: 4,845
Women: 6,024

Age 20 to 24
Men: 5,120
Women: 5,811

Age 25 to 34
Men: 7,779
Women: 8,340

Age 35 to 44:
Men: 6,477
Women: 7,055

Age 45 to 54
Men: 5,963
Women: 6,528

Age 55 to 64
Men: 3,677
Women: 4,282

Age 65 to 74
Men: 1,722
Women: 2,045

75 and up
Men: 1,324
Women: 1,729

The holiday driving season is always a good time to brush up on safety. Here are 70 Defensive Driving Rules to live by, as published by Road Trip America. The State of Illinois also publishes a Parent-Teen Driving Guide for discussing safe driving habits with your teenager.

Continue reading " Women, teenagers, most likely to be injured in Chicago car accidents " »

Chicago drunk driving accidents and drunk drivers nationwide pose a serious threat over the Thanksgiving Weekend. Nationally, Mothers Against Drunk Driving estimates we will share the roads with 2 million drunk drivers who have at least three convictions for drunk driving.

In 2007, nearly 1,500 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day. Last year in Illinois, nine people were killed and 961 injured in serious traffic accidents over the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Abels & Annes reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog last week that Illinois authorities are hoping to reduce road fatalities by 100 deaths this year and are increasing traffic enforcement through the holidays period.

Through mid-November, 781 people died in Illinois traffic accidents compared to 883 during the same period last year. One-third involved a drunk driver, according to state statistics.

Last week, MADD announced progress in the third year of its campaign to eliminate drunk driving. The nationwide campign "Over the Limit, Under Arrest," will kick off December 14;and MADD reported a total of 12 states now require ignition interlocks to prevent convicted drunk drivers of driving while intoxicated.

MADD has these tips to help ensure everyone’s safety this Thanksgiving:
-Designate a sober driver before celebrations begin.
-Never serve alcohol to those under 21.
- Plan safe parties, including providing non-alcoholic drink options to guests and not serving alcohol the last hour of the gathering.
-Be prepared to get everyone home safe.

Click here for MADD's Safe Party Guide

Continue reading " Chicago drunk driving accidents a hazard to all motorists on Thanksgiving weekend " »

Thirteen ambulances were dispatched to a five-vehicle Chicago car accident over the weekend on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

The chain-reaction crash occurred in the northbound express lanes of the Dan Ryan shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday in the South Side’s Bridgeport neighborhood, according to the Sun-Times.

The Chicago Tribune reported at least seven vehicles were involved and eight people were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

The crash happened where the express lanes meet the local lanes near the Chinatown feeder ramp, Illinois State Police reported.

Four vehicles were towed from the scene and several people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. Reports indicate one child was taken in good condition to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.

Two people were reported to be in critical condition -- one at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and another at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center.

Four others were reportedly in good condition at area hospitals.

A gray compact car and a sport-utility vehicle were among the vehicles involved and were towed from the scene, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The northbound expressway was closed for about an hour. No citations were issued as state police continue to investigate.

City council approved a new ordinance last week that will impound the cars of drivers caught behind the wheel with a suspended or revoked license.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have written about several high profile accidents involving unlicensed drivers in recent months, both at Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog and at our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog.

The measure has gained momentum since a pregnant mother of 5 was struck and killed in a Chicago pedestrian accident caused by an unlicensed driver. The Tribune reported the at-fault driver had been cited more than 12 times for driving without a license.

"We have people whose licenses are suspended or revoked, and they continue to drive on the streets, putting the public at risk," sponsoring Ald. Tom Allen, 38th, told the Chicago Tribune.

The new law would require drivers to pay $665 to the city to get their vehicles back. The Tribune reported police issued 22,904 citations last year for driving on a suspended license. About one-third of Chicago traffic accidents resulting in serious injury or death involve someone driving with a revoked or suspended license, police estimate.

The new ordinance takes effect Jan. 1.

"You're not going to eradicate the 22,000-plus cases of people getting pulled over for this," Allen said. "But if they have to pay this $665 every time, it's going to give them pause."

Continue reading " Unlicensed drivers face vehicle impoundment under new law aimed at reducing Chicago car accidents " »

"Ice and snow ... take it slow"

That is the message from the Illinois Department of Transportation as we brace for winter driving.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage everyone to prepare for winter driving; a properly serviced vehicle, good tires, ice scrapers, jumper cables and an emergency kit that includes blankets, gloves and reflectors or flares to mark a disabled vehicle's location are all a good idea.

And sometimes the most obvious answers are the most often overlooked: In the event your vehicle is disabled at the side of the road, nothing beats a fully charged cell phone!

Last year, 1,043 people were killed in Illinois traffic accidents. The vast majority of fatal crashes occurred in the seven-county area around Chicago, including the 125 traffic deaths that occurred inside the city limits.

