Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

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Police are looking for the vehicle responsible for a suburban Chicago hit-and-run accident that killed a bicyclist, according to ABC7 News.

Family members of the 61-year-old man gathered at the scene of the Chicago bicycle accident over the weekend to pray and ask for help in locating the suspect in the fatal hit-and-run crash. The victim was hit while riding his bicycle in suburban Ford Heights, near Cottage Grove and 11th Street.

The accused driver fled and left the man lying at the side of the road.

A citizen found the man at about 9 p.m. The victim was taken to St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights and then airlifted to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, where he died as a result of his injuries, the Park Forest News reported.

The Cook County Sheriff's Office is seeking the suspect. Authorities reported evidence found at the scene indicates that the vehicle involved is a 1996 to 2002 Chevy van of unknown color. The sheriff's office asks anyone with information to please contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Investigations Section at (708) 865-4896.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reported more than 3,810 Illinois bicycle accidents occurred last year, killing 27 people and injuring 3,385. Three-quarters of injured cyclists were male.

As first reported on Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog last fall, police continue to deal with high numbers of Chicago pedestrians being struck and seriously injured or killed by hit-and-run drivers.

The rate of fatal Illinois traffic accidents has been cut in half over the last 25 years but officials hope spending tens of millions of dollars to combat Illinois drunk driving accidents can cut the rate further by the end of next year.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and the Illinois drunk driving accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have published a series of posts in recent months, both here and on our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, about the continued fight against drunk driving accidents.

Impaired drivers are currently involved in about one-third of all fatal traffic accidents in Illinois.

2.2 motorists were killed in fatal Illinois car accidents for every 100 million miles traveled on state roads in 1985, compared to .99 deaths in 2008, according to the state's new Highway Performance Safety Plan released for 2010.

One of the primary reasons cited for the decrease is enforcement of DUI laws and the prevention of Illinois drunk driving accidents, which have declined 20 percent in the last five years, from a rate of .56 in 2004 to .46 in 2008.

The Illinois Department of Transportation estimates it will receive more than 11 million in federal funding to combat impaired driving this year -- the most of any targeted category. By comparison, the state is set to receive $400,000 to reduce Illinois motorcycle accidents.

The goal is to reduce Illinois traffic fatalities from 1,355 in 2004 to 883 by the end of 2011. The state hopes serious injuries decline by almost 50 percent -- from 18,798 in 2004 to 10,361 by the end of next year.

As part of that goals, Illinois aims to reduce alcohol-related fatalities by about 25 percent, from 475 in 2004 to 314 by next year. Even so, more than 1 in 3 fatal Illinois traffic accidents would still involve a drunk driver.

Continue reading "State to spend millions this year to combat Illinois drunk driving accidents" »

A suspected Chicago drunk driving accident injured a woman in downtown St. Charles over the weekend, the Daily Herald reported.

The suburban Chicago pedestrian accident occurred on Helen Avenue in West Chicago. The woman was struck by a falling tree limbs while walking on the sidewalk with a group of people after the driver ran over a curb and crashed into a tree and garbage can on the sidewalk.

The 47-year-old driver was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. The DUI charge is a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison and probation.

The accident happened shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday as the driver turned onto West Main Street from southbound North Second. The tree snapped off at the base and fell into the crowd after being hit by the Chevy Silverado, causing the 48-year-old woman to hit her head on a building.

The victim was taken to Delnor Hospital in Geneva for further evaluation.

The garbage can was thrust through a nearby window and the defendant hit another tree before coming to rest.

The drug charge was added after police found marijuana and paraphernalia in his vehicle.

The Defendant was also taken to the hospital for treatment, but was released and was no longer in custody on Monday, according to the Kane County Chronicle. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 9.

A suburban Chicago car accident claimed the lives of four boyhood friends over the weekend, when their car flipped over and struck a tree in Crest Hill.

The black Lexus ES 330 flipped over and hit a tree about 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning near the 2000 block of Weber Road, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The men, ages 22, 27, 30 and 32, all died at the scene. Family and friends say the four grew up in Romeoville and were all close friends.

Three men were inside the car, while the fourth was ejected, according to NBC Chicago. Authorities indicated speed was a possible in the crash. Investigators are also examining the possibility of an equipment malfunction, which is standard procedure. The crash reconstruction could be complete in several weeks.

Illinois is off to a tough start in 2010. As reported on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, the 928 people killed in Illinois traffic accidents in 2009 was the lowest in nearly a century of reporting.

But the Illinois Department of Transportation reported 60 fatalities in January 2010, one more than occurred in January of last year.

Oprah has launched a No Phone Zone Pledge taken by almost 50,000 people in an effort aimed at battling car accidents caused by distracted drivers.

As reported on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced earlier this month the launch of FocusDriven, the first nationwide agency dedicated to reducing distracted driving by eliminating cell phones.

The government estimates that 1 in every 6 fatal accidents were caused by distracted drivers last year -- killing almost 6,000 and injuring more than 500,000 motorists.

"I pledge to make my car a No Phone Zone," Oprah's pledge states. "Beginning right now, I will do my part to help put an end to distracted driving by not texting or using my phone while driving. I will ask other drivers I know to do the same. I pledge to make a difference."

As the Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes reported earlier this month, Illinois is a leader in the fight against distracted driving -- making it illegal to text while driving in Illinois and outlawing the use of cell phones in school zones and construction sites. The use of cell phones by drivers has been illegal in the City of Chicago for several years.

The talk show host is also featuring distracted-driving accidents on an episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," according to the Chicago Sun Times.

Winfrey said in a statement that she is "passionate" about the issue and asked viewers to spread the message to their families, friends, co-workers and community, adding that she wants people to know "how absolutely stupid it is that we continue to text and drive."

Continue reading "Oprah joins fight against distracted driving in an effort to reduce car accidents" »

Unconfirmed reports that tailgating led to road rage between two truckers, which ended in a stabbing on the Edens Expressway, is an extreme example of the dangers of follow too closely. Whether tailgating turns out to be the deadly cause of this incident, following too closely slows your reaction time and can lead to a serious of fatal accident.

As many as 25 percent of Chicago car accidents are caused by a rear-end collision, according to state and federal estimates.

Police charged a Wisconsin man with murder last week for allegedly stabbing another trucker on the Edens Expressway near suburban Northfield, the Sun-Times reported.

Reports indicate the two truckers may have been cutting each other off in traffic before pulling over to fight.

An article in the Chicago Tribune listed several techniques area motorists use to try to combat tailgaters:

-Pumping the brakes
-Slowing down until the tailgater passes
-Activating emergency blinking lights
-Changing lanes or moving over
-Pulling off to the side of the road

"Swallow your ego and move over," even if you have to turn off a two-lane road," Roy Lucke, research manager of the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety told The Tribune."How much time are you really going to lose if you go over onto a shoulder or onto a side street or a parking lot? Thirty seconds? You let the idiot go by, and you can go back on your way."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates rear-end collisions account for about 1 in 4 crashes, causing 2,000 deaths and almost 1 million injuries each year.

Bail has been set at $100,000 for an Irving Park man charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence in connection with a drunk driving Chicago car accident that claimed the life of a friend.

The 23-year-old man was found to have a blood alcohol level of .24 -- three times greater than the legal limit of .08, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The defendant was driving a Dodge Durango, owned by a friend's parents, when he lost control while westbound in the 5100 block of Irving Park Road. The vehicle sideswiped a parked car and slammed into a light pole.

The friend was thrown from the vehicle. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

At a court appearance, the defendant's attorney said the man had no previous criminal record and that the victim of the Chicago drunk driving accident was his best friend.

The mother of the victim said her son was back home after completing his enlistment in the Navy, where he was a military police officer stationed at Guantanamo Bay naval base. He had planned a career in law enforcement.

Federal and state statistics show Illinois is one of the deadliest states in the nation for drunk driving accidents. Of the 1,043 people to die in fatal Illinois car accidents in 2008, 1 in 3 were legally drunk and 1 in 4 had a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit.

Chicago car accident attorneys from Abels & Annes have obtained an insurance policy limits settlement for one of their clients. The case arose out of a rear end automobile collision which took place on November 12, 2008 at approximately 6:15 p.m. in the City of Chicago. The plaintiff was eastbound on Garfield, approaching its intersection with Damen, and the defendant was traveling eastbound on Garfield behind our client's vehicle.

The light for eastbound Garfield at Damen was red and the plaintiff slowed and stopped for the red light. The defenant failed to slow and stop for the red light and struck the rear of our client's vehicle.

Immediately after the accident the plaintiff began to have some neck and back pain. As the evening progressed his pain got worse. When he awoke the next morning he was suffering excruciating pain in his neck and back.

Due to his worsening symptoms the plaintiff sought treatment the next day at Mercy Hospital’s Emergency Department. He complained mostly of neck pain, back pain, headache and dizziness. A history was taken, he was examined and diagnostic tests were performed. He was prescribed pain medication, muscle relaxants and instructed to seek follow up medical care.

Over the next few days the pain worsened. He sought follow up treatment from a a board certified neurologist. At this time he continued to complain of neck and back pain as well as headaches and dizziness. Additionally, his low back pain was radiating into his left leg. Following an examination the doctor prescribed a course of therapy that he underwent.

The plaintiff later had an open MRI that showed disc bulges at C3-4, C5-6 and C6-7 and bulging at L3-4, L4-5 and L5-S1. He underwent left L4-5, L5-S1 and S1 trans foraminal epidural steroid injections and he obtained significant relief from the treatment.

The case has settled for the defendant's insurance policy limits of $50,000. Safeco Insurance is paying on the claim.

Continue reading "Chicago Injury Lawyer reaches $50,000 insurance policy limits settlement in Illinois car accident case" »

Illinois has received the third-best rating in the nation for highway safety from an advocacy group focused on drunk driving laws, distracted driving and teen driving safety.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes published dozens of articles in 2009, both here and on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, about the perils of drunk and distracted driving and the challenges teens face in learning good driving habits.

Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety released its 7th annual report card on all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The group's primary focus is on three areas: banning text messaging, graduated driver licensing and ignition-interlock laws for drunk driving offenders.

"Our intent was to highlight the documented need for more states to adopt these highly effective lifesaving laws aimed at high-risk behavior," said Judith Lee Stone, president of Advocates.

The group said it's no accident the report cards were released in time for 2010 state legislative sessions across the country. "Timing is everything, and the times is right to increase the pressure on states," Vice President Jackie Gillan said.

The group reported an annual average of 5.8 million traffic rashes on the nation's highways each year, claiming 30,000 lives and injuring more than 2 million. Every day, 102 people are killed and more than 6,000 injured in traffic collisions.

The group graded states in five areas with a maximum of 15 points: Adult Occupant Protection (seat belt and motorcycle helmet laws); Child Passenger Safety (booster seat laws); Teen Driving Graduated Driver Licensing; Impaired Driving (ignition interlock devices, child endangerment laws, mandatory testing laws and open container laws) and Distracted Driving (a ban on text messaging).

States received a Green Rating (good), Yellow Rating (needs improvement) or Red Rating (state dangerously behind).

Illinois received 12.5 of a possible 15 points, leading the nation behind the District of Columbia (13.5) and New Jersey (13).

In addition to Illinois's Graduated Licensing program, which became law in 2008, Illinois passed a ban on texting while driving, which took effect Jan. 1.

Rounding out the Top 10 states were Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee,
Minnesota and California.

The worst states were South Dakota, Arizona, North Dakota, Wyoming, Virgina, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nebraska.

"These report cards serve as a highway safety GPS for every state that is serious about curbing the never-ending deaths and injuries on our roads," said Illinois Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago.

Continue reading "Illinois ranks third in nation in highway safety efforts to reduce Chicago car accidents, traffic accidents statewide" »

A Des Plaines man also accused of drunk driving could be the first area motorist to be cited for texting while driving, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported.

As reported on Abels & Annes' Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, the new law makes it illegal to text message, e-mail or surf the Internet while driving. The effort, aimed at reducing Chicago car accidents and fatal Illinois traffic accidents, also outlaws the use of cell phones in school zones or construction sites.

Violating the law will result in a $75 fine. In serious cases, such as fatal accidents, police may subpoena a driver's cell phone records if it's believed they were texting at the time the crash.

In this case, the man was spotted at about 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 2 -- one day after the new ban went into effect -- weaving across the center line in the 700 block of North River Road. Authorities reported pulling the driver over after seeing him texting on a cell phone.

The officer smelled alcohol and administered field sobriety tests to the 39-year-old man. He was charged with felony aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license, improper lane usage for crossing the center line twice in a one-block span, and illegal use of communications for texting.

Authorities reported it is his third DUI offense.

As reported on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, someone is killed every 45 minutes by a drunk driving accident.

In 2008, 11,773 of the nation's 37,261 fatal accidents were caused by a drunk driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Fatal Illinois drunk driving accidents accounted for 362 of 1,043 traffic fatalities in 2008.

An average of 6,934 fatal crashes each year involve an unlicensed driver over the age of 16, according to research released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes frequently post about fatal Chicago car accidents, both here at Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog and on our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog.

The fact is, unlicensed drivers frequently have poor driving records and carry little or no insurance. A Chicago car accident with an uninsured motorist can require a skilled Chicago car accident lawyer to help you and your family protect your rights and recover the compensation you deserve.

In Illinois, 202 fatal crashes involved an unlicensed driver in 2007, according to NHTSA data --11th highest of all 50 states. The 10-year average pins 1 of every 6 fatal Illinois car accidents on an unlicensed driver.

And fatal accidents caused by unlicensed drivers are on the rise, from 11 percent a decade ago to 14 percent last year. Men were almost twice as likely to be involved in an unlicensed fatal crash as were women.

Unlicensed young adult drivers, ages 21 to 40, averaged 4,179 fatalities per year, or more than half of all fatal crashes involving unlicensed drivers.

Continue reading "Unlicensed drivers responsible for 1 in 6 fatal Illinois car accidents" »

A Chicago car accident in the South Side's Hamilton Park neighborhood has claimed the life of one man and critically injured two others, according to WBBM News.

Emergency crews found one man dead and two others injured after responding to the crash shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday. The pin-in crash occurred at South Vincennes Avenue and West 73rd Street.

The 49-year-old Spaulding Avenue man was pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m. at Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center. The Cook County medical examiner's office reported he was the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the Chicago car accident.

The victim was driving a 1995 Oldsmobile at the time of the crash. His passenger, a 30-year-old man, was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in critical condition. The 41-year-old man driving the other car, a 1993 Chevy Cavalier, was also transported to the hospital in critical condition.

No citations were issued as the police Major Accident Investigation Unit continues to investigate.

