Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Two teenagers died in a Chicago car accident early Monday, just a few hours after going out to celebrate one of the girls' 18th birthday, the Tribune reported.

The girls, who were best friends, were in a black four-door sedan that hit a tree in the 700 block of Sheridan Road in Wilmette about 2:30 a.m. Monday. Police have released few details but said three other passengers were injured in the crash and taken to area hospitals.

Both girls attended Chicago Academy High School. The Sun-Times reported that charges are possible pending the outcome of the investigation, although police have not yet publicly identified who was driving. The North Regional Major Crimes Task Force and the Cook County State Attorney's Office are investigating.

Our Chicago injury lawyers continue to report the devastating number of serious and fatal accidents involving teenagers and encourage parents to speak frequently with their children about the importance of making good driving decisions.

In 2008, nine teenagers ages 16 to 19 died every day in motor vehicle accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And the USA Today recently reported that young motorists face the highest risk of an accident during the summer months. Authorities attribute the increased dangers to more opportunities to drive at night, less parental supervision, more free time and relaxed curfews.

Traditionally, the hours of 10 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday have proven the deadliest for teens on the road.

Inexperience and immaturity are leading factors in accidents involving teenagers, although distracted driving is also of primary concern. Teenagers who use cell phones or text message while behind the wheel are at particularly high risk. Please visit our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog and share with your teen driver the graphic public service message about the dangers of texting and driving, which is airing on British television.

AAA provides the following tips and risk factors for teen drivers:

Risk Taking: Don't do something you'll regret for the rest of your life. Accidents don't just affect you, they affect passengers, other drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, children and families.

Unbuckled Belts: Wear your seat belt and insist that all passengers do so as well.

Speeding: Obey the speed limit. One-third of teen fatalities involve speeding.

Rowdy Passengers: Adding one passenger increases a 16- or 17-year-old driver's chances of an accident by about 50 percent. With two or more passengers, the risk of an accident increases fivefold.

Cellphones: Focus on the road. Don't use a cell phone or text message while driving.

CD Players: Research shows that adjusting the radio is the most common distraction for drivers ages 16 to 20.

Nighttime Driving: Crash rates for teen drivers from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. are twice as high as they are during the day.

Drinking and Driving: One-sixth of 16- and 17-year-olds killed in crashes were legally intoxicated.

Peer Pressure: Consider the risk factors before getting into a car with another driver. Is this a person you trust? Are they sober and in the right frame of mind to drive? Is the vehicle safe and are there an appropriate number of passengers?

Overconfidence: Drivers who have spent decades on the road can get themselves into an accident. Inexperience and overconfidence frequently lead to crashes when new drivers encounter unexpected or unfamiliar situations.

Un hombre de 30 años de edad ha sido acusado en conexión con un accidente de pedestre fatal en Chicago que mató a un niño de 10 años de edad, el fin de semana del Memorial Day, informó el examinador .

El demandado es acusado de homicidio imprudente, DUI agravado, conducir bajo la influencia, conducir bajo la influencia de alcohol con BAC sobre .08, desobedecer una luz roja, conducir con una licencia suspendida, conducir un vehículo sin seguro, falta de mantenerse en los carriles, falta de reducir la velocidad y el transporte o la posesión de bebidas alcohólicas en un automóvil.

El niño y su hermana de 3 años de edad, habían llegado a la casa de su tía en Rogers Park, poco antes de las 6 am, el sábado del fin de semana feriado - Su padre los estaba dejando para reportar a su trabajo como caddy en un club de campo suburbano .

El niño estaba caminando entre las dos camionetas, cuando el conductor borracho presuntamente se estrelló contra la parte trasera de una camioneta estacionada, empujandola al la camioneta adelante y fijando al niño. El conductor fue detenido cargos pendientes, según la policía de Chicago.

Un carro de policía estaba directamente detrás del conductor cuando él golpeó la camioneta. No está claro si el oficial había estado preparando para detener al conductor borracho. Testigos le dijeron a ABC 7 que el conductor pudo haber estado asustado por el oficial que estaba detrás de él.

El niño fue llevado al Hospital St. Francis en Evanston, donde fue declarado muerto a las 7:41 am

La policía dijo que el fin de semana de Memorial Day es el tiempo más ocupado para arrestos de conductores borrachos y utilizan patrullas aumentadas en un esfuerzo por reducir el número de accidentes graves y mortales por conducir borracho en Chicago.