Drunk driving is by far the biggest threat, claiming 425 lives, or more than 1 in every 3 fatalities.

But IDOT statistics show more than 1 in 4 serious accidents occurred on wet, icy or snowy roads. Of the 950 fatalities and 67,739 serious injuries that occurred in accidents where road conditions were noted, 140 deaths and 11,434 injuries occurred on wet roads and 82 deaths and 7,583 occurred on icy or snowy roads.

Additionally, the last three months of the year, which includes the holiday driving season, claimed the most lives: 92 in October, 92 in November and 106 in December.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in an accident, call the Chicago car accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free appointment to discuss your rights. There is no fee unless you win.

For more information on winterizing your vehicle, preparing a survival kit, planning a winter driving trip, driving in winter weather or staying safe while stranded, visit IDOT's winter-driving page.

Illinois' 2008 traffic fatality clock logged 1,115 Illinois traffic crashes per day. Eleven people an hour were injured and 3 people a day died in fatal Illinois traffic accidents, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation's 2008 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics report.

This is the second blog looking at the newly published information. The Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes published the first blog in the series on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog last week.

The study reported 10.1 million vehicles registered to 8.7 million licensed drivers traveled over 100 billion miles in 2008. There were 408,258 traffic accidents reported in Illinois during 2008, which caused 94,021 injuries and claimed 1,043 lives.

The Illinois State Police announced last week a campaign to reduce the number of Illinois traffic fatalities by at least 100 through the end of the year, dropping the state total below 1,000. Currently, Illinois is one of 10 states that reported more than 1,000 road deaths last year.

Breakdown of Illinois vehicles:
77 percent passenger cars
17 percent trucks, buses and recreational vehicles
4 percent motorcycles

The highest numbers of fatalities were among passenger cars (850) and pickup trucks (200). However, a high number of fatalities were reported as a result of Illinois trucking accidents (113) and Illinois motorcycle accidents (131).

The state has a good chance of dipping below the 1,000 mark -- 781 fatalities had been reported as of Nov. 10, compared to 883 in the prior year. But November and December are traditionally two of the deadliest months on the road, with holiday travel, Illinois drunk driving crashes and winter weather combining to increase road hazards.

Continue reading " More than 1,000 Illinois car accidents a day injured 11 people an hour in 2008 " »

A motorist was killed Saturday afternoon in a Chicago car accident after his vehicle was broadsided by another car in a South Side traffic accident, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The victim was driving an Oldsmobile Alero when he was broadsided by a Chevy Malibu near State and 75th streets shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday, according to police.

The driver of the Malibu was treated at Provident Hospital of Cook County and reported to be in good condition.

The Chicago car accident occurred as the Alero was northbound on State Street and was hit on the driver's side by the Malibu, which was eastbound on 75th Street. The collission forced the two cars into two other vehicles that were waiting for the red light in the westbound lane of 75th Street.

A passenger in one of the other vehicles, as well as both drivers, refused treatment. Cause of the crash is under investigation by the Major Accident Investigation Unit.

The Chicago car accident lawyers blog reported last week that traffic fatalities in Illinois were down last year. Still, 1,043 people were killed and more than 94,000 people were injured in Chicago car accidents, according to a State of Illinois' report.

One in every four Illinois traffic fatalities occurs at an intersection, according to the report.

Nationwide, 37,261 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Coming soon: Public service announcements, newspaper articles, press releases, banner ads, TV commercials and increased enforcement aimed at reducing holiday drunk driving accidents.

The Chicago drunk driving accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes urge motorists to enjoy the upcoming holiday season by drinking responsibly, using designated drivers and public transportation, and insuring everyone's safety by not driving while impaired.

Have a plan: Those who leave home without a plan usually end up making poor decisions.

The federal government is preparing an all-out blitz in conjunction with state and local law enforcement in preparation for the holiday driving season.

A total of 27 people were killed and 2,377 seriously injured in Illinois car accidents last year over the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's holidays, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Illinois New Year's car accidents claimed the most lives. However Illinois Thanksgiving car accidents and Christmas traffic accident injured more motorists.

And while that is down from the 48 killed and 2,919 killed in 2004, the truth is holiday accident statistics vary by wide margins, depending in part on when holidays fall, but one thing remains constant: The period between Thanksgiving and New Year's is one of the deadliest times on the road.

Nationwide, last year's Thanksgiving Holiday saw an increase in fatalities: 158 were killed, compared to 139 in 2007, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Many safety advocates credit strict enforcement and awareness campaigns with reducing the number of serious and fatal accidents through the core holiday period. And, while Fourth of July and Labor Day where the deadliest single holidays last year, the trio of year-end holidays presents officials with the deadliest month-long stretch on the calendar.