There have been 16 fatal car accidents in Illinois so far in 2010, compared to 22 during the same period last year, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

As reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, many accidents are being blamed on the stormy wither weather in the Chicago area as well as elsewhere in Illinois and throughout the Midwest.

Winter travel is expected to be its busiest in at least three years in Illinois and across the country.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes wish everyone a joyous and happy holiday season. Visit our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog for tips on Safe Winter Driving , avoiding Chicago car accidents during dark winter commutes, the dangers of drunk driving, and teen driving safety.

Most of all, stay safe and enjoy time with friends and family.

The AAA Chicago Motor Club is reporting that Illinois will see an increase of more than 10 percent in the number of people traveling 50 miles or more from home this year, CBS2 reported.

AAA is projecting 87.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the year-end holidays -- a 3.8 percent increase from the 84.5 million who traveled over the Christmas/New Year's period a year ago.

MSNBC noted that is 3.2 million, or 3.8 percent, more than traveled over the same period a year ago.

"More Americans traveling during the winter holidays is another sign consumers are continuing to grow more confident in their personal financial situations," said Brad Roeber, AAA Chicago regional president. "The moderate projected rise in the number of air travelers is especially welcome since the airline industry was hit especially hard by the recession."

This winter, travelers will be paying nearly $1 more per gallon for gasoline than they did last year. The current nationwide average for self-serve regular is $2.59.

Continue reading "Busy roads pose danger of Chicago car accidents for winter travelers" »

Snowfall, icy roads and winter weather are contributing to Chicago car accidents as we head into the weekend.

With snow continuing to fall in the Chicago area on Thursday, the Illinois State Police put an emergency snow plan into effect -- telling drivers who had accidents not to call 911 unless there were injuries.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes encourage everyone to drive safely and allow plenty of time. Safe winter driving tips can be found here on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog and our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog.

About 8 to 12 inches of snow was expected in the area, ABC News reported.

In Chicago, the Department of Streets and Sanitation already announced Wednesday that the Snow Command Center will use ground sensors and closely watch nearly 1,000 cameras positioned throughout the city. Drivers are also advised to pay close attention to winter parking restrictions to avoid getting towed, ABC7 News reported.

Up to a foot of snow is expected in the Chicago area and as many as 500 flights could be cancelled, according to The Sun-Times.

Elsewhere in Illinois, a suburban teenager died in an Illinois car accident Thursday morning on Interstate 57 that is being blamed on icy roads and winter weather, WJBD radio reported.

The Marion County coroner said the 17-year-old Aurora teen was a passenger in an SUV that slammed into the rear end of a slow moving semi in the southbound lanes of I-57, about a mile south of the Salem exit.

The Illinois semi accidentoccurred just before 8 a.m. Thursday morning. The victim's mother, father and younger sister were being transported to St. Louis University Hospital.

The fire department reported that three of the passengers had to be cut from the vehicle.

Continue reading "First winter storm a dangerous time for Chicago car accidents" »

A 13-year-old girl died over the weekend after getting hit by a van on New Year's Eve as she tried to pick up a cell phone in the roadway, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The teen was pronounced dead shortly after 12:30 a.m. at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge as a result of the Chicago pedestrian accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The girl and a friend were returning home from a shopping center and attempting to cross U.S. Route 12 at Pheasant Ridge Road shortly before 6:30 p.m. Thursday when the victim was struck by a 2006 Dodge van driven by a 60-year-old Barrington man.

Lake County officials are investigating.

Family and friends fathered to bury a Rogers Park mother, after she was killed during a Christmas-week hit-and-run Chicago pedestrian accident, the News Center reported.

The woman was remembered at a church across the street from where she was fatally struck by a car Dec. 21 while walking with her six-year-old son, who was also hit. The driver was reportedly fleeing police at 70 to 80 mph and did not slow down or stop after striking the mother and her child.

The driver, who police report had cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana in his system, was ordered held without bail on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

A Chicago train accident delayed the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line on New Year's Day after a person fell onto the tracks at the Lawrence Avenue station, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The victim was transported to Weiss Memorial Hospital in "stable" condition after falling off the station platform shortly after 5:15 p.m., according to the Chicago Fire Department.

The day after Christmas, an 8-year-old boy was struck by a white Ford F-150 while crossing in the 5400 block of South Kostner Avenue in the West Elsdon car accident.

The truck did not stopped and turned westbound on 55th Street after the accident, according to the News Center.

The truck, possibly a 1995 to 1997, had an extended two-door cab with no rear cap and a temporary license plate with the letter "M" in the middle. Anyone with information about the driver or the vehicle should contact the Chicago Police Department Major Accident Investigation Unit at (312) 745-4521.

A 65-year-old woman died Saturday night after being involved in a Chicago car accident with an off-duty police officer, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The woman's Kia Rio went through a stop sign at 112th Street and Kedzie Avenue shortly after 2 p.m., where it was struck by a Dodge Durango driven by an off-duty Chicago police sergeant who was southbound on Kedzie, according to authorities.

The Mount Greenwood car accident resulted in the victim being extricated from her vehicle, according to the Southtown Star. The South Sawyer Avenue woman was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead shortly after 6 p.m., the Cook County medical examiner's office reported.

The police sergeant, who lives in the area, suffered a leg injury and was treated at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park. Her name was not released.

A neighbor, who is also a Chicago police detective, told the Chicago Sun-Times that the intersection was dangerous and speeding on Kedzie, where the speed limit is posted at 30 mph, often contributes to accidents.

He said numerous car accidents have occurred at the intersection and Chicago pedestrian accidents result from people trying to run across the road.

The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois Secretary of State and Illinois State Police are reminding motorists of new Illinois traffic laws that take effect Jan. 1 and are aimed at reducing Illinois car accidents.

In August, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed two new laws. The laws make it illegal for motorists to send text messages while driving in Illinois and make it illegal to talk on a cell phone while traveling through a school zone or highway construction zone. The laws also make it illegal to compose, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail on a cell phone or surf the internet while driving. The law does not include GPS or navigation systems but does include personal digital assistants and portable or mobile computers.

“When motorists text and drive, they are putting themselves and others in serious danger,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “We are pleased to be among the 19 states that have outlawed texting and driving and we are confident it will lead to fewer crashes and fatalities in Illinois.”

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have followed the issue throughout the year, noting recently a New York Times story that pointed out the "car phone" literally made its debut at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Cell phone companies have quit marketing the devices as "car phones" over the years amid evidence of deaths caused by distracted driving, particularly with the advent of text messaging.

Drivers have already been forbidden from using cell phones within the City of Chicago since 2005; but the news laws are expected to bring a new round of enforcement aimed at reducing distracted driving deaths in Illinois.

“With the increased use of technological devices, distracted driving has become a serious
problem in our state and in the nation,” said Secretary of State Jesse White. “These new laws are important and will make our roads safer. No driver has any business text messaging while they are driving. Additionally, school zones and construction zones require drivers to slow down and pay special attention to their surroundings and, as a result, they should not be using a cell phone.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction from all sources contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes.

“Every time a driver takes their eyes or their focus off the road - even for just a few seconds - they put their lives and the lives of others in danger,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Regional Administrator Michael Witter. “Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and its consequences can be devastating.”

Continue reading "New Year brings new laws to combat Illinois car accidents caused by distracted driving" »

Authorities in Illinois and across the country will be out in force to prevent fatal drunk driving accidents over the New Year's holiday.

Each year in Illinois, an average of more than 50,000 people are arrested for drunk driving and 3 in 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol related traffic crash in their lifetime, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

As the Chicago car accident lawyers and Illinois accident attorneys at Abels & Annes reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog, Illinois is the eighth-deadliest for fatal drunk driving accidents.

Last year in Illinois, 1,043 people killed in traffic accidents; one in three (362) were legally drunk and one in four (252) had a blood alcohol level of almost twice the legal limit (.15) or higher.

-Each year, about 310,000 people suffer injuries in alcohol-related traffic crashes nationwide, an average of one person injured every 2 minutes.

-Fatal drunk driving accidents in Illinois are three times more likely to occur at night than during the day.

- Teenagers and young adults are at increased risk of an Illinois drunk driving accident. Although 16-24 year olds comprise only 15.52 percent of the licensed drivers in the state, they are involved in 38.85 percent of all fatal alcohol-related crashes.

-Nearly one-third of fatally injured teenage drivers (age 16-19) were drinking prior to their crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is pushing a nationwide crackdown aimed at drunk drivers through the New Year's holiday.

Authorities in Illinois will also be conducting sobriety checkpoints through the state, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is encouraging motorists to drink responsibly through its Tie One on for Safety and Designate a Safe Ride Home campaigns.

Continue reading "Chicago drunk driving car accidents a concern through New Year's holiday" »

A new law beginning Jan. 1 will allow Illinois semis to travel 65 mph on many state highways, leaving opponents of higher speeds concerned about the increased risk of Illinois trucking accidents.

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

The faster trucks comes as the federal government is phasing in better braking standards for semis amid consideration of a reduction in rest requirements for truck drivers. Trucks are heavily regulated because of the danger posed to much smaller passenger vehicles in an accident.

The Illinois Department of Transportation reported that 14,362 Illinois semi accidents killed 115 people last year and injured about 3,000. Of the 115 killed, five were truck drivers and the rest were victims in passenger vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists.

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.

ABC7 reported that the law will affect about 1,800 miles of road in the state. Lawmakers have passed the speed limit increase on three previous occasions but those efforts were vetoed by Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Abels & Annes blogged about the new law this summer on Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog. The law will not impact highways in the immediate Chicago area. Supporters of the measure argue it is safer for trucks to be traveling with the flow of traffic at the same speed as everyone else; opponents contend faster-moving rigs could increase the risk of Illinois semi accidents.

The issue has made news as far away as Evansville, where NBC14 reported the Illinois Department of Transportation is in the process of replacing signs at a cost of about $75,000 to display the new speed limit, which will also apply to campers and those hauling trailers.

This summer, Ohio changed its law to 65, Cleveland.com reported. Previously, large commercial vehicles had been restricted to 55mph in that state as well.

Nine states -- Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Texas, and Washington -- still retain lower speed limits for large trucks, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Texas and Utah allow semis to travel as fast as 80 mph.

Meanwhile, the federal government is looking at a measure that would reduce by an hour the amount of rest truckers are required to have between shifts-- from the current 11 hours to 10 hours.

And in July, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued new braking requirements, which the federal government estimates will save more than 200 lives a year and reduce property damage by more than $169 million a year.

The new standard requires that a tractor-trailer traveling at 60 miles per hour come to a complete stop in 250 feet. The old standard required a complete stop within 355 feet.

The new regulation will be phased in over four years beginning with 2012 models.

Continue reading "Illinois trucking accident lawyers monitor increased speed limit, pending legislation" »

A nationwide Intensive Holiday Drunk & Impaired Driving Crackdown & Advertising Blitz has been announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes noted on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog that Mothers Against Drunk Driving is also increasing enforcement and awareness efforts for the holidays.

In 2007, nearly 1,500 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In Illinois, of the 1,043 people killed in traffic accidents in 2008, one in three (362) were legally drunk and one in four (252) had a blood alcohol level of almost twice the legal limit (.15) or higher, as Abels & Annes reported in an earlier blog.

That is a a 17 percent reduction from the 439 Illinois fatalities involving drunk drivers in 2007. The reduction puts Illinois in the middle of the pack -- tied for 20th when comparing the drunk-driving fatality rate in all 50 states.

Still, Illinois' 362 fatal drunk driving accidents was eighth highest in the nation after Texas (1,269), California (1,029), Florida (875), Pennsylvania (496), North Carolina (423), Georgia (416) and South Carolina (403).

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, have launched "Over the Limit. Under Arrest" a national drunk and impaired driving crackdown involving thousands of law enforcement agencies during the holiday season.
“Drunk driving is a major public safety threat that still claims thousands of lives every year,” Secretary LaHood said. “Many states continue to step up their efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads, but the numbers tell us we have to do more. Drinking and driving is dangerous and unacceptable, and I’m asking law enforcement to stay vigilant during this busy holiday season.”

Five states have shown great reductions in alcohol-impaired driving fatality rates from 2007 to 2008. Those include Vermont, Wisconsin, Maine, Nebraska and Minnesota. The states with the least progress are Idaho, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Kansas and New Hampshire, according to government statistics.

Driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher is illegal in all 50 states. But the focus will also be on drugged driving.

“Like alcohol, drugs impair perception, judgment, motor skills and memory. These effects can be dangerously magnified when drugs are consumed with alcohol, even in cases where a driver's blood alcohol level is below legal limits,” said Director Kerlikowske. “Driving while impaired, from alcohol, drugs, or both, puts us all at risk and must be prevented.”

The campaign also reminds motorists that government research has consistently shown that more people are killed in crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver on the weekends and at night. In September, Abels & Annes also reported Illinois officials are concerned about the prevalence of weekend nighttime accidents.

In 2008 alone, 58 percent of drivers and motorcycle riders were killed in crashes that took place over the weekend and at night were alcohol-impaired.

“My message to drivers is this: if you decide to drink, find a safe and sober ride home or your chances of arrest are extremely high,” said Secretary LaHood. “Law enforcement officers will be out in full force during the upcoming holiday, especially at night and on the weekends, looking for the drunk drivers that put the rest of us at risk.”

Continue reading "Illinois eighth-deadliest state for drunk driving accidents as authorities launch nationwide holiday crackdown" »

A report by the Chicago Tribune shows mixed results regarding the effectiveness of red-light cameras in reducing suburban Chicago car accidents.

The Chicago car accident attorneys and Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes have been following the issue closely, both here and on our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog.

In October, we reported that the city's network of 330 planned cameras was in jeopardy because of the tough economy and the expense of installing the cameras.

The Tribune found that car accidents increased at half of the 14 suburban Chicago intersections outfitted with traffic cameras by the end of 2007, following the passage of the 2006 law that permitted the cameras to be used as a traffic-enforcement tool.

The number of car accidents fell at five of the intersections and remained largely unchanged at the remaining two intersections outfitted with the cameras.

In Bellwood, at Mannheim and St. Charles roads, collisions rose by almost 50 percent, from 17 the year before cameras appeared to 24 the year after.

In Melrose Park, crashes increased from 56 to 73 at 1st and North avenues, near the now-closed Kiddieland Amusement Park.

And in Oak Lawn, at the busy junction of Cicero and 95th Street, broadside collisions rose from one to five and overall crashes increased from 34 in 2006 to 44 in 2008, according to state data.