Two women were killed in a Chicago car accident early Monday morning when their car crashed into a tree in suburban Wilmette, the Breaking News Center reported.

There were other passengers in the car and at least one other person was seriously hurt in the accident, which occurred about 3 a.m. in the 700 block of Sheridan Road when the black four-door sedan left the road and slammed into a tree. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the deaths. Cause of the crash remains under investigation.

A woman was struck by a train near the W. Lake St. station in Hanover Park on Sunday night. The News Center reports that she was taken to St. Alexius Medical Center, where she died from injured sustained in the accident. She was struck by the Metra train operating on the Milwaukee District West Lane sometime around 8:30 p.m.

Seven people were injured in an auto accident on Saturday in the Far North Side's Edgewater neighborhood. Three people were seriously hurt in the crash, which happened at the intersection of Granville Avenue and Sheridan Road. The News Center reports that the injured were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, St. Francis Hospital in Evanston and Weiss Memorial Hospital. The accident remains under investigation and no other information was reported.

A Chicago motorcycle accident claimed the life of a rider on Saturday in the Roseland community on the Far South Side. The News Center reported that the crash occurred shortly before 4 a.m. in the 11200 block of South Yale Avenue. The accident is being investigated by Illinois State Police and no other information was released.

A 30-year-old man has been charged in connection with a fatal Chicago pedestrian accident that killed a 10-year-old boy over the Memorial Day weekend, the Examiner reported.

The defendant is charged with reckless homicide, aggravated DUI, driving under the influence, driving under the influence with BAC above .08, disobeying a red light, driving on a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failure to keep in lanes, failure to reduce speed, and transportation or possession of alcoholic liquor in a motor vehicle.

The boy and his 3-year-old sister had arrived at the Rogers Park home of their aunt, shortly before 6 a.m. the Saturday of the holiday weekend -- their father was leaving them to report to his job as caddy at a suburban country club.

The boy was walking between the two SUVs when the drunk driver reportedly slammed into the rear of a parked SUV, pushing it into the SUV in front of it and pinning the child. The driver was arrested pending charges, according to Chicago police.

A police car was directly behind the driver when he hit the SUV. It's unclear whether the officer had been preparing to stop the suspected drunk driver. Witnesses told ABC 7 that the driver may have been spooked by the officer coming up from behind him.

The child was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was pronounced dead at 7:41 a.m.

Police said the Memorial Day weekend is among the busiest time for drunk driving arrests and are using increased patrols in an effort to reduce the number of serious and fatal Chicago drunk driving accidents.

As we reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, authorities are urging motorists and boaters to use extra caution through the busy holiday weekend.

The Chicago Sun-Times report is available here.

The ABC7 report is available here.

Abogados de heridas personales en Abels & Annes han alcanzado un arreglo a favor de un médico de Illinois que fue herida en un accidente de auto en el Condado de DuPage. El choque sucedió en Liberty & Farnsworth en Aurora el 3 de Octubre de 2009.

Nuestra cliente estaba parada en una luz roja en dirección norte en la calle Liberty en su Honda Cívic. En aquel momento un SUV hacia el este perdió el control en el pavimento mojado y golpeó varios carros parados en la luz, inclusiva nuestra cliente. Hubo un total de cinco carros involucrados en la colisión.

El departamento de policía en Aurora investigó el choque. Drogas y/o alcohol no jugaron parte en el accidente.

Debido al accidente, la demandante sostuvo torcedura/esfuerzo de la espina dorsal cervical, de la espina dorsal torácica, de la espina dorsal lumbar, y torceduras a ambos de sus muñecas y tobillos. Además, ella sostuvo contussiones a su hombro, cadera y tronco, así como una concusión, inflamación del tendón y espasmo.

Nuestra cliente sufrió varios meses de tratamiento con un médico en Naperville, Illinois. Su tratamiento consistió principalmente en ejercicios de terapia fisica y la manipulación quiropráctica. Ella también tuvo una resonancia magnética que fue negativo para las heridas más graves.

El reclamo se resolvio por $30,000.00 sin tener que presenter una demanda. El Seguro de Erie pagó en el reclamo.

Si usted ha sido herido en un accidente de auto, contacte nuestra oficina para una consulta gratís.