Heavy traffic, impaired driving, visitors unfamiliar with roads, older drivers or younger drivers whom might not otherwise embark on lengthy or numerous trips, holiday stress, and fresh winter weather can all contribute to accidents throughout December.

Illinois Holiday traffic statistics
Memorial Day: 8 killed 726 injured in 2008, compared to 22 killed 1,098 injured in 2004
Fourth of July: 15 killed and 805 injured in 2008 compared to 6 killed and 1,148 injured in 2004
Labor Day: 15 killed and 803 injured in 2008 compared to 12 killed and 1,060 injured in 2004
Thanksgiving: 9 killed and 961 injured in 2008 compared to 19 killed and 1,117 injured in 2004
Christmas: 8 killed and 841 injured in 2008 compared to 22 killed and 927 injured in 2004
New Year's: 10 killed and 575 injured in 2008 compared to 7 killed and 875 injured in 2004

Continue reading " Chicago car accidents a serious threat to a happy holidays " »

Illinois recorded the fewest traffic fatalities since 1923, according to an exhaustive report on 2008 traffic fatalities released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes are taking a look at the report in a series of blog here at our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog and our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog.

"We believe these reductions are evident that Illinois' traffic safety efforts are working," Gov. Pat Quinn said.

While the statistics are encouraging, the simple fact remains that traffic fatalities are a leading killer both in Illinois and nationwide. For most of us, riding in a motor vehicle is the most dangerous activity in our lives.

In 2008, 1,043 people were killed and more than 94,000 injured in Illinois traffic accidents, the vast majority occurred in an around Chicago. But, perhaps because of the poor economy, fewer motorists were on the road: the state reported a 1.6 percent decrease in traffic.

Highlights of "2008 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics"

Cost
-Total estimated cost of Illinois traffic accidents in 2008 was $6.2 billion
-Each fatality was estimated to cost $1.2 million
-An incapacitating injury was estimated to cost $67,500
-A nonincapacitating injury was estimated to cost $21,800
-A property damage crash was estimated to cost $7,800

Fatal
-1,043 people were killed in 950 fatal Illinois crashes in 2008
-There was an average of 1.1 deaths per fatal crash
-25.2 percent of fatal crashes occurred at intersections
-74.2 percent of fatal crashes occurred on dry roads
-48.2 percent of fatal crashes occurred during daylight hours
-55.7 percent of fatal crashes occurred on urban roads
-29.8 percent of fatal crashes occurred with a fixed object

Alcohol
-44 percent of fatally injured drivers who were tested, tested positive for alcohol
-49.3 percent of fatally injured drivers ages 16 to 24 who were tested, tested positive for alcohol

Pedestrian Accidents
-135 pedestrians were killed in 2008 and 5,423 were injured
-About 9 percent were under 15 years old
-About 15 percent were over the age of 65
-About 40 percent had a positive blood-alcohol content

Motorcycle Accidents
-There were 4,901 motorcycle crashes in 2008, though the number of fatalities decreased by 14 percent

School Bus Accidents
-No school bus passengers were killed; 123 were injured
-No school bus drivers were killed;99 were injured

Tractor Trailer Accidents
-115 people were killed in semi accidents
-5 of the persons killed were truck drivers while 99 were occupants of another vehicle

Train Accidents
-38.5 percent of fatal train crashes happened at crossings with gates
-53.8 percent happened at crossings with control devices other than gates, including flashers and warning signs

Work Zone Accidents
-There were 31 fatal crashes in work zones in 2008 in which 31 people were killed
-Two of the persons killed were road construction workers

Deer
-There were 24,209 crashes involving deer
-Two deer crashes involved fatalities

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident, call the Chicago injury lawyers and Illinois wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free appointment to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.

A study by the AAA Foundation suggests that more than half of all car accidents are caused by some form of aggressive driving behavior.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes encourage drivers to take stock of their own driving behavior -- the study also noted that a significant number of drivers see aggressive driving as a danger despite being prone to such behaviors themselves.

As many as 56 percent of deadly crashes involve some form of aggressive-driving behavior; speeding is the most common contributing factor and is associated with one-third of all deadly accidents.

Abels & Annes' Chicago car accident lawyers blog recently examined the dangers of speeding.

A nationwide telephone survey found 8 in 10 people rated aggressive driving as a serious or extremely serious savety threat. Yet nearly half of drivers reported exceeding the speed limit by at least 15 mph in the last 30 days.

“It’s easy to think ‘that other guy is the problem’ – the one who runs someone off the road, tailgates, or yells obscenities,” said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger. “In reality, examples of driving aggressively – any of which can lead to crashes, injuries and deaths – are all too common.”

Examples of aggressive driving include running stop signs or red lights, preventing other drivers from passing, speeding, illegal driving on the shoulder, and failing to yield.