The Tribune reported last month that records from the Illinois Department of Transportation showed collisions either increasing or holding steady at nearly 60 percent of the 47 city intersections equipped with red-light cameras in 2006 or 2007.

However, statistics collected by the city typically show a decrease in accidents at camera-monitored intersections. The Tribune reported that city and state officials could not explain the discrepancy in their respective reporting.

The cameras, which generate $100 tickets mailed to red-light violators, have been the focus of growing controversy. Supporters content they are installed with safety in mind. Critics contend they are a cash cow that can lead to more accidents and raise privacy issues.

The paper said suburban statistics are harder to evaluate than statistics for city cameras, which have been in place longer. However, it noted accidents continued to rise at some of those early camera-monitored city intersections.

By the end of 2007, just seven suburbs had cameras: Bellwood, Berwyn, Elmwood Park, Melrose Park and Rosemont in west and northwest Cook County and Oak Lawn and Hometown in the southwest. Dozens of area suburbs have since installed cameras, most either this year or last.

Media reports have questioned the placement of those cameras; many of those earliest suburban intersections were not plagued by many accidents before cameras went in, state records show.

Critics have argued an increase in rear-end collisions at some intersections is the result of drivers suddenly slamming on brakes at camera-monitored intersections to avoid tickets.

Continue reading "Chicago car accidents increase at some intersections with red-light cameras" »

An off-duty suburban police officer was being questioned Monday morning in the aftermath of a three-car fatal Chicago car accident on the inbound Stevenson Expressway that closed the roadway for more than five yours overnight, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The Tribune reported that alcohol may have played a role in the crash and that the injured officer was given a blood-alcohol test and admitted to Mt. Sinai Hospital in good condition. State police said representatives of the state's attorney's office were there to consider charges.

A 29-year-old South Wentworth Avenue man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10:16 p.m.

The crash occurred at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday west of Cicero Avenue, when a southbound vehicle lost control on the Expressway, swerved across the median into northbound traffic, where it rolled over and struck two cars, according to Illinois State Police.

CBS2 reported the officer is from southwest suburban Lockport and may have suffered lacerations on his face and head, and possibly a broken pelvis.

Inbound I-55 was closed for five hours while officials made measurements and took photographs as part of their investigation.

A 32-year-old cyclist was killed in a Chicago bicycle accident on the Northwest Side after being struck by a van in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, The Chicago Tribune reported on Tuesday.

After the accident, the driver left the van and fled, according to police.

The bicyclist was riding in the 3800 block of West Diversey Avenue shortly after noon when the van veered into his path, police reported. He was pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

A relative told ABC7 that the bicyclist had been on the way to a job interview. Police were searching for the van's owner as part of the continuing investigation.

Accidents data for Cook County and the surrounding area continues to show that pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in Chicago traffic fatalities.

Through the end of September, more than 1 in every 3 of Chicago's 110 fatalities involved a bicyclist or a pedestrian.

Hit-and-run drivers account for a large portion of traffic fatalities -- more than four people a day die in an accident where the at-fault driver does not stop, according to a report by AAA.

Each day, another 72 are injured by hit-and-run drivers.

In October, the Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog reported on a rash of hit-and-run accidents being investigated by police.

This fall, police launched a program aimed at reducing the number of Chicago pedestrian accidents occurring at night by increasing enforcement and stationing undercover police officers in crosswalks and other areas at high-risk for such accidents.

December is the deadliest month for Illinois car accidents, according to data released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes have published several reports examining contributing factors for winter Chicago car accidents, including:

Wet and Snowy Roads: Of the 950 fatal Illinois traffic accidents in 2008, one in three occurred on wet, icy or snowy roads, IDOT reported.

Dark Winter Commute: More than half of all fatal Illinois car accidents occur after dark.

Chicago Drunk Driving Accidents: In 2007, nearly 1,500 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver from Thanksgiving through New Year's Day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In Illinois, 18 people were killed and more than 1,400 hundred injured in drunk driving accidents during the Christmas and New Year's Holiday.

Urban Driving: IDOT reports almost half of all fatal Illinois traffic accidents in 2008 occurred in the 5-county area around Chicago.

Teen Driving: Statistics show teens are at especially high risk for traffic accidents during the holidays.

IDOT monthly traffic fatalities:
January: 83
February: 70
March: 73
April: 87
May: 89
June: 90
July: 100
August: 82
September: 79
October: 92
November: 92
December: 106

IDOT's Operation Save 100 campaign aims to reduce Illinois traffic fatalities by at least 100 deaths before year's end. Prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday, 781 people had died on Illinois roads so far this year, compared to 883 during the same period last year.

Continue reading "December deadliest month for Illinois car accidents" »

Complete with a vintage photo of the 1983 debut of a car phone in a Chrysler parked before the media at Solider Field, The New York Times has published an exhaustive look at the dangers of driver distraction caused by cell phones.

In that call, hundreds of members of the media gathered at Soldier Field to watch an executive from Ameritech, the regional phone company that sponsored the event, use a car phone in a Chrysler convertible to phone a great-grandson of Alexander Graham Bell, who was living in Germany.

Since then, the City of Chicago and the state of Illinois have become leaders in banning text messaging and cell phone use by drivers. Drivers have been forbidden from using hand-held cell phones in the City of Chicago since 2005 and a new law that takes effect Jan. 1 will make it illegal in Illinois to text message while driving and forbids the use of cell phones in school or construction zones, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

However, as the Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels and Annes pointed out on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog in August, Illinois was one of fewer than 10 states to pass such a law last year out of the more than 170 bills introduced nationwide, according to a separate report in The New York Times.

Despite the mounting evidence of the dangers of cell phone use while driving, and more recently of text messaging behind the wheel, The Times reports the mobile phone industry built a $150 billion business in the United States largely by winning over drivers.

In fact, early ad campaigns called them car phones and even featured executives bragging about dictating to their secretary while driving at 55 mph.

By 2007, the federal government estimated that 11 percent of drivers were talking on their phones at any given time. Seven years ago, researchers at Harvard estimated drivers using cell phones were causing more than 2,500 fatal crashes a year and more than 500,000 injury accidents.

In part because of the inherent dangers of text messaging, the Wireless Association, the industry trade group, supports bans on text messaging and no longer opposes banning the use of cell phones while driving, which have been adopted in a number of cities, including Chicago.

“This was never something we anticipated,” said Steve Largent, spokesman for the group, adding that distracted driving is a growing threat now that more than 90 percent of Americans have cellphones. “The reality of distracted driving has become more apparent to all of us.”

Safety advocates argue cell phone makers and service providers have paid little more than lip service to the dangers while producing increasingly complicated devices many motorists are using behind the wheel.

In late 1985, wireless companies had 340,000 customers. Only 10 years later, as the price of phones fell sharply, there were almost 34 million. Revenue for wireless service providers was soaring — to $16 billion in 1995 from $354 million in 1985. The industry had revenue of $148 billion in 2008, according to The Times report.

There were red flags as early as 1984, when AAA urged drivers to park before using their phones. Studies by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in 1992 and the Canadian Ministry of Health in 1997 began to solidify the risk.

“This relative risk is similar to the hazard associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit,” researchers wrote in The New England Journal of Medicine. They said hands-free devices were no safer than hand-held phones because of the distraction that comes from focusing on a conversation, not the road.

Recently, the University of Utah showed drivers using cell phones face a four times greater risk of a crash.

“It’s been a very consistent picture,” said Chris Monk, a researcher for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which conducted an exhaustive study in 2005. “Frankly, I get a little annoyed that we continue to see studies that investigate the effects of cellphone use on driving, because they all show the same thing, whether you’re talking hands-free or not.”

Continue reading "Decades after Chicago debuted car phones to the world, area continues to strengthen ban to reduce Chicago car accidents" »

Snow plows and salt trucks hit portions of the Chicago metro area to start last weekend as the Breaking News Center reported slippery driving conditions contributed to several Chicago car accidents on Friday morning.

Also over the weekend, a woman died after driving her car into about 12 feet of water at the DuSable Harbor in Lake Michigan early Sunday morning, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Chicago car accident happened shortly before 8 a.m. Sunday near Columbia Yacht Club on Lake Shore Drive.The car drove through a metal pole, down an embankment through a garden area and into the water.

Two divers pulled the driver from the water.

Elsewhere, a two-car accident lead to a fatality Sunday morning in Chicago's Gage Park neighborhood, the Chicago Tribune reported. The accident happened about 2:15 a.m. near the intersection of 58th Street and California Avenue.

On Thursday afternoon, a semi truck hauling a trailer of mud collided with a car near Veron Hills in a Chicago trucking accident that shut down traffic for more than two hours, the News Center reported.

The truck was westbound on highway 60 about 2:30 p.m. when it collided with a 2001 Chevy Cavalier turning northbound on to St. Mary's Road. The truck swerved for about 30 feet and took out a light pole before coming to rest in some trees. The truck's load did not spill. Both drivers were transported to the hospital; no charges have been filed pending results of the investigation.

A driver faces felony drunk driving charges stemming from a Sunday Chicago drunk driving accident that claimed the life of a 27-year-old Chicago man.

The Examiner reported that the 21-year-old driver was going the wrong way on a one-way street shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday when he struck a car at the intersection of 58th and California. The driver and his 20-year-old passenger were not injured in the crash.

ABC7 reported the at-fault driver's 1998 Chevy Lumina was traveling on 58th Street when he struck the driver's side of the victim's 1996 Buick Regal. The 27-year-old driver of the Buick was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital by a Chicago Fire Department ambulance and pronounced dead at 3:27 a.m.

The driver is charged with Aggravated DUI in an accident resulting in death, DUI any amount of drug, Failure to reduce speed, Driving the wrong way on a one way street, Failure to yield the right of way, No insurance and Reckless driving, according to The Examiner.

Earlier this month on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, we reported that the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police have launched Operation Save 100, aimed at reducing Illinois traffic fatalities by at least 100 before the end of the year.

A total of 781 people had died this year on Illinois roads when the campaign was announced just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, compared to 883 during the same period last year.

However, the year-end holiday period is a particularly dangerous time on the roads, in part because of Illinois drunk driving accidents and winter weather.

Wet roads and dark commutes also contribute to fatal Chicago car accidents.

Chicago car accidents accounted for 40 percent of all traffic fatalities in Illinois last year.

Driving conditions are an often overlooked factor in serious and fatal Chicago car accidents.

As the winter driving season is ushered in amid heavy holiday travel, the Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes urge motorists to keep safety in mind while combating the ice, standing water, fog, sleet and rain on Chicago-area roads.

Of the 950 fatal Illinois traffic accidents in 2008, one in three occurred on wet, icy or snowy roads, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. A total of 140 fatal accidents happened on wet roads, while 82 fatal crashes occurred on icy or snowy roadways, according to the recently published "2008 Illinois Crash Facts & Statistics."

Another 20,000 motorists were injured on wet roads in Illinois last year.

Friday was the most dangerous day on the road in Illinois -- logging 58,474 crashes. Noon to 8 p.m., the most dangerous time of day, logging about 180,000 of the 340,000 urban crashes logged by time of day.

As Abels & Annes previously reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, 40 percent of the state's fatal accident occur in the 5-county region encompassing Chicago.

Statewide, 115 crashes a day occurred in Illinois during 2008, claiming three lives per day and injuring 11 people an hour.

IDOT's "Ice and Snow, Take it Slow" campaign urges motorists to prepare for winter driving. Safety advice can be found on the state's winter driving tips page.

Continue reading "Wet roads increase risk of Chicago car accidents" »

At least six people were killed in Thanksgiving Holiday traffic crashes in the Chicago area, according to a preliminary tally by The Sun-Times.

-A man was killed in a Chicago pedestrian accident at about 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day in the 6900 block of Cicero Avenue after a vehicle traveling northbound struck another vehicle and continued on before hitting the 21-year-old Oak Lawn man. As we noted in a separate post at Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the driver faces felony drunk driving charges. The pedestrian had reportedly run out of gas and climbed from his vehicle before being struck by the accused driver.

-Also on Thursday, a motorist struck a wall on I-290; a vehicle was involved in a Chicago bicycle accident in the 5600 block of West Lawrence Avenue; and a man crashed into a house with his pickup truck in the 9300 block of South Chicago Avenue. He was pinned into the vehicle and hospitalized in critical condition.

-Early Black Friday morning, a woman has hit by a car in an outlet mall in suburban Aurora.

-Friday night, a South Side one-vehicle accident sent eight people to the hospital, including six children.

-A Chicago car accident occurred early Saturday morning when a 63-year-old Joliet driver northbound on I-55 near Plainfield attempted to pass a semi and went airborne off the road. The driver was ejected from the vehicle.

-An 18-year-old Des Plaines driver was pronounced dead early Saturday after a Northeast River Road crash in which the vehicle left the road and struck a pole.

-A Chicago motorcycle accident on Saturday afternoon claimed the life of a 29-year-old Aurora man when his motorcycle struck an SUV that reportedly failed to yield while exiting a temple, as reported earlier on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog.

-Saturday night a 2004 Nissan southbound on I-57 crashed shortly before midnight after the driver abruptly changed lanes and apparently lost control, according to the Illinois State Police. The 19-year-old driver was partially ejected and pronounced dead at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey at 12:07 a.m. Sunday.

-And just after midnight Sunday a rural Kendall County driver was killed when his pickup truck went off the road and caught fire after striking a tree.

The rest of the year-end holiday period is expected to remain a dangerous time for Chicago Car Accidents.

The state has launched Operation Save 100 in an effort to reduce Illinois traffic fatalities by 100 lives this year. Currently, Illinois is one of only 10 states to average more than 1,000 road deaths annually.

The period between Thanksgiving and New Year's is one of the deadliest times on the nation's roads -- 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.

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

Statistics show drunk driving accidents and car accidents involving teenagers are responsible for a significant number of holiday traffic crashes.

Six children and two adults were critically injured in a Chicago car accident over the Thanksgiving Holiday after their car struck a tree, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The accident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. Friday in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard after the driver swerved off the road for unknown reasons and struck a tree, according to authorities.

All eight occupants of the 1996 Buick Regal were listed in serious-to-critical condition following the Chicago car crash.

Those taken to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County include; a 50-year-old woman, a 55-year-old man and two girls, ages 3 and 5, according to police. A 5-year-old boy was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital. Three boys, ages 9, 3 and 6-months, were taken to Comer Children's Hospital.

No citations were issued and the investigation continues, the Sun-Times reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that car accidents are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. A study in 2005 found that 1,335 children under the age of 14 were killed in car accidents and 184,000 were injured, or an average of 4 deaths and 504 injuries per day.