A report by the National Safety Council, which utilized more than 30 studies regarding the dangers of distracted driving, has found that hands-free cell phone use is not safer than using a hand-held device.

Our Chicago injury attorneys frequently report on the dangers of distracted driving and the use of cell phones while behind the wheel. But authorities have concentrated on the dangers of hand-held phone use, while permitting the use of hands-free devices. The hands-free devices are permitted under both Chicago's cell phone ordinance and an Illinois law that bans cell phone use in school zones and construction sites.

“Cell phone use while driving has become a serious public health threat,” said Janet Froetscher, NSC president and CEO. “Several states and municipalities have passed legislation allowing hands-free devices while driving. These laws give the false impression that hands-free phones are a safe alternative, when the evidence is clear they are not. Understanding the distraction of the brain will help people make the right decision and put down their cell phones while driving.”

The NSC reports that motorists continue to ignore the dangers of cell phone use while driving, which includes visual, manual and cognitive impairment. And hands-free devices offer no solution, even as they are touted as a lesser evil by some safety advocates. Currently all state laws allow for the use of hands-free devices, which could be providing motorists with a false sense of security.

Cognitive ability is still impaired by talking on a hands-free device as the mind focuses, listens and responds to the conversation. The problem remains the myth that the brain is able to multitask. Human brains perform tasks sequentially by switching between tasks. The brain does not perform multiple tasks at the same time.

The human brain works in a four-step process, Select, Process, Encode (create memory) and Store. When the brain is overworked, the encoding process is affected. Instead of creating a memory, the brain filters out information due to overload. The driver is unaware that he or she is missing information with which to make good driving decisions. And the result is frequently an accident.

The NSC reports that hands-free drivers are less likely to see:
-High and low objects of relevance.
-Visual cues.
-Exits, red lights and stop signs.
-Navigation signals.
-Content of objects.

Additionally, hands-free users also suffer from "inattention blindness," which drastically narrows their scope of vision. In fact, just listening to a phone conversation decreased by 37 percent the activity in the portion of the brain that perceives movement -- it also decreased activity in the area of the brain that processes visual information. As a consequence, cell phone users risk inattention blindness, slower reaction and response times and problems staying in their own lane.

The National Safety Council reports:

Motor Vehicle Crashes: More than 30,000 people are killed and 2 million injured in traffic accidents each year. Distracted driving, speeding and alcohol are the leading causes of serious and fatal crashes.

Distracted Driving: 28 percent of all traffic accidents involved distracted driving in 2008, resulting in 1.6 million accidents and 645,000 injures.

Cell Phone Use: Cell phone users were four times more likely to be involved in an accident. Eleven percent of motorists are talking on a cell phone at any given time. In all, 81 percent of motorists admit to using a cell phone while driving.

Text Messaging: 18 percent of drivers admit to text messaging. Teen drivers (36 percent) and Gen Y drivers (39 percent) are most likely to text and drive.

Continue reading " Hands-free phones may be no safer in reducing the number of Chicago car accidents " »

Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes have reached a settlement on behalf of an Illinois physician that was injured in a DuPage County auto accident. The crash took place at Liberty & Farnsworth in Aurora on October 3, 2009.

Our client was stopped at a red light facing northbound on Liberty in her Honda Civic. At that time an eastbound SUV lost control on wet pavement and struck several cars stopped at the light, including our client. There were a total of five cars involved in the collision.

The Aurora Police Department investigated the crash. Drugs and/or alcohol did not play a role in the accident.

Due to the accident, the plaintiff sustained sprain/strain of the cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, and sprains to both of her wrists and ankles. In addition, she sustained bruising to her shoulder, hip and trunk, as well as a concussion, tendon inflammation and spasm.

Our client underwent several months of treatment with a physician in Naperville, Illinois. Her treatment consisted mainly of physical therapy exercises and chiropractic manipulation. She also had an MRI that was negative for more serious injuries.

The claim settled for $30,000 without having to file a lawsuit. Erie Insurance paid on the claim.

If you have been injured in an auto accident, contact our office for a free consultation.

A hit-and-run Chicago pedestrian accident has claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl, the Sun-Times reported.

The girl was dragged by the vehicle and pronounced dead at Comer Children's Hospital less than an hour after the South Side crash, which occurred shortly before 7 p.m. on the 2500 block of E. 79th St. The intersection is heavily traveled by pedestrians.