The study and its findings are meant to educate motorists about the different forms of aggressive driving with the hope of improving driver safety and reducing deadly accidents.

Continue reading " More than half of car accidents caused by aggressive driving " »

A woman was reportedly killed Tuesday morning in a Chicago car accident on the South Side when a minivan driven by a drug suspect rammed her car while attempting to run down police officers, The Chicago Sun Times reported.

The woman's car was one of two civilian vehicles the suspect's van crashed into after striking two undercover police cruisers.

The suspect was caught after a brief foot pursuit following the string of accidents, which began just before 7 a.m. at 63rd Street and King Drive, according to police.

The accident occurred when two officers from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas unit -- which includes Chicago police and agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency -- conducted a traffic stop on a minivan. Two targets of the drug investigation occupied the van.

After the undercover officers climbed out of their vehicle and announced themselves, the driver of the van put it in reverse and attempted to run down the officers. One of the officers fired his weapon at the van but did not strike anyone.

The minivan fled east after ramming the officer's vehicle and struck a car at 63rd and St. Lawrence. The 42-year-old driver of that vehicle was pronounced dead at John H.Stroger Jr. Hospital, according to police.

The van continued on and struck another vehicle driven by a man who refused medical attention.

The police Major Accident Investigation Unit was investigating

It is the second time this week that civilians have been seriously injured after being caught up in a police pursuit. The Chicago personal injury lawyer blog reported earlier this week that two people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries after reportedly crashing their vehicle while attempting to get out of the way of a police pursuit.

Authorities are seeking the driver responsible for running down three pedestrians in a Chicago hit-and-run pedestrian accident last month.

The Sept. 26 incident happened on the 1200 block of South Halstead Street shortly after 2 a.m.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported three 19-year-old pedestrians, a man and two women, were standing in a bicycle lane, waiting to cross the street, when a dark colored SUV struck the trio and continued south on Halsted Street without stopping.

All three victims were transported to Stroger Hospital.

Police have investigated a rash of Chicago hit-and-run accidents in recent weeks as they seek drivers who have failed to stop after causing an accident or striking a bicyclist or pedestrian.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Chicago police major accident investigation unit at (312) 745-4521.

The federal government is poised to reduce by an hour the length of time long-distance truckers can stay behind the wheel, with the hope of reducing trucking accidents.

CBS 2 used a Chicago trucking accident that occurred four years ago as an example: A sleepy, fatigued, and perhaps drugged trucker slammed into 27-year-old Graham Brown's small sedan.

While Brown can walk, he has lost the use of his left hand and arm and has undergone 22 surgeries.

Earlier this month the Chicago trucking accident lawyers at Abels & Annes reported that the 136 fatal Illinois trucking accidents in 2008 ranks the state sixth-highest in the nation for fatal semi accidents.

Last year, some 380,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents that killed 4,229 motorists. Another 90,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Federal Department of Transportation is soon expected to pass a measure that will require truckers to stop and rest after 10 hours on the road. Currently, they can run for 11 hours without rest.

However, the Brown family takes issue with how the current measure is enforced -- with truckers who fill out written log books that can easily misrepresent hours spent behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound semi. The family has joined other safety advocates who want black boxes, data recorders with GPS, installed in the nation's trucks.

Continue reading " Reduction in Illinois trucking accidents could come from mandated rest breaks " »

Speeding drivers cause an estimate one-third of all accidents at a cost of $44,193 per minute, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has published a "Think Fast" campaigned aimed at reducing speed and speed-related accidents.

A significant number of the car accidents handled by the Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes can be attributed to speeding drivers or drivers who disobey other traffic laws and traffic-control devices.

With winter driving just around the corner, drivers should remember that speed isn't always about speed limits -- driving too fast for road conditions also causes a significant number of Chicago car accidents.

Fuel consumption also decreases dramatically as speed increases. It takes 50 percent more fuel to travel 75 mph than it does to travel at 55 mph.

The federal government estimates more than 1,000 people a month are killed in speed-related crashes.

Speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely, negotiate curves in the road or road hazards, and it extends the distance required to stop in emergency situations.

Crash severity also increases with speed and the effectiveness of safety devices, like airbags and seatbelts, decreases as speed increases.

In fact, the federal government estimates the probability of death or serious debilitating doubles with every 10 mph over 50 mph that a vehicle is traveling at impact.

Speed facts:

-Rural roads account for over 60 percent of all speed-related accidents
-66 percent of speed-related crashes involved a single vehicle
-Drivers in speed-related crashes are more likly to have a history of traffic violations
-On average, 1,000 people a month are killed by speed-related crashes in the United States
-Of drivers 15-24 years old involved in fatal crashes, one-third were speeding

Continue reading " Speeding drivers cost an estimated $44193 a minute, contribute to Chicago car accidents " »