A 31-year-old Soutwest Side man faces charges stemming from a Thanksgiving Chicago drunk driving car accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The 21-year-old Chicago pedestrian was killed after being struck by a car about 3:10 a.m. Thursday in the 6900 block of South Cicero Avenue.

The at-fault driver was reportedly northbound when he swerved into the southbound lanes and struck a car before continuing north and striking the victim, who was standing outside his vehicle. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn on Thursday morning.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported the victim had run out of gas and had climbed out to push when the accused driver's Chevy Equinox allegedly rear-ended an Oldsmobile and kept going before striking the victim.

The driver had a blood-alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit, according to the Tribune, and was held on $300,000 bail on Saturday. He faces several charges, including felony aggravated driving under the influence.

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.

As reported last week on our Chicago Injury Lawyer blog, about 40 percent of holiday fatalities nationwide involve a drunk driver compared to 28 percent during the rest of the holiday season, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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 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" »

Illinois Traffic Safety Leaders are urging motorists to use common sense through the upcoming Halloween Holiday weekend to avoid Chicago drunk driving accidents and DUI accidents on Illinois highways.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage motorists to have a travel plan to prevent drunk driving, including designated drivers, overnight stays, taxi cabs or other forms of transportation.

Nationwide, 1 in every 3 fatal accidents is caused by a drunk driver.

Halloween has proven especially deadly in recent years and authorities are concerned, with the holiday falling on a Saturday, excessive partying could lead to an increase in fatal drunk driving accidents.

In 2008, more than half (58 percent) of all highway fatalities involved an impaired driver or motorcycle rider, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, we want to remind revelers to be responsible by not taking the party to the roadways, putting themselves, trick-or-treaters and other motorists at risk,” said RobertBrasky, president of Illinois Traffic Safety Leaders.

ITSL also recommends these simple tips:
-Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
-Before drinking, please designate a sober driver
-If you’re impaired, and haven't designated a sober driver, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely
-Use your community’s Sober Rides program
-If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement

Continue reading "Halloween a deadly time for Chicago drunk driving accidents" »

Two men died last weekend in separate Chicago hit-and-run accidents as police continue to battle drivers who fail to stop after pedestrian accidents.

CBS2 reported a 47-year-old Texan and a 60-year-old grandfather were killed in the latest crashes and in both cases the drivers fled the scene.

The 60-year-old grandfather was struck down before dawn last Saturday on Cicero Avenue near Roosevelt Road, where his granddaughter erected a memorial on Sunday. The granddaughter expressed frustration, saying he might have been saved with proper medical attention.

Police are looking for a red or dark-colored vehicle with extensive front-end damage.

West of that crash scene, at Ogden and Lombard avenues in Berwyn, a seasonal construction worker was killed shortly after 6 a.m. last Sunday.

"We believe somebody saw this vehicle or may know who was driving this vehicle. We're asking them to come forward," said Berwyn Police Detective Roger Montoro. "We're positive a newer model Dodge Charger, black in color. We're totally positive of that."

Police believe the car has a missing hood ornament and front-end damage.

At least five other pedestrian accident have claimed lives or led to criminal charges in the past few weeks.

Last week, a 36-year-old woman was killed after being rundown in a crosswalk and thrown into the path of an oncoming CTA bus.

On Oct. 2, a Waukegan man was charged with killing a pedestrian in a Chicago hit-and-run accident; a week earlier, a man was charged in a drunk driving accident that killed a man at the state line.

In August, our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, reported on the city's efforts to reduce pedestrian accidents at night by stationing undercover officers in crosswalks.

Accidents data for Cook County and the surrounding area continues to show that pedestrian accidents and bicycle accidents are a leading cause of injury and death in Chicago traffic fatalities. Through September, more than 1 in every 3 of Chicago's 110 fatalities involved a bicyclist or a pedestrian.

Hit-and-run drivers account for a large portion of traffic fatalities -- more than four people a day die in an accident where the at-fault driver does not stop, according to a report by AAA. Each day, another 72 are injured by hit-and-run drivers.

Anyone with information regarding a Chicago hit-and-run accident is encouraged to contact the Chicago Police Department immediately.

A Chicago car accident on Saturday in Logan Square has led to charges against a driver who allegedly hit a squad car.

The 29-year-old woman was charged with failure to produce a driver's license, no insurance, damage to city property and failure to yield to a stop sign, according to police.

CBS2 reported the woman was driving a Toyota Sienna van shortly after 2 a.m. when she went through a stop sign and struck a police car in the intersection at 2133 N. Central Park and Shakespeare avenues.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported a total of seven people were injured in the two-vehicle accident.

Three passengers in the van, a 17-year-old male, 17-year-old female and a 23-year-old woman, were transported to Illinois Masonic Medical Center with injuries.

The two police officers in the squad car were also transported to local hospitals with injuries, according to police.

The officers were treated and released; the Police Major Accidents Investigation Unit is investigating.

A new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that more than half of all traffic accidents in a recent five-year period were caused by some form of aggressive driving.

I believe that many of the Chicago car accidents handled by the personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes could have been prevented if the at-fault driver had not engaged in some form of dangerous behavior, including distracted or aggressive driving.

When an aggressive driver causes an accident, he or she can be held responsible in civil courts for the injuries and damage caused to innocent motorists and in some cases can even face criminal prosecution.

We are all familiar with the irate or dangerous motorist who tailgates, weaves in and out of traffic, and offers hand gestures to anyone in the way.

But some of us are guilty of some form of aggressive driving from time to time, including speeding, following too closely and failure to use proper signals or obey traffic control devices.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety rates aggressive driving at or near the top of traffic safety issues nationwide.

- Speeding, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is responsible for almost one-third of all fatal traffic crashes.

- Failure to yield the right of way is responsible for 11.4 percent of traffic fatalities.

A total of 192,069 fatal crashes killed 212,997 people during the five-year study period. The top causes of death were speeding, failure to yield, reckless driving, failure to obey traffic signals and improper turns.

The report found the following driver actions were among the most likely causes for accidents:

- Following improperly
- Improper or erratic lane changes
- Illegal driving on a road shoulder, median or sidewalk
- Passing where prohibited or where there is insufficient distance or visibility
- Operation of a vehicle in a reckless, careless, negligent or erratic manner or suddenly changing speeds
- Failure to yield
- Failure to obey traffic signals, traffic officers or safety zone laws
- Failure to observe warnings or instructions on vehicles displaying them
- Failure to signal
- Driving too fast for conditions or exceeding posted speed limits
- Racing
- Making improper turns

Continue reading "Aggressive driving behavior responsible for half of all car accidents" »

An August car accident that killed a Chicago motorcycle rider has resulted in felony DUI charges against the car's driver.

The 47-year-old North Ashland Avenue woman has been charged with aggravated DUI in connection with the Chicago car accident that killed a North Side motorcyclist, ABC7 reported.

The case made news after a nurse sued the city after she reported being arrested by police for failing to give a blood test to the woman charged, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago motorcycle fatality happened shortly before 3:30 a.m. at the intersection of Ashland and Wilson, claiming the life of a 24-year-old North Campbell Avenue man, who died at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center six days later as a result of his injuries.

Police reported that the accused driver stated she did not see the motorcycle as she turned eastbound on Wilson from Ashland and accused the motorcyclist of running the red light.

She admitted drinking wine after officers smelled alcohol and reported she had glassy eyes, according to The Sun-Times. A motorist reported the woman's car was swerving from side to side before the accident.

Police reported she was placed in custody for driving under impairment after refusing to complete field sobriety tests.

A nurse filed a lawsuit the following Monday, alleging she was arrested for not performing the blood test. Blood ultimately was drawn at the hospital for a blood-alcohol test at 7:30 a.m., according to police.

The nurse's lawsuit claims she told police she could not perform the test until the accused driver was officially admitted as a patient and that she was unable to perform her duties as an emergency room staff member while being detained by police, according to The Sun-Times report.

Traffic fatalities in 2009 are down nationwide, according to statistics released this past weekend by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reviewed data for the first six months of the year.

So far in 2009, 16,626 people have been killed in traffic accidents, a 7 percent reduction compared to the 17,871 traffic deaths reported in the first half of 2008.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes continue to monitor state and national traffic statistics. While overall traffic deaths are declining, instances of drunk driving and motorcycle accident fatalities continued to increase last year.

And in Cook County, bicycle and pedestrian fatalities continue to be a problem. Through September, more than one-third of Chicago's 110 traffic fatalities involved a Chicago pedestrian accident or a Chicago bicycle accident.

In Ilinois, where crash statistics are available through the end of September, the downward trend in traffic fatalities continues: 698 motorists died in 628 fatal crashes through the first 9 months of the year, compared to 796 fatalities last year. The 96 fewer fatalities represents a 12 percent decrease year-over-year.

Of the 628 fatal accidents, 204 deaths were attributed to alcohol-involved traffic crashes and 131 involved unlicensed drivers, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Also of note, is that the pace of decline in nationwide traffic fatalities slowed as the economy recovered. In the first quarter of 2009, a 10 percent reduction in fatal accidents was reported, compared to the 4 percent reduction in the second quarter amid a significant recovery in the stock market and reports of an improving economy.

Traditionally, the deadliest time on the nation's roads has been the second half of the year -- which includes back-to-school, and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays as well as the start of the winter driving season.

Continue reading "2009 fatal car accident data released by NHTSA and Illinois" »

Two people were killed and two others critically injured when a car crashed into a pole in the Austin neighborhood on the city's West Side on the evening of Friday, October 2nd, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The 29-year-old driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital shortly before midnight. A passenger was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

The Chicago car accident occurred about 10 p.m. Friday when the car went out of control and struck a pole near the intersection of Lotus and Chicago Avenues, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

Two other passengers were also taken to area hospitals with serious injuries. Both men were listed in critical condition, according to Chicago Police.

The one-vehicle crash was being investigated by the Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigations Unit. The cause of the accident has not been reported.

In the Chicago Northwest suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois a man and a woman were killed in a deadly auto accident early Sunday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Four others were hurt in the car crash.

The accident took place at Oak Street and Riverside Drive around 2:10 a.m. Emergency response workers arrived at the crash site and found one damaged car with one person inside and another vehicle 75 feet from the intersection with 5 people inside. All six involved were taken to area hospitals by the Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Niles and North Maine fire departments.

The victims have been identified as Younan Chalabi, 25, of Des Plaines and Christine Merza, 37, of Morton Grove, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. Both were passengers, and therefore played no role in causing the accident.

The Park Ridge Police Department Major Crash Unit is investigating the cause of the accident. It has not been reported if alcohol or drugs were a factor.

The Daily Herald is reporting that the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct autopsies on Monday.

Statistically, Saturday and Sunday morning between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. is the most deadly time to be on the road.

An Ohio man faces charges in connection with a weekend Chicago drunk driving accident that claimed two lives.

The 27-year-old Cleveland man had a blood-alcohol level of .148 -- nearly twice the legal limit -- when the car he was driving slammed into another car, killing two South Side men, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Cook County prosecutors report the man had just gotten into another car accident before Saturday night's fatal crash. Prosecutors allege the man downed a bottle of Arbor Mist and three vodka martinis, struck a car at 62nd and Ashland, and took off at a high rate of speed after berating the victimized motorists.

Authorities reported that the man weaved in and out of traffic before running a red light at Ashland and 59th and slamming into another car. That crash claimed the lives of a 27-year-old driver and his 28-year-old passenger, both of whom were pronounced dead on arrival at Holy Cross Hospital.

A third passenger was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition.

The defendant was jailed and remained in custody after bail was set at $500,000.

Authorities reported that the at-fault driver left a bar at 82nd and Ashland after twice being offered a ride to his destination, which he refused. He faces two counts of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI, according to police. He also is charged with disobeying a traffic-control signal, negligent driving and driving without insurance.

The accident occurred shortly after 2 a.m., according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

Last Month, Illinois warned of the high number of drunk drivers out at night, particularly on the weekend. In August, a study reported 1 in 7 weekend nighttime drivers tested positive for alcohol or drug use.

Click here for more information, safety tips and other coverage of Chicago drunk driving accidents.

One man was killed and more than a dozen others injured in separate multi-vehicle car accidents last Thursday in the Chicago area.

In the first incident, an eight-vehicle Chicago car accident in suburban Crestwood claimed to life of a Country Club Hills man on Thursday morning, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Southtown Star reported that a speeding driver caused the accident after slamming into several vehicles at a Crestwood intersection.

Police reported charges were expected against the speeding driver of a 1997 Buick LeSabre, which slammed into cars stopped at the intersection.

The crash happened about 5 a.m. at Cicero Avenue and Cal Sag Road -- the 55-year-old Laramie Road man was pronounced dead at the scene, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office reported.

The Chicago Breaking News Center said four other motorists were injured in the crash and that the at-fault driver was on parole for a 2006 reckless homicide conviction and also had a previous conviction for aggravated battery to a peace officer or fireman.

In the second incident, a four-car North Lake Shore accident injured nine people, three of them critically, according to the Chicago Tribune, which reported that the 2:30 p.m. accident shut done northbound Lake Shore Drive for an hour.

Two motorists were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in critical condition and one was in critical condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Six others were treated at the scene.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and AAA are urging motorists to come together next week in avoiding anything that leads to distracted driving.

From Oct. 5 to Oct. 11 the "Heads Up Driving Week" hopes to teach motorists better driving habits to avoid the dangers associated with distracted driving.

Distracted driving is a contributing cause to a large number of serious and fatal car accidents. Earlier this year, the Chicago car accident lawyers and personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes wrote about the dangers of distracted driving as part of our Safe Driving series.

Nationwide, it's estimated that more than 1.3 million crashes a year are caused by distracted driving -- or more than 4,300 crashes a day!

Next week's effort has AAA calling for a week when drivers put away distractions and focus only on the road-- saying the real number of accidents caused by distracted driving could be almost twice that many --8,000 per day.

The AAA Foundation reports that 80 percent of drivers say distracted driving is a serious threat to their safety yet two-thirds of drivers admit to talking on a cell phone while driving.

With the theme "Please - try it for a week - do it for life," the Heads Up Driving Week lists 10 ways to minimize distractions while on the road:

- Plan Ahead

-Stow electronic devices

- Prepare kids and pets for the trip

-Satisfy that craving off the road

-Store loose gear and possessions

-Get your vehicle road-ready

-Dress for success before you get in the car

- Get your brain in the game

-Evaluate your own behavior from the "other" side of the road

- Use new technology to make you drive better

Drivers interested in learning more about these categories can click here to visit the Heads Up Driving Week website.