Police report that a man was driving a 1993 Chevy van eastbound on 79th Street when he struck the girl while she was crossing the street at the corner of 79th and Colfax. The girl was dragged for several feet and suffered a head injury. Police say the driver initially stopped but apparently became fearful of a crowd that had gathered and drove away.

The van sustained damage to its front passenger side bumper area. The Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating.

WGNTV reported that witnesses obtained the van's license plate number and police were able to locat the driver when he returned to his home near 18th Street and Kedzie Avenue early Wednesday morning. The 67-year-old man was taken into custody and was being questioned by detectives.

The girl would have been a sixth-grader at Beasley Elementary School.

Our Chicago injury attorneys continue to report the dangers of pedestrian accidents, both here and on our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog. More than 150 people a year are killed in Illinois pedestrian accidents, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Four people were seriously injured on the West side in three separate Chicago car accidents Saturday morning. The crashes occurred in the Garfield Park and Humboldt Park neighborhoods, the Sun-Times reported.

The Chicago Fire Department reported that one person was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious to critical condition after a collision at North Kedzie Avenue and West Walnut Street. The accident happened shortly after 1:30 a.m.

Another motorist was transported to Sinai hospital in serious to critical condition after a second accident, which occurred an hour later on the 4400 block of West Jackson Boulevard.

An hour later, at 3:30 a.m., two people were taken to the hospital in serious to critical condition after a crash on the 4500 block of West Division Street. One of the victims was taken to Sinai hospital, while the other was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County.

All three accidents happened within about 2 1/2 miles of each other.

Meanwhile, three people were seriously injured in a Chicago rollover accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway shortly before 1:30 a.m., the Sun-Times reported.

Illinois State Police report that the accident happened in the northbound lanes of the expressway at 63rd Street. The accident resulted when one vehicle apparently tried to take the exit ramp too quickly. Two people were ejected and one person had to be extricated from by emergency personnel.

A man accused in a hit-and-run Chicago pedestrian accident that claimed the life of a 20-year-old pregnant woman will remain in jail without bail, the Sun-Times reported.

It is one of at least three fatal pedestrian accidents that occurred over the weekend. Our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog reported two others, one involving an 18-year-old girl killed after being run over at a graduation party and another involving a 24-year-old man who was hit and killed Friday night. Pedestrian accidents remain a leading cause of fatal Chicago crashes. In 2008, a total of 135 people were killed in Illinois pedestrian accidents, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In this case, the woman's death may have been intentional after a clash between two groups of people near the Chicago River on the Northwest Side. The feud had spilled into the street when a motorist ran down the victim, who was six-months pregnant, as she crossed at a nearby intersection. The incident occurred in the 2700 block of west Roscoe, according to police.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has ruled her death a homicide. The defendant in the case was ordered held without bail pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 2.

Police report that the victim threw a bottle in an attempt to break up a fight between two men. The defendant then climbed into his car and gunned the engine toward the victim and her friends. Her friends fled down both sides of the car while the victim attempted to retreat down the street. She was struck by the front end of the Buick Park Avenue and ended up lodged beneath the car. The defendant allegedly drove into her again as she attempted to get back up.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the 18-year-old defendant has been charged with murder.

If you don't do anything else this summer to warn your teens about the dangers of distracted driving, at least make them watch this video.

As our Chicago car accident lawyers have reported again and again both here and on our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, the dangers of distracted driving are very real, particularly for young people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that car accidents are the leading cause of death for young drivers ages 15 to 20 and teenagers are most likely to be involved in a serious or fatal car accident caused by text messaging.

This video is actually a public service announcement running on British television. While the U.S. government has started a website Distraction.gov in an effort to warn about the dangers of driving distracted, they certainly have not taken it to the street with an in-your-face message like this aimed at teenagers.

The New England Journal of Medicine mentioned the British campaign in an article about the dangers of text messaging and distracted driving. As the article states, at least one study has found that driving while using a cell phone is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. Drivers who text message are at 23 times greater risk of being involved in an accident.

At least 1.6 million traffic accidents are caused each year by a driver using a cell phone or text messaging.

Now, with publication of the issue in one of the nation's premiere medical journals, distracted driving has officially become a health issue. The article's author, Dr. Amy Ship, notes that speaking to patients about the dangers of smoking increases a patient's chances of quitting. She urges doctors to begin talking to patients about the dangers of distracted driving.