Continue reading "AAA Foundation launches Heads Up Driving Week on Monday, runs Oct. 5-11 to combat distracted driving" »

A 24-year-old Waukegan man has been charged with leaving the scene of a Chicago-area car accident that killed a pedestrian last Sunday night in Aurora, Illinois.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported that Aurora police were able to convince the man to turn himself in to authorities after he called several times to inquire about the victim's condition.

He was also charged with obstructing justice and driving with a suspended license. Police reported he claimed he was rear-ended by another vehicle, which pushed him into the pedestrian and that he used a hammer and crow bar to damage his vehicle in an attempt to prove his story.

He later admitted the rear-end crash did not occur, according to police.

The hit-and-run driver was in a 1996 Mercury Marquis northbound on Lake Street, at 8:38 p.m., when he struck and killed the woman, who was crossing Lake Street in a market crosswalk, according to the Chicago Daily-Herald.

Police say accused driver did not stop and continued on to Waukegan.

Law enforcement continue to focus on prevention of Chicago area pedestrian accidents at night.

In 2008, a total of 135 pedestrians were reported killed in Illinois traffic accidents.

Setting clear driving safety rules for your teenage driver and not giving them their own vehicle can reduce the chances of your child being involved in a serious or fatal car accident.

Those findings were the result of two studies funded by State Farm Insurance Co. and conducted by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and child injury attorneys at Abels & Annes urge parents to talk frequently with their children about driving safety. Automobile accidents are the No. 1 cause of death for teenagers ages 15 to 19, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

According to the Associated Press, results of the most recent studies, released Friday and published in the October issue of Pediatrics, show talking frequently with your teenager about driving safety and not allowing teenagers free access to their own vehicle can help prevent some of the 5,000 teenage road fatalities each year.

One in every 7 fatal accidents in the United States involves a teenager and fatal traffic accidents account for 40 percent of all teenage deaths. Another 250,000 teenagers are seriously injured each year in automobile accidents.

"With teen drivers, you have to recognize that it's a public health issue," said Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, a Phoenix pediatrician who co-wrote an American Academy of Pediatrics report on teen drivers.

The research is based on a nationally representative survey of more than 5,500 teens in grades nine through 11.

More than 2,000 students who reported driving on their own were the focus of one study; 70 percent said they had their own cars or were the main drivers of cars they used.

Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston, the lead researcher in one of the studies, said it's alarming that so many kids have their own cars or feel that they have free use of one. She said that freedom can lead to "a sense of entitlement about driving" that may make them less cautious.

Among these drivers, 1 in 4 had been involved in crashes, versus just 1 in 10 of teens who shared access to a vehicle.

Kids who said their parents set clear driving rules and monitored their whereabouts had half as many crashes and better driving habits. These teens were 71 percent less likely to drink and drive and 30 percent less likely to use a cell phone while driving than kids with parents who were uninvolved in their driving habits.

Dr. Niranjan Karnik, a University of Chicago specialist in adolescent mental health, said the research underscores the importance of active parenting and graduated licensing laws for teens.

The AAA Foundation has resources for safe teen driving, which can be accessed at www.teendriving.com.

The Chicago car accident attorneys recently wrote about Illinois' Operation Teen Safe Driving, which also offers resources for teenagers and their parents.

Continue reading "Talking safe driving with your teenager, reducing vehicle access, can reduce risk of serious car accident" »

Three separate Chicago auto accidents on the North Side have resulted in injuries to 15 people over a 24 hour period.

The first accident took place on Saturday night, it involved 2 cars and injured 9 people, according the Chicago Breaking News Center. The crash took place at Central and Irving Park just before 10 p.m. in Portage Park. Two people were seriously injured and taken by ambulance to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.

Seven others were injured and taken to Swedish Covenant Hospital and Our Lady of Resurrection Hospital.

The Chicago Police Department is handling the crash investigation. The cause of the accident has not been reported.

The second accident took place early Sunday morning around 5 a.m. on North Lake Shore Drive, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The accident injured five people.

The auto accident took place at Montrose Ave. and the Drive, and there was an EMS Plan I response, which sends five ambulances to the scene.

The people hurt in this accident were all reportedly in serious to critical condition. Three were taken by ambulance to Illinois Masonic and two people were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The cause of the second accident was also not reported. It has also not been reported if drugs or alcohol played a roll in either crash.

The 3rd accident also took place on Lake Shore Drive, this time by Oak Street. It was a single car accident on Saturday night where a driver lost control and hit a wall. An injured passenger was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with back and neck injuries.

A Chicago man faces an arrest warrant on charges accusing him of killing a 78-year-old Indiana pedestrian in a drunk driving auto accident.

The 26-year-old faces charges of failure to stop after a pedestrian accident, reckless homicide and operating a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of more than .08 percent, according to the Chicago Tribune, which reported the charges were filed in Lake County, Indiana, in connection with the March drunk driving accident.

Authorities said the Chicago-area defendant had driven to Indiana to buy cigarettes when he caused the accident that killed Zyuajan Mitrovich.

CBS2 reported that the defendant was approaching the Indiana-Illinois line when his green pickup struck Mitrovich, who was apparently walking near the entrance to the Indiana Toll Road.

Witnesses said the defendant did not stop and was followed to a nearby Shell gas station after the accident, which occurred at about 5:30 a.m. on March 28.

A bystander at the gas station reported the defendant was wobbly on his feet. The truck was leaking fluid from the radiator and the alleged drunk driver walked around it several times before walking away after attempting to flag down several cars.

Police found him walking away from the station, where results of a blood-alcohol test were .11, over the legal driving limit of .08 in either state.

Crash records show he was traveling 63 mph in a 30 mph zone near the entrance to the toll road.

He originally faced charges in Cook County, but those charges were dismissed after it was determined Mitrovich was walking in Lake County, just over the state line, when he was hit and killed.

For more information about Chicago drunk driving cases, safety tips and legal resources, please visit Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog for previous posts provided by the Chicago drunk driving accident lawyers at Abels & Annes.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes urge motorists to register with the Illinois Secretary of State's new "in case of emergency" database.

The database, which launched last month at www.cyberdriveillinois.com, allows authorities to contact relatives of an accident victim in a timely manner. While nobody likes to contemplate the likelihood of a serious or fatal accident, allowing law enforcement to immediately contact a family member could save your life.

In addition to confirming your identity and insurance information, a loved one can tell medical and law enforcement authorities about special medical conditions and provide other crucial information in the wake of a serious Chicago car accident.

Timely notification of a loved one will also allow them to immediately assist in collecting accident and insurance information regarding the accident, assist in making medical decisions on your behalf, and arrange representation with a Chicago car accident lawyer to protect your rights.

"Often it takes a considerable amount of effort and much-needed time (that) this program will reduce significantly," Officer Jeffrey Stolzenburg, an accident investigator with the Libertyville Police Department, told the Chicago Tribune.

The program is open to all Illinois' residents with a driver's license, instruction permit or identification card and can greatly reduce delays in instances where the contact information on your driver's license is not updated or law enforcement fails to reach anyone at your home.

Drivers are also encouraged to save a primary contact in case of emergencies under an "emergency contact" heading on your cell phone as law enforcement will often use an injury victim's cell phone to reach relatives in an emergency.

The information in the state database will remain confidential and only be made available to law enforcement personnel.

Illinois joins Florida and Ohio as the only states to adopt the emergency contact database.

"Too many times (police) arrive on the scene of a horrific accident and they don't know who to contact," Rep. John D'Amico, D-Chicago, told the Tribune.

Continue reading "Chicago drivers encouraged to register with Illinois' "in case of emergency" database" »

A weekend Illinois car accident involving seven vehicles injured 13 people, according to the Southtown Star.

The Chicago area car accident at Vollmer Road and Governor's Highway in Flossmoor, Illinois sent nine people to the hospital by ambulance. Four others were treated at the scene.

The accident, which occurred at 4 p.m. Saturday, closed the streets in either direction for several hours.

A black SUV was eastbound on Vollmer Road, when it entered the westbound lane and struck a pickup truck, according to police. The SUV's driver then continued east, ran a red light at Governors Highway and collided with a Buick.

Police reported that the collision caused the SUV to roll over several times, hitting four vehicles waiting for the traffic light to change. The SUV came to a stop on its roof about 300 feat east of the intersection.

The SUV's driver was removed from the vehicle and taken to the hospital. The extent of the injuries caused in the car accident have not been reported.

Paramedics from Country Club Hills, Matteson and Chicago Heights responded to the scene and transported eight others to area hospitals, according to police.

The Flossmoor police investigated the accident. Whether drugs or alcohol were involved, or what traffic citataions were issued to the SUV driver, has not been reported.

In this type of Chicago area car accident case, the injured parties will all most likely have civil claims to make against the SUV driver's auto insurance carrier. However, in a case such as this where there are so many injured parties, there may not be enough insurance coverage to satisfy all of the claims. If that is the case, the injured parties have a right to make uninsured / under insured motorist claims against their own insurance policies.

On the South Side of Chicago four people were seriously injured in a car accident on Tuesday night, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The car crash involved 2 vehicles and took place at the intersection of 63rd Street and Damen Avenue around 10:30 p.m. One of the injured was a child.

Five ambulances were called out to the scene of the auto accident. One of the injured was taken by Chicago Fire Department ambulance to John Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in serious to critical condition. The three others were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

The cause of the crash and whether either driver was ticketed has not been reported.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a distracted driving summit in Washington, D.C. Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in an effort to combat car accidents caused by distracted driving, specifically the use of cell phones and text messaging while behind the wheel.

Earlier this summer the Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes blogged about Illinois' leadership role in banning the use of cell phones and text messaging while driving -- the state's new text-messaging ban was one of fewer than 10 tough new distracted-driving laws passed out of more than 170 that were introduced nationwide last year, according to a report by the New York Times.

Illinois' text-messaging ban (as well as a law banning cell phone use in school zones and road construction sites) became law last month and takes effect Jan. 1. Violators face a fine and repeated violations can lead to license suspension.

The City of Chicago already has a law in place prohibiting drivers from using cell phones.

The federal government estimates more than 4,000 people a day are in an auto accident as a result of distracted driving.

"If it were up to me, I would ban drivers from texting, but unfortunately, laws aren't always enough," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "We've learned from past safety awareness campaigns that it takes a coordinated strategy combining education and enforcement to get results."

LaHood called the summit a "crucial first step in our efforts to put an end to distracted driving."

In June, the Chicago personal injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes wrote about distracted driving as part of its Safe Driving Series.

Nationwide, 80 percent of accidents are attributed to distracted driving -- more than 1.5 million drivers will get into an accident this year because of driver distraction.

From a California commuter train accident that killed 25 people, to a Florida trucking accident that claimed the life of a former lawmaker's daughter, high-profile incidents attributed to text messaging continue to make news.

The American Trucking Association has pledged its support for the summit with the hope of reducing truck accidents attributed to distracted driving.

"Improving driver performance by eliminating distractions, including those caused by text messaging, will greatly improve the safety of all motorists," ATA president Bill Graves said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation promises concrete steps will be taken following the summit.

"The bottom line is, distracted driving is dangerous driving," LaHood said. "I plan to announce a list of concrete steps we will take to make drivers think twice about taking their eyes off the road for any reason."

Continue reading "In effort to reduce car accidents, federal distracted driving summit planned" »

As a result of a Chicago car crash, a 16 year old teenager has died, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident took place on Wednesday in the Garfield Park neighborhood around 6:30 p.m. and the teen died a day later. Several others were hurt.

The car accident happened in 300 block of North Hamlin Avenue. The boy who died was a backseat passenger in an Oldsmobile headed south on Hamlin that was being driven by a 20 year old. There was also an 18-year-old passenger in the car. The Olds hit head on with a northbound Saturn. The Saturn was occupied by a 37 year old female driver and a teenage passenger.

Chicago paramedics initiated an EMS Plan 1 response that immediately sends five ambulances to the accident site. All 3 in the Oldsmobile were taken by ambulance to Mt. Sinai Hospital. The two in the Saturn were also taken by ambulance to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. The Cook County medical examiner's office says the 16 year old pronounced dead at 2:16 p.m. on Thursday.

The Chicago Police Department Major Accident Investigation Unit is handling the investigation, and it has not been reported which vehicle caused the accident or if either driver was issued a citation.

Also see the story reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

A 35-year-old man from the western suburb of Berwyn faces numerous charges after a Chicago drunk driving accident on Labor Day weekend that sent three children in his vehicle to the hospital following a Sunday crash outside Ford City Mall.

The man faces charges of felony DUI, reckless driving, failure to reduce speed, driving on a revoked license while intoxicated and causing an accident while intoxicated that causes bodily harm, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

A 7-year-old suffered a spinal fracture and other broken bones in the crash, according to the Chicago Tribune. The remaining children, ages 9 and 10, were also hurt.

The Tribune reported the driver was believed to have had a blood-alcohol limit more than three times the legal Illinois limit of .08. The driver of the car that was struck also suffered injury. The man charged was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center for treatment. He was also scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

The car crash happened outside the mall about 2:20 p.m., near Cicero Avenue and 76th Street. The vehicle carrying the children was headed south on Cicero when it crossed over into oncoming traffic and hit the other vehicle, police reported.

In 2007, about 1 in every 3 fatalities involved a drunk driver--more than 13,000 were killed nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information on Chicago DUI accidents, visit the Chicago car accident blog and Summer Safe Driving series.

Chicago personal injury lawyers from Abels & Annes have agreed to represent a 15 year old boy who was hit by a car in Cicero, Illinois on August 22, 2009. The child was riding his bike on a sidewalk in the area of 59th Avenue and 37th Street when a woman driving a car failed to yield while exiting an alley and hit him.

The Cicero Police Department investigated the cause of the car vs. bike accident. The police report states the car hit the bicycle's front tire, causing the boy to flip over the hood of her car. The woman then got out of her vehicle and asked if he was ok. The child said he was not ok, and the woman got back in the car and fled the scene. The police located the woman later the same day at her home in Cicero.

The child sustained low back injuries and pain on both rib cages. He was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital on the date of the accident where x-rays may have detected a spinal fracture. He was seen again at the hospital 2 days later for an MRI. The boy is going to follow-up treatment with an orthopaedic doctor in Chicago.

The child in this case was very lucky, as he walked away from the accident with non-life-threatening injuries. Not all children are as fortunate. The Chicago Breaking News Center is reporting that a 5 year old girl riding a bicycle was killed in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago Sunday afternoon when a driver failed to yield while exiting from an alley, the same exact facts of our accident.

The deadly bike collision happened in the 6100 block of North Sacramento Avenue around 5:30 p.m. The driver was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department for failing to yield to the bicyclist while coming out of the alley.

The girl was rushed to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston where she was pronounced dead a short time later.

Also see the Rogers Park bike accident as reported by WBBM News Radio 780.

In the Chicago suburb of Berwyn, Illinois a mother and daughter were injured in an auto accident on Tuesday. The driver who hit them was distracted at the time of the crash, as she was busy lighting a cigarette. To make matters worse, the driver was uninsured. The injured mother has retained Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes to pursue an uninsured motorist claim against her own insurance carrier.

The accident took place during daylight hours at the corner of Kenilworth Ave. & 19th St. in Berwyn. The intersection is uncontrolled by traffic signals (no stop lights or stop signs). When the plaintiff arrived at the intersection she yielded to a car that arrived before her and then proceeded when it was her turn. When she was most of the way through the intersection the uninsured driver entered the intersection without stopping or yielding and struck her car.

When you approach an uncontrolled intersection in the State of Illinois, the driver that arrives first has the right-of-way. If two vehicles arrive at the same time, the vehicle on the right has the right-of-way.

The mother and child were taken by ambulance to MacNeal Hospital. The mother sustained neck and head injuries. She is going through follow-up treatment with an orthopaedic physician.

The Berwyn police department investigated the car crash.

Over the past year the use of cell phones and texting while driving have been a hot topic in Illinois, and new laws have been passed. We should not forget that other activities, such as smoking or eating food, can be just as distracting or more distracting than cell phone use.

Last month's 24-year prison sentence for a suburban Chicago woman convicted in a drunk driving car crash highlights a growing concern: The increase in DUI arrests and fatal DUI auto accidents among women.

The 43-year-old woman was convicted of aggravated DUI after running a stop sign last fall and slamming into 27-year-old woman, according to ABC7.

The 27 year old woman was killed in the car accident, along with her 3-year-old son and 11-month-old daughter.

According to an analysis this month by the Associated Press, Women in the U.S. are drinking more, and drunken-driving arrests among women are rising rapidly while falling among men.

Still, men accounted for roughly three times more drunk driving deaths in Illinois than did women, according to 2008 statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

But the study found DUI arrests among women have increased almost 30 percent between 1998 and 2007 while the number of men arrested declined by 7.5 percent.

"Women are picking up some of the dangerously bad habits of men," said Chuck Hurley, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Of particular concern is the trend's impact on children riding in cars with impaired drivers.

Nearly 250 youngsters were killed in alcohol-related crashes in the U.S. in 2007, according to the National Highway Safety Administration.

"Drunk drivers often carry their kids with them," said MADD's Hurley. "It's the ultimate form of child abuse."

The increase in arrests comes as women are drinking more than in the past.

One federal study found that the number of women who reported abusing alcohol (having at least four drinks in a day) rose from 1.5 percent to 2.6 percent over the 10-year period that ended in 2002. For women ages 30 to 44, the number more than doubled, from 1.5 percent to 3.3 percent.

Authorities believe the trend also indicates the tougher stance against drunk driving taken by law enforcement means women are also more likely to be arrested and held accountable than in the past.

The Transportation Department's annual crackdown on drunken driving, which begins later this month, will focus on women.

"There's the impression out there that drunk driving is strictly a male issue, and it is certainly not the case," said Rae Tyson, spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "There are a number of parts of the country where, in fact, the majority of impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes are female."

Continue reading "Increase in drunk driving cases against women reported" »

Nighttime is the deadliest time for Chicago drivers and motorists elsewhere in Illinois, according to a new report issued by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Drunk drivers and low seatbelt usage were cited as two primary reasons for the drastic increase in car accidents and fatalities after dark.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes often see drunk driving accidents and other injuries that occur at night for reasons ranging from poor visibility to alcohol and reckless driving.

Motorists should use extra caution, especially when out late at night or on the weekend. In response to the report, authorities promised to make a renewed push to get drunk drivers off the streets at night.

“We are working closely with Illinois State Police and local agencies to make sure that all motorists behind the wheel are driving sober,” said Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “One of our top priorities is to save lives and the data revealed shows that we need to focus our efforts on impaired driving at night.”

Illinois State Police announced increased enforcement through the Labor Day weekend.

“Drinking and driving is inappropriate regardless of the time of day," said Director Jonathon Monken. "Data tells us the likelihood of being involved in a crash or fatal crash where alcohol is involved increases dramatically at night. Therefore, the Illinois State Police will focus our efforts on DUI and seat belt enforcement during night time details throughout the Labor Day weekend."

The report found drunk driving a factor in 7 of every 10 Illinois fatalities occurring between midnight and 3 a.m. and less than 3 in 10 were properly seatbelted.

Those statistics are in marked contrast to higher-traffic daytime hours, where less than 2 in 10 crashes involved alcohol and less than half were not properly seatbelted.

According to the report and data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2 of every 3 motor vehicle accidents that occur between midnight and 3 a.m. involved a drinking driver.

And data shows 3 of every 4 drivers who died between midnight and 6 a.m. were not properly restrained.

For more information about impaired driving in Illinois, please visit www.drivesoberillinois.org.

Continue reading "Illinois warns of dangers of nighttime car accidents" »

A motorist from the far southwest Chicago suburb of Essex, Illinois was killed Saturday evening in a car crash, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident reportedly happened when the driver of another vehicle ran a stop sign at an intersection near Wilmington, Illinois.

The deadly auto accident occurred around 6:50 p.m at the intersection of Illinois Highway 129 and Stripmine Road. The 34 year old victim and his wife were traveling southbound on Route 129 in a Hyundai when the driver of a westbound Chrysler 300M failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with them.

The Illinois State Police are handling the car accident investigation. The at fault driver, a 43 year old Oak Forest resident, was ticketed for disobeying a stop sign and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. There was no indication that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash, however lab tests were taken as a precaution and the police are awaiting results.

All three people involved in the automobile accident were taken by ambulance to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet, Illinois. The victim was pronounced dead around 8 p.m. The Will County coroner's office plans to conduct an autopsy Monday.

Continue reading "Chicago area driver killed in car accident" »

A 3-year old girl was seriously injured in an accident after being dragged 200 feet by a car on Tuesday in Fox Lake, Illinois.

The Chicago Breaking News Center reported the girl was playing on the side of the road when she was hit and became stuck under a 1999 Dodge Intrepid as it backed out of a driveway.

The 36-year-old driver of the Dodge did not realize the child was trapped beneath the car and drove a block on Arlington Road in Fox Lake. Luckily, neighbors saw what happened and chased the car down. The witnesses then reportedly lifted the vehicle off the girl.

She was airlifted to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge with injuries to her head and shoulder. The victim may have to undergo extensive reconstructive surgery.

The driver of the Dodge and two passengers were questioned by police. Authorities said there is no indication alcohol was involved.

The Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team is handling the accident investigation.

Also see the story as reported by the Lake County News-Sun.

Chicago police are launching an effort this week aimed at reducing the number of pedestrian traffic accidents and personal injuries at night.

The city's enforcement effort targets four city areas with a high number of pedestrian crashes -- River North, Austin, Wrigleyville, and 79th Street (Ashland to the Dan Ryan).

If drivers don't yield to the pedestrians, as required by law, the vehicle will be pulled over by police officers farther down the street and face a fine of $50 to $500, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The program, which launched Monday in conjunction with an effort by the Chicago Department of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Western Michigan University, includes multiple approaches to address nighttime safety, including an element similar to Chicago's crosswalk enforcement efforts, which use undercover police officers posing as pedestrians in crosswalks.

Other elements include speed enforcement and an education component involving outreach to bars, restaurants and taxi companies. Small changes such as traffic signal-timing adjustments and new pavement markings may also occur.

The effort is being led by Dr. Ron Van Houten, professor of psychology at WMU, and Richard Blomberg, of Connecticut-based Dunlap and Associates. In a recent study conducted in Miami, Dr. Van Houten introduced procedures that decreased overall crashes by 50% along high crash corridors.

A Western Michigan University study on nighttime crashes in Chicago from 2005 to 2007 found the four zones being targeted had notably high numbers of nighttime pedestrian accidents. Several factors were identified as being related to the crashes, including alcohol use and driver behaviors and inattention.

"When you drive you are more likely to see something if you are thinking about it,” said Dr. Van Houten. “Whenever and wherever you drive, particularly at night, think about pedestrians."

The program is slated to continue through the fall.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have a history of advocacy on behalf of pedestrian accident victims, including a $255,000 recovery earlier this year for a woman struck in a crosswalk while leaving Good Friday church service.

A brother and sister have been injured in a Chicago rollover car crash on August 16, 2009 in the early morning hours. Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes have agreed to represent them in an accident claim against the at fault driver's insurance carrier.

Our clients were traveling in an SUV on Interstate 55 in the middle lane near Harlem Avenue. The brother, a 36 year old Chicago resident, was driving, and at that time saw headlights coming from behind him. The car looked to be approaching at a speed of 80-100 mph. The speeding car hit an Oldsmobile immediately to their left and the Olds then ran into their SUV. Our clients went into a ditch and their car rolled over twice.

The driver that caused the accident fled the scene. The driver of the Oldsmobile was able to take down the license plate of the hit-and-run vehicle, and the plate was reported to the Illinois State Police who handled the crash investigation. The state police, working with the Stickney Police Department, were able to track down the owner of the vehicle, who admitted involvement in the accident. The hit & run driver was ticketed and has an early October court date in Bridgeview, Illinois.

The siblings both sustained injuries. The brother was treated at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn and the sister was taken by ambulance to Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. Both are seeking follow-up treatment with orthopaedic physicians in the Chicago area.

Chicago personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes reached a $60,000 settlement today for a client who sustained personal injuries in a February 4, 2009 truck accident.

On the afternoon of the occurrence the plaintiff was driving her vehicle southbound on I-94 just south of I-290 in lane number 3. The defendant was driving his semi-truck southbound on I-94 just south of I-290 in lane number 2. The car crash occurred when the truck driver switched lanes into the plaintiff's lane and struck her vehicle. The rear passenger’s side of the defendant’s trailer struck the driver’s side of our client’s vehicle. Her car was totaled as a result of the damage caused by the auto accident.

We alleged in the claim that the trucker failed to keep a proper lookout, improperly changed lanes, failed to yield the right of way, was driving at an excessive rate of speed, and failed to exercise due care for the safety of those in the area, including the Plaintiff.

Following the truck accident the plaintiff had an immediate onset of back and neck pain. She was transferred from the scene of the accident to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital’s Emergency Department. She was given pain medication and instructed to seek follow up treatment.

Over the next two days our client's pain and discomfort got much worse. Her pain became so bad that she sought medical care from West Suburban Hospital’s Emergency Department on February 6, 2009. There she reported increasing neck pain, mid/upper/lower back pain, headaches, lower abdominal pain and left flank pain. A history was taken, she was examined and diagnostic tests were performed. She was given more pain medication and instructed to follow up with her physician.

Due to her ongoing complaints of pain and discomfort the plaintiff sought treatment from an orthopaedic physician beginning on February 11, 2009. She complained of neck and back pain and stiffness as well as left wrist pain. The doctor found muscle spasms and muscle stiffness upon examination and prescribed a course of physical therapy. An MRI was ordered, which showed injuries to her low back and neck.

The physician determined that our client reached maximum medical improvement as of March 25, 2009 and discharged her from his care. Despite being discharged she continued to suffer from periodic pain and discomfort both in her lower back in her neck for several months.

As a result of her injuries our client incurred over $18,000 in medical bills and she also missed a week of work.

The accident case settled for $60,000 without a lawsuit being filed. The Cincinnati Insurance Group insures the defendant.

On the South Side of Chicago, five firefighters and two others were injured when a vehicle and a fire truck collided on Saturday around 5 p.m., according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The car crash occurred at 67th Street and Jeffery Avenue as the Chicago Fire Department engine was responding to an alarm on South Brandon Avenue.

The fire truck was eastbound on 67th when it was reportedly hit by a car. The engine then hit a pole.

5 firefighters were injured and taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Trinity Hospital, and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. One was in serious-to-critical condition.

The male driver and female passenger of the other vehicle were taken to Northwestern, and the passenger is in critical condition. The driver, a Chicago resident, was ticketed by the Chicago Police Department for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, no insurance and damage to city property.

In this type of case, hopefully the injured passenger has an auto insurance policy of her own, as it appears the driver of her car was uninsured. If insured, the passenger can make an uninsured motorist claim against her own policy. The Chicago car accident lawyer that represents her will also take a close look at the police report and interview witnesses to see if there is any liability on the part of the fire department.

Also see the story as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, and see ABC News for an accident photo.

A fatal Chicago suburban car accident involving teens leaving a graduation party earlier this summer has led to a personal injury lawsuit in Kane County Circuit Court.

Chelsea Mertz, 17, of St. Charles, has filed suit seeking more than $50,000. Her attorney claims she suffered a broken jaw and a brain injury as a result of the accident June 17. Mertz was one of four teenagers in an SUV that went off the road and slammed into trees on the 3100 block of Royal Fox Drive in St. Charles. The accident killed front-seat passenger Cameron Godee of West Chicago.

The lawsuit accuses the teen driver of driving more than 40 mph over the speed limit down the wrong side of the road, high on marijuana and alcohol while driving a group of St. Charles East High School classmates home from a graduation party at 3:30 a.m.

Mertz and another back-seat passenger survived the crash. She had her jaw wired shut and is undergoing rehabilitation for a brain injury, according to her attorney. She is recovering but is having speech difficulties and the long-term effects of the brain injury remain uncertain.

The civil lawsuit is up in court for the first time on October 20th.

The driver has also been criminally charged with 12 counts of aggravated DUI and four counts of reckless homicide, according to the Suburban Chicago Daily Herald. Police have said his blood-alcohol content was nearly three times the legal threshold, and he tested positive for marijuana.

With school beginning, the Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes urge parents to speak with their children about driver safety and the need to make good choices when it comes to their safety behind the wheel or as a passenger.

The school year brings with it new friends, new opportunities, new freedom and new danger. Federal statistics consistently show auto accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24.

Drivers who cause a car accident without automobile insurance face up to a year in jail under a tougher new Illinois uninsured motorist law signed by Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday.

Chicago personal injury attorney Dave Abels was interviewed about the new law earlier this summer and has published several blogs about the need to crack down on uninsured motorists and to raise the state's mandatory minimum insurance coverage.

"The way the law stands right now it just doesn't provide real protection for people who are seriously injured in auto accidents," said Abels, of Abels & Annes, a Chicago law firm that handles car accidents, motorcycle accident and other personal injury claims. "It covers you for small accidents but not the big accidents that you really care about where your life is changed forever."