By opening such a dialogue with patients, she has found an opportunity to discuss with them the dangers of using a cell phone even if it's a hands-free device.

You can do the same by opening a discussion with your child and help reduce their risk of being involved in a serious or fatal Chicago car accident.

You can read more about Illinois Young Driver Program here.

Additional advice for speaking with your teen about safe driving is available here.

Read the New England Journal of Medicine Report

Continue reading " Share this video with your teen driver to reduce their risk of a Chicago car accident " »

On Friday evening there was a fatal pedestrian accident in Chicago and police are asking for help in finding a hit and run driver. The Chicago Breaking News Center is reporting that the van vs. Chicago pedestrian accident occurred in the Calumet Heights neighborhood around 9:15 p.m.

A 24 year old pedestrian was hit crossing the street at 9100 S. Stony Island. The driver that hit him fled the scene in a red or burgundy Chevy conversion van that has a gray stripe on the side of it. The driver is reportedly an African American male in his 20s.

The pedestrian victim, who was a Chicago resident, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and pronounced dead a short time later.

Anyone with information related to the accident is asked to immediately call the Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit at (312) 745-4521.

Click here to read the story as reported by ABC News.

Red light cameras may actually be increasing the number of Chicago car accidents at intersections, according to a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago.

A total of 188 red-light cameras have been installed at Chicago intersections and Cook County recently announced plans to install the cameras at even more intersections in suburbia. Chicago car accident attorneys may seek the videotapes as evidence in injury cases. Debate over the cameras has raged as proponents contend they make intersections safer while opponents argue they are little more than a cash cow for government agencies that benefit from millions in ticket revenue.

Arizona recently announced an end to its camera program. And, in Palm Beach Florida, a study found rear-end collisions increased without a significant decrease in the number of serious broadside collisions the cameras aim to reduce.

FOX Chicago reports the UIC study found accidents at camera-equipped intersections have actually increased 5 percent. Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Transportation reports that accidents have declined statewide, including at intersections that are not equipped with the cameras.

A spokesman for IDOT said the study's number are disproportionately high because the state data used in the analysis counts crashes within 250 feet of a traffic signal as an intersection accident. IDOT maintains the cameras have improved safety and reduced intersection accidents by 20 percent, compared to the 10 percent citywide decline.

Detractors, and an increasing number of studies, continue to allege that the number of rear-end collisions increase when cameras are installed because motorists slam on their brakes at the last minute to avoid getting a ticket.

FOX News also reported earlier this year that the duration of yellow lights appears to be shorter at camera-equipped intersections than at intersections in suburbia that do not have the cameras. Another contentious issue is the citing of motorists for making rolling right turns on red -- something that is against the law but that few law enforcement officers enforce even when they witness the violation in person. Palm Beach relaxed its enforcement of right turn violations ... after the mayor received a ticket in the mail.

Continue reading " Are red light cameras increasing the risk of Chicago car accidents? " »

A 16-year-old teenager died Saturday night at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn from brain injuries suffered in a two-vehicle Chicago car accident over Memorial Day weekend, the Post-Tribune reported.

The victim was the passenger in a 2003 Chevy Silverado driven by her 16-year-old boyfriend when their SUV crashed into another vehicle on a rain-slicked highway on Sauk Trail in suburban Cook County, the sheriff's department reported. The passengers of the other vehicle were also hospitalized with injuries. Cause of the accident remains under investigation. The teen would have been a junior at Marian Catholic High School this fall.

About 1.7 million people a year suffer a traumatic brain injury, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls and motor vehicle accidents are the leading causes, accounting for more than half of all brain injuries that occur in the United States each year.

As our Chicago injury lawyers reported earlier this year, teenagers are at high-risk for being involved in a serious or fatal Illinois car accident. Fatal crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 20, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In 2008, a total of 164 teenagers were killed in car crashes in Illinois, ninth-most in the nation.

In this case, the Southtown Star reported that the young driver had slowed for heavy afternoon rains but lost control of the truck when the tires slipped off the pavement, causing the vehicle to fishtail into oncoming traffic. He was cited for failure to reduce speed, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

The SUV was hit on the passenger side by an eastbound Chevy Blazer driven by a 39-year-old Manhattan man. He suffered a broken ankle. His wife was taken to the hospital with a broken wrist and pelvis and the couple's 4-year-old son was also injured.