The new law makes driving without insurance a misdemeanor criminal offense and carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. The old law carried a fine of up to $1,000 and a license suspension of 3 to 6 months.

The new law, which The Southern newspaper noted was heavily supported by lawmakers this spring before heading to Gov. Quinn for his signature, is named after Johnston City native and Southern Illinois University graduate Michael Dean.

Dean was hit and killed by an uninsured driver while driving on Illinois 13 in July 2006.

Abels said the new law is a step in the right direction but noted that Illinois still needs to address its low mandatory insurance limits of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per occurrence.

"No amount of money is going to bring a loved one back or make a family whole again, but $20,000 is a slap in the face," Abels said. "I have handled car accident death cases where the victim incurred over $500,000 in medical bills."

Continue reading "Illinois tougher uninsured motorist law passes" »

In the Chicago western suburb of Westchester, Illinois a 6 year old boy has been critically injured in an auto accident, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The car the boy was riding in hit a truck on the Eisenhower Expressway on Sunday just after 3:30 p.m.

A truck driver had pulled over to the eastbound highway shoulder, according to the Illinois State Police. The truck had pulled over to seek some type of assistance from an IDOT worker.

A short time later a woman driving a Ford Taurus drove onto the shoulder for reasons unknown and rear-ended the truck. The child was a passenger in the Taurus. The child was in a booster seat in the back.

The Westchester Fire Department transported the boy to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois in critical condition. The trucker, the Taurus driver and the IDOT worker were reportedly not seriously injured.

The relationship between the boy and the Taurus driver has not been reported. It has also not been reported if drugs or alcohol played a role.

Serious injuries to innocent child passengers in car crashes is common in the Chicago area. In this type of case the parents of the child will look to pursue a civil claim against the Ford driver's auto insurance company. If the Ford driver was the child's parent, that will not bar the civil claim in the State of Illinois.

There is no word if Chicago car accident lawyers are involved in the case yet. The injury lawyers that work on the case will look to see if there was any negligence on the part of the truck driver. For example, they will attempt to determine if the truck was completely on the shoulder, or was it partially sticking out in the road.

Also see the story at WBBM News Radio.

Chicago bicycle accident lawyers and Illinois car crash attorneys at Abels & Annes have entered into an agreement to represent a Chicago resident who was critically injured in a bike accident on July 20th. The accident happened when our client was riding his bicycle on W. North Avenue when a driver in a parked car opened her car door as the plaintiff was riding by.

The bicyclist fell to the ground and sustained life threatening injuries. He was taken by ambulance to Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago and diagnosed with internal head injuries and a collapsed lung. He has undergone multiple surgeries since the date of the accident.

The plaintiff has remained in the hospital since the crash, and he is about to be transferred to a long care facility.

The bicycle accident was investigated by the Chicago Police Department. The at fault driver was ticketed for swinging her car door into traffic.

This type of accident is not uncommon in the Chicago area. Our office has handled several cases where a bike rider was injured by a motorist who negligently opened a door into traffic without looking. In a congested urban area like Chicago, drivers have to be diligent in checking for approaching bicyclists.

Lake County Police are aggressively enforcing laws requiring motorists to move over and slow down for emergency vehicles, according to the Daily Herald

It is a good reminder for all motorists to move over and slow down when approaching emergency vehicles and to yield to emergency vehicles running with lights and sirens.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes also remind motorists to pay special attention to the vehicles around you in such situations. Driving defensively is the best offense to avoiding an accident that seriously injures you or someone else.

While common sense should prevail, the Lake County figures show drivers in increasing numbers are not obeying Scott's Law, named for Lieutenant Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department who was struck and killed in 2000 by an intoxicated driver on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

Lake County authorities handed out 25 tickets to motorists in violation of the law in 2002, compared to 68 last year and 119 in the first six months of this year.

“Every day, law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency response personnel, and highway workers place their lives in jeopardy to protect the citizens of the state of Illinois. The most important thing we do is to ensure citizens return home safely to their families,” said Illinois State Police Director Director LarryTrent. “Scott’s Law helps these workers safely perform their duties so that they, too, can return home to their families each day.”

Since the legislation was enacted in 2002, the Illinois State Police has issued a total of more than 20,000 violations to motorists for non-compliance with the statute.

The law requires motorists to yield to moving emergency vehicles, including highway maintenance vehicles, displaying oscillating, rotating, or flashing lights. Additionally, Scott’s Law requires a driver to change lanes (if safe to do so) or reduce speed and proceed with caution when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle displaying flashing warning lights.

Violators in Lake County face a $100 to $200 fine and can face traffic school and court supervision. However, the penalty can escalate to a $10,000 fine and a three-year license suspension for anyone who destroys property or injures someone in violation of the law.

"It has just gotten to the point where something has to be done," Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Curt Gregory said. "It seems like hardly anyone is aware of what the danger in this is, and we have got to get the word out."

The message is simple.

"We just want to get the word out that this is a disaster waiting to happen," he said. "All we are asking is to be able to do our job in an environment that is not unnecessarily dangerous."

With hand-held cell-phone use by drivers banned in Chicago since 2005 and a law awaiting the signature of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, our area is among the nation's leaders in combating distracted drivers, according to a New York Times article that examines the difficulty states are having in passing such legislation.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes continue to monitor the impact of cell-phone use and distracted driving on Chicago car accidents and personal injury and wrongful death cases.

This year, state legislators introduced about 170 bills to address distracted driving, but passed fewer than 10.

Chicago passed a ban on hand-held cell phones in 2005 and currently issues about 700 tickets a month. The cost of the fine increase from $75 to $100 earlier this year.

And last month we blogged about two laws awaiting the governor's signature that will make it illegal to read, compose or send electronic messages while driving or to use a cell phone while driving in a school or construction zone.

“With the increased use of technological devices, distracted driving has become a serious problem in our state and in the nation,” said Secretary of State Jesse White, who pushed for the restrictions. “No driver has any business text messaging while they are driving.”

Studies show drivers continue to identify cell-phone use as a serious problem behind the wheel -- just not with them.

A survey of 1,506 people last year by Nationwide Mutual Insurance found, 81 percent of cellphone owners acknowledged that they talk on phones while driving. Yet 98 percent considered themselves safe drivers even though nearly half claimed they had been hit or nearly hit by a driver talking on a phone.

“When we ask people to identify the most dangerous distraction on the highway today, about half — correctly — identify cellphones,” said Bill Windsor, associate vice president for safety at Nationwide. “But they think others are dangerous, not themselves.”

A 2003 Harvard study estimated that cellphone distractions caused 2,600 traffic deaths every year, and 330,000 accidents that result in moderate or severe injuries. Yet the use of cell phones has skyrocketed since then and the advent of text messaging is even more dangerous behind the wheel. From 1995 to 2008, the number of wireless subscribers in the United States increased eightfold, to 270 million, and minutes talked rose 58-fold, according to The Times article.

Five states and the District of Columbia require drivers who talk on cellphones to use hands-free devices. A number of cities, like Chicago, have done the same. However, research shows that using headsets can be as dangerous as holding a phone because the conversation distracts drivers from focusing on the road, according to The Times.

Fourteen states have passed measures to ban texting while driving.

While almost all of us are guilty of driving and talking on the phone, the dangers are very real and Chicago personal injury and wrongful death lawyers continue to see cases where serious and fatal accidents were caused by distracted drivers talking on the phone.

Continue reading "City of Chicago, State of Illinois lead fight against car accidents caused by cell phones" »

A new federal study released last month found one in every seven nighttime weekend drivers tested positive for drugs.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes urge weekend drivers to remain on the lookout for erratic drivers. Studies have long shown drivers are most likely to be drunk and driving between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.

While the study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found the percentage of motorists driving drunk continued to decline, the study for the first time tested for drug use and the results were sobering:
- 16.3 percent of nighttime weekend drivers were drug positive.
- Marijuana (8.6 percent)
- Cocaine (3.9 percent)
- Medications (3.9 percent)

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said he is concerned about the prevalence of drivers who use drugs.

“I’m pleased to see that our battle against drunk driving is succeeding,” said Secretary LaHood. “However, alcohol still kills 13,000 people a year on our roads and we must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to prevent drunk driving.”

The percentage of drunk drivers identified in the survey has fallen from 7.5 percent in 1973 to 2.2 percent in the most recent survey. This study was the first to measure for the presence of drugs.

“This troubling data shows us, for the first time, the scope of drugged driving in America, and reinforces the need to reduce drug abuse,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. “Drugged driving, like drunk driving, is a matter of public safety and health. It puts us all at risk and must be prevented.”

The NHTSA is conducting further research to assess how drug traces correspond to driver impairment since some drugs can remain in the body for days or even weeks.

Among the findings of the latest roadside survey:

- The percentage of male drivers with illegal BAC levels was 42 percent higher than the percentage of alcohol-impaired female drivers.

- Drivers were more likely to be illegally drunk during late nighttime hours (1 a.m. to 3 a.m.) than during daytime or early evening hours.

- Motorcycle riders were more than twice as likely as passenger vehicle drivers to be drunk (5.6 percent compared with 2.3 percent).

- Pickup truck drivers were the next most likely to have illegal BACs (3.3 percent).

Continue reading "Chicago car accident alert - one in seven weekend-night drivers test positive for drugs" »

The Chicago-Sun Times is reporting about the ongoing increase in motorcycle fatalities, thanks in part to more riders, rising gas prices and increased interest in riding.

Nationwide, motorcycle fatalities increased for the 11th straight year and accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A total of 5,290 riders were killed nationwide in 2008, compared to 5,174 in 2007. That's in sharp contrast to the drop in fatality rates in virtually every other category, including a 13 percent decline in motor vehicle fatalities.

The Sun-Times reported that the combination of inexperienced riders and drivers who aren't used to seeing so many cycles on the road have helped push the number of motorcycle crashes in the seven-county region to 2,663 last year.

That's up 22 percent from 2,180 just two years earlier, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

In Cook County alone, the number was 1,654 in 2008 -- up 26 percent from 2006.

Overall, the number of motorcycles registered in Cook County and the adjacent counties was up 6 percent last year over 2006, according to figures from the Illinois secretary of state's office.

The Chicago motorcycle accident lawyers and injury attorneys at Abels & Annes urge motorists to watch out for motorcyclists and bikers, and to drive & ride safely.

Now through Labor Day is the height of bike season in Illinois and bikers are often injured or killed by cars that pull into their path because they either don't look or they misjudge the speed of the smaller motorcycle.

The Chicago motorcycle attorneys at Abels & Annes are active in promoting motorcycle safety and awareness.
Please take a moment and review our blog on 10 things driver should know about motorcycles.

Our look at the impact of distracted driving and motorcycle accidents.

And our blog on Summer Motorcycle Safety.

Continue reading "Fatal motorcycle accidents on the rise in Chicago and across the country" »

In Chicago, Illinois 6 teens and an infant were hurt in a car accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway this past Friday night, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. It was a single vehicle car crash that took place in the northbound lanes at 87th Street just after 9 pm. Three people were ejected during the auto accident, according to the Illinois State Police.

The Chicago Fire Department transported 3 of the injured to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital in critical condition, one critical to Stroger Hospital, one person with serious injuries to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and 2 people with serious injuries to Little Company of Mary Hospital. All of the significant injuries were to teens and the infant was not badly hurt.

The Illinois State Police are investigating the crash. The cause of the single car accident has not yet been reported.

In this type of case, normally all of the passengers will have a claim against the driver's insurance company. However, most drivers' do not carry big enough insurance policies to adequately cover this type of loss. In that case, the Chicago injury lawyers representing the teens can set up under-insured motorist claims against their own auto policies. If the teens still live at home, they can make claims on their parents' insurance policies.

In Chicago, Illinois one person died and four were hurt in a car crash on the South Side, according to chicagobreakingnews.com. The auto accident involved two cars and occurred around 6:40 pm in the Woodlawn neighborhood on Sunday. One of the victims was a 9 year old pedestrian who was on a sidewalk and was hit by one of the vehicles.

The injured child was rushed to University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. The others were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The Cook County medical examiner's office has stated that one man involved in the collision has died, but no further details have been made available.

The Chicago Police Department is handling the crash investigation, and the cause of the accident has not yet been reported.

It is not that uncommon for an innocent bystander to get hurt if he or she happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Recently Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes settled a case for a South Side resident who was seriously injured in front of his apartment when two cars collided, and one vehicle bounced off and hit our client.

Illinois car accident lawyers from our firm also represented a Chicago resident who was waiting at a CTA bus stop when two cars crashed near by. A wheel flew off one of the cars and hit him, causing significant injuries.

Six people were injured-- three of them young children -- in a Chicago trucking accident on Thursday.

The accident occurred when a car trying to enter the Bishop Ford Expressway collided with a semi-tractor trailer truck, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

A gold Buick LeSabre was rear-ended as it tried to merge onto the expressway at 130th Street. The Buick lost control and was hit by the trailer of the truck, pinning the victims.

A Fire Department spokesman reported that the accident occurred at about 10 a.m. and blocked the southbound lanes near where a chemical spill closed the same stretch of road on Wednesday.

In that incident, a trooper with the Chicago State Police noticed a semi leaking corrosive liquid, which forced the highway's closure, according to the Sun-Times.

It is the latest in a series of incidents on the Expressway: On July 10, a construction worker was struck by a drunk driver in an accident on Bishop Ford, according to the Chicago Tribune.

In Thursday's trucking accident, the victims of both cars were taken to MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island and Roseland Community Hospital.

Three of those injured were in good to fair condition and three were in fair to serious condition when first taken to the hospital, according to authorities.

While police reported the Buick tried to merge improperly, a Chicago car accident lawyer could help the victims determine their rights. While the Buick driver is at least partially at fault, all the passengers in that car will have a good personal injury case. Also, if the truck driver was injured, he or she may have a work injury case and a claim against the other driver's insurance carrier.

In the second accident, the construction worker would have a case against the driver that hit him and also can pursue a workers' compensation case for getting hurt on the job.

Two customers at Curves fitness club suffered injures Saturday morning after a woman drove through the front of the business in Lake Zurich, the Daily Herald reported.

The 65-year-old driver was treated and released at the scene. The two customers were taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Lake Zurich for treatment.

The accident occurred at about 10 a.m. as the woman tried to pull into a parking place in front of the fitness center and instead crashed through two large panes of glass.

"It appears at this time there was some confusion" that caused her to accelerate instead of brake, said Lake Zurich Sgt. Robert Johnson. "The front of the store is gone from floor to ceiling."

Police said Curves, which suffered extensive damage to the front, will be closed until further notice, according to the Lake County News-Sun.