Three women were killed last Monday and a dozen injured in an Illinois semi accident authorities believe may have been caused by a distracted trucker.

The Chicago Tribune reported the accident happened on I-57 north of Mattoon when the tractor trailer crashed into a group of cars slowing for construction. The chain-reaction collision involved at least 9 vehicles, many of which were completely destroyed. The Coles County coroner's office reported there women -- ages 61, 68 and 80 -- were killed after the SUV they were traveling in was crushed by the truck.

Cause of the accident remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police. Police tested the blood and urine of the 55-year-old Louisiana truck driver but have no indication that drugs are alcohol are involved. However, a state police Captain said the crash was likely caused by driver inattention.

A patrol captain also said the driver had "discrepancies in his log book." Truck drivers are required to obey strict safety regulations, including hours on the road and hours of rest, to help insure the safety of other motorists.

One of the SUVs rolled into the median where it caught fire. Another was crushed beyond recognition. Somehow, an 11-year-old girl was able to crawl out of the wreckage. Injury victims were taken to hospitals located throughout the area, including Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana and Sara Bush Lincoln Health Center in Coles County.

The women who were killed were members of a Baptist church group traveling to Amish country. The Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette reported that two others were critically injured.

The highway was closed for nearly 8 hours.

Lawmakers are targeting excessive speeders in an effort to reduce Illinois car accidents.

The measure has the support of some professional truck drivers, who cite aggressive and speeding drivers as a cause of Illinois trucking accidents, according to Land Line Magazine, a professional trucking publication.

Last month, the Chicago Tribune reported the results of an investigation that determined nearly two-thirds of motorists cited for speeding in excess of 100 mph, were given court supervision, a form of probation that kept the citations off their driving records, prevented them from having their driver's licenses suspended and kept their insurance rates from increasing.

At least 1,100 motorists caught traveling 100 mph or faster in Illinois during the last five years were given such breaks.

This week, House lawmakers unanimously passed a measure that would prohibit judges from allowing court supervision in cases where a motorist is convicted of driving at least 40 mph over the limit. The Senate unanimously passed a slightly different version.

As we reported in November on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, speeding drivers cost an average of $44,193 a minute in speed-related accidents nationwide.

Speed facts:
-Risk of death or serious injury doubles for every 10 mph over 50 mph that a vehicle is traveling at the moment of impact.
-On average, more than 30 people a day, or 1,000 people a month, die in speed-related crashes, making speeding a cause or contributing factor in about one-third of nationwide traffic fatalities each year.
-One-third of fatal crashes involving young motorists, ages 15 to 24, involve speeding.

Continue reading " Truckers back law punishing excessive speed as means to reduce Illinois car accidents " »

Lawmakers have forwarded two measures to Gov. Pat Quinn that would toughen the penalty for excessive speed and ease the chances of being cited for a red-light violation via a camera-ticket, the Breaking News Center reported.

Running red lights and speeding are two of the leading causes of Chicago auto accidents, though red-light cameras have come under increasing fire as little more than a money maker for local governments.

The speeding law would prevent drivers found guilty of going 40 mph or more over the limit from receiving a form of probation, known as court supervision, that allows the violation to be removed from a driver's record if no other violations occur within a set number of months.

The measure comes after an analysis by the Tribune, which found two-thirds of drivers cited for going 100 mph or faster had received court supervision. The supervision option essentially amounts to diversion, which can keep the violation off a driver's record, prevent it from being taken into account for future violations and negates the chances of increased insurance premiums and other penalties for excess speed. The proposed law would also give judges the option of jail time for speeders caught driving 30 to 39 mph over the limit.

The measure passed the state legislature by a vote of 105-3. The red-light camera proposal passed with a vote of 80-27-1.

The camera legislation would prohibit municipalities from adding additional fees to the standard $100 fine in cases where the ticket is appealed. The fees have become common as a way to deter motorists from fighting the charges. While drivers would still have to come to a complete stop before making a right turn on red, the measure would allow drivers to stop in front of the painted stop line before making the turn, as long as pedestrians are not present.

Municipalities that utilize the cameras would also be required to review the data in an attempt to reveal who effective the cameras are in reducing car accidents.

Continue reading " Frequent causes of Chicago traffic accidents -- speeders and red-light violators -- subject of proposed legislation " »