Chicago car accident lawyers from Abels & Annes currently represent a man who was injured in a similar case. In our lawsuit, an elderly driver lost control of his vehicle and drove into a Loop restaurant, injuring several patrons. The case is currently pending in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

This type of accident is not uncommon in the Chicago area. In the last year, two people have hit Starbucks in Chicago and twice this spring taxicabs hit the restaurant Petterino's in downtown Chicago.

Lifting the national 55 mph speed limit ban a decade ago has cost an additional 12,500 lives, according to an article the Chicago Sun-Times.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes examined the dangers of speeding last month as part of its Summer Safe Driving Series.

Fatality rates for speeders are undisputed and increase exponentially with speed. That means an accident is not twice as likely to be fatal at 50 mph than at 25 mph -- federal research shows it is 15 times more likely to be fatal.

The new study from University of Illinois at Chicago School of Health analyzed speed-related traffic fatalities and injuries between 1995 and 2005, the 10-year period after the repeal of the National Maximum Speed Law.

The change in law allowed states to post their own limits on interstate roads.

Automobile deaths related to the increase, which numbered 12,500 over the decade, would shrink significantly with lower speed limits, according to the research.

The study, which was published in U.S. News & World Report, also attributed 36,582 injuries in fatal crashes to higher speed limits implemented during the 1995-2005 study period.

"Our study clearly shows that policy can directly result in more deaths as well as reducing deaths on our country's roads," said lead researcher Lee S. Friedman of the division of environmental and occupational health sciences in the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois, Chicago."I'm not saying that speed will cause a crash. But when you're in a crash, speed will definitely increase your risk of being injured and increase your risk of severity of injury, as well as your risk of dying."

Researchers found a 3.2 percent increase in deaths because of higher speed limits on all types of roads in the United States. The largest increase -- 9.1 percent -- was on rural interstates, followed by urban interstates at 4 percent.

"These roads were the main focus of raised speed limits," they noted.

Some states had imposed a 65 mph limit. Others went to 70, and still others, 75. The solution, said Friedman, is to bring back the 55 mph speed limit.

"Reduced speed limits would save lives," Friedman said. "They would also reduce gas consumption, cut emissions of air pollutants, save valuable years of productivity and reduce the societal cost of motor vehicle crashes."

Continue reading "Chicago study finds increased highway speeds claims an additional 1,250 lives a year in car accidents" »

The Chicago bicycle lawyers at Abels & Annes are representing a cyclist injured last week (July 8) after being rear-ended by a driver.

The client was northbound on LaSalle in the bike lane. As he approached Schiller he was rear-ended.

The at-fault driver was ticketed and the client was taken by Chicago Fire Department ambulance to the emergency room at Northwestern where he was treated for injuries to his left leg and foot and multiple abrasions.

The Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes continue to see vehicles colliding with bicyclists on a regular basis. Please remember, cyclists have the same rights on the road as a motor vehicle.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is running a public service announcement this summer. "There is plenty of room for us all, Please Don't Squeeze," emphasizes the legal requirements to give cyclists at least three feet of clearance when making a pass.

IDOT estames more than 4,000 Illinois residents are seriously injured each year in bicycle accidents. Nationwide, cyclists join motorcycle riders as the only group to see an increase in accidents and fatalities during 2008, which saw a historic drop in accident rates for passenger cars and trucks, according to annual statistics released this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2008, 716 cyclists were killed, compared to 701 in 2007. The 52,000 riders who were injured was a 21 percent increase from the 43,000 hurt in 2007 -- by far the largest increase in any category.

In Illinois, cycling fatalities jumped from 18 to 27; the state estimates another 4,000 are seriously injured each year.

High gas prices and a down economy has more people riding bicycles out of necessity than ever before. Thousands more bicycle for recreation and fitness-- taking advantage of Chicago's extensive system of bike trails, which is slated to grow to more than 500 miles by 2015.

An excellent map of Chicago-area bike paths and trails is available by clicking here.

As a motorist, please remember: Each bicycle on the road is one less car adding to the congestion. Please give our bicycling friends and neighbors a break. Every bicycle accident has the potential to be very serious or life threatening.

Continue reading "Chicago bicycle attorneys represent cyclist injured in rear-end colllision" »

One out of every three fatal traffic crashes in 2008 was alcohol related, according to statistics released this month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In fact, Mothers Against Drunk Driving calls DUI the most frequently committed violent crime in the United States.

Nationwide, fatal alcohol-related crashes dropped from 13,041 in 2007 to 11,773 in 2008.

And, while alcohol-involved traffic fatalities in Illinois also declined, from 1,248 in 2007 to 1,043 in 2008, the overall rate of alcohol fatalities was slightly higher than the national average.

Alcohol-related fatal crashes are four-times more likely to occur at night than during the day and 1.5 times more likely to occur on the weekend.

The Chicago personal injury and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes urge you to take this issue seriously, use a designated driver, call a cab or stay where you are if you have had too much to drink.

Those driving late at night -- particularly on the weekend -- should also be vigilant in watching for and avoiding erratic drivers.

As part of its Summer Safe Driving series, Abels & Annes looks at some of the issues surrounding drunk driving in Illinois.

Illinois has taken some tough steps to combat drunk driving: On Jan. 1 it became one of only six states to require a first-time DUI offender to have a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices installed on his or her vehicle as a condition of gaining driving privileges.

Illinois offers a DUI Factbook where motorists can get a host of information on the state's DUI laws, penalties and programs to combat drunk driving. According to the book, the state's legal limit of .08 would be surpassed by a 170 pound man consuming four drinks in one hour or a 137 pound woman consuming three drinks in an hour.

A drink is defined as a can of beer, glass of wine or shot of liquor.

A shocking 86 percent of drivers who failed a breath test in 2007 tested between .10 and .24, which is three-times the legal limit.

Additionally, the state reports a person's risk of having a crash begins to increase significantly at .04 -- half the legal limit -- and increases substantially thereafter.

Common remedies like fresh air, coffee, food or a shower will not help a person get sober.

The state's 2007 statistics reports 2 of every 5 traffic fatalities are alcohol related.

• 503 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes, which was 40 percent of the 1,249 total crash fatalities.

• More than 49,600 DUI arrests were recorded by the Secretary of State’s office.

• 92 percent of all drivers arrested for DUI, who were eligible, lost their driving privileges.

• 2,516 drivers under age 21 lost their driving privileges due to “Use It & Lose
It” law violations.

• 20 percent of those arrested for DUI are women, who represent 50 percent of
all licensed drivers.

• Males ages 21-24 had the highest DUI arrest rate (about 26 per 1,000 licensed
drivers). This rate was four times greater than that of all other drivers arrested
for DUI (6 per 1,000 licensed drivers).

• 83 percent of all drivers arrested for DUI are first offenders.

The Illinois Secretary of State's Office reports the average DUI offender is:

• male (80 percent arrested are men);

• age 34 (61 percent are under age 35);

• arrested between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on a weekend; and

• caught driving with a BAC of .16 — twice the illegal limit.

Penalties for a DUI can range from a 6-month license suspension to 30 years in prison for habitual offenders or DUI traffic crashes resulting in serious injury or death.

Continue reading "Chicago car accident lawyers examine dangers of drunk driving as part of Sumer Safe Driving Series" »

Illinois reduced fatal accidents across the board in 2008, even seeing a drop in fatal motorcycle accidents, despite a rise in motorcycle deaths nationwide, which increased from 5,174 deaths in 2007 to 5,290 deaths in 2008.

Chicago accident lawyers at Abels & Annes are publishing the results of the annual release of accident data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. While the Chicago area is still the state's most dangerous, the reduction in fatal accidents is certainly good news for motorists.

Yet getting into an automobile is the most dangerous thing most of us do on a daily basis. Frequent review of safe-driving habits is always a good idea. And those who are injured through no fault of their own have a right to recover damages from a negligent driver.

More than 700 of this year's fatal accidents -- or 7 of every 10 fatal crashes -- were caused by just two of the roads deadliest violators: drunk drivers and speeders.

Traffic Fatalities
Total: 1,043 in 2008 compared to 1,248 in 2007
Rural: 501 in 2008 compared to 433 in 2007
Urban: 609 in 2008 compared to 747 in 2007

Passenger vehicle occupant fatalities
Restrained: 722 in 2008 compared to 861 in 2007
Unrestrained: 339 in 2008 compared to 395 in 2007

Alcohol-impaired fatalities
362 in 2008 compared to 439 in 2007

Speed-related fatalities
385 in 2008 compared to 523 in 2007

Motorcycle fatalities
Total: 133 in 2008 compared to 157 in 2007
Helmeted: 32 in 2008 compared to 28 in 2007
Unhelmeted: 96 in 2008 compared to 121 in 2007

Drivers involved in fatal crashes
Total: 1,434 in 2008 compared to 1,709 in 2007
Aged Under 15: 4 in 2008 compared to 2 in 2007
Aged 15-20: 142 in 2008 compared to 252 in 2007
Aged under 21: 146 in 2008 compared to 254 in 2007
Aged 21 and over: 1,255 in 2008 compared to 1,415 in 2007.

Pedestrians
135 in 2008 compared to 171 in 2007

Continue reading "Chicago car accident lawyers examine state accident data" »

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes urge seniors and those concerned about an older loved one's ability to drive to get the facts and talk about the importance of keeping our older drivers safe.

Older Americans represent the largest and fastest growing segment of our population. And, while not everyone is the same, research shows that reflexes and driving ability deteriorate steadily after age 55 and can be exacerbated by loss of eyesight and hearing and other health problems, including arthritis.

Additionally, as we grow older we are considerably less able to deal with the trauma of a serious accident -- research shows fatality rates are 17 times higher for seniors involved in a serious car accident.

AAA launched a new website last month --- www.aaaseniors.com. The site provides families of older drivers with valuable information related to senior mobility challenges, as well as tools to help extend safe driving and/or assist in difficult discussions about transitioning older family members from a driving lifestyle.

“According to our research, many adult children of older drivers – the ‘sandwich’ boomers – are unaware that resources exist to effectively address the safety and mobility challenges of senior drivers,” said Brad Roeber AAA Chicago’s Regional President. “AAASeniors.com gives seniors and their families the tools necessary to create an action plan to help seniors manage the inevitable consequences of aging, continue to drive safely or transition to alternative modes of transportation, and remain independent.”

The site includes:

-Advice on how aging affects one’s ability to drive safely.

-A step-by-step guide on how to begin a conversation with an older driver about working together to develop a plan for the transition from driver to passenger.

- A variety of tools and resources from educational brochures and driver improvement courses, to tips on choosing a vehicle, to skill assessment tools and free community-based programs.

“Many adult children, grandchildren and seniors will at some point be faced with a difficult decision about a mature adult’s ability to drive safely,” said Dr. Alexis Abramson, one of the nation’s leading gerontologists. “I can’t stress enough how important it is to be proactive in developing a plan of action based on factual, compassionate and objective information, such as that found at AAASeniors.com.”

About Senior Drivers:

How Many
In 1995 there were 16.5 million licensed drivers over 70 years old―a 47 percent increase from 1985.

Driving Habits
Older adults wear safety belts more often than any other age group except infants and preschool children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most older drivers recognize and avoid situations where their limitations put them at risk. They drive less after dark, during rush hour, or in bad weather, and they may avoid difficult roads or intersections, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Older adult drivers are less likely to drink and drive than other adult drivers, according to a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2005.

Safety Record
Older drivers become more accident-prone with age, even though they drive less. Because older drivers are more fragile, their fatality rates are 17 times higher than those ages 25 to 64
.
The accident rate per mile driven rises steadily for drivers 65 and older, and those drivers are involved in more accidents per mile driven than any other age group except teenagers.

Continue reading "Chicago injury lawyers encourage families to talk with older drivers" »

Nationwide traffic fatalities hit the lowest level in almost half a century last year and the fatality rate, which accounts for variables like fewer miles traveled due to the economy and last year's gas prices, reached the lowest level ever recorded, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

However, more than 1 in every 4 fatal Illinois crashes occurred in Cook County. In fact, Cook County had six times more fatal accidents than any county in Illinois. And the number of fatal accidents actually increased in Will County and Kane County, the state's second and third deadliest.

The federal government is releasing nationwide traffic statistics for 2008 this month, which counted 37,251 traffic fatalities in 2008, a 9.7 percent decline from the 41,259 deaths recorded in 2007.

Chicago accident lawyers at Abels & Annes will present the findings on this blog and our sister blog, www.chicagopersonalinjurylawyerblog,com, in the coming days.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported the 3,998 fewer road deaths is the largest decline since 1982 and the lowest overall level since 1961.

“While the number of highway deaths in America has decreased, we still have a long way to go,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said.

Illinois traffic deaths declined by 16 percent, from 1,248 deaths in 2007 to 1,043 last year. The 205 fewer deaths in Illinois was the fourth-best decline in the nation after California (561), Florida (235) and North Carolina (243).

Illionois tied with Massachusetts for the 7th largest percentage decline, behind Wisconsin, Virginia, South Datkota, Montana, Nebraska and Delaware.

In the Chicago area:

The only states to see an increase in the number of traffic fatalities were Vermont (11%), New Hampshire (7.8%), Wyoming (6%) and Delaware (3.4 %).

The federal statistics show the decline continued in the first quarter of 2009; the January-March estimate of 7,689 deaths represents a nine percent decline from a year ago. It was the twelfth consecutive quarterly decline.

Continue reading "Fewer traffic fatalities in 2008 but Chicago-area remains state's deadliest" »

A teenage driver has filed a personal injury lawsuit after an Illinois trucking accident left her paralyzed.

Jessica Baker, 19, filed suit last week against 12 people and companies involved in the muli-car collision on I-270 on Feb. 4, 2008 which left her 2001 Saturn trapped beneath the semi.

The Chicago trucking accident lawyers and car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage anyone who has been in an accident with a semi or large commercial vehicle to seek the advice of a qualified attorney. This case illustrates the serious injuries and complex issues such a case presents to an injury victim seeking compensation for damages.

This lawsuit involved the tractor owner, Nicholae Valeanu who was driving the tractor, Stoughton, which owned the trailer being hauled, and nearly a dozen other defendants.

According to the complaint filed in Madison County Circuit Court, defendant Valeanu was driving a tractor-trailer in front of Baker when he rear-ended a Chevrolet Impala, which caused a chain-reaction collision that also involved an Air Products and Chemical's trailer.

Baker collided with the rear of Valeanu's trailer because she could not see the accident unfolding in front of him, the lawsuit states, according to the The Record of Madison/St. Clair.

The lawsuit claims the trailer Valeanu was hauling was not equipped with a properly affixed rear impact guard, which is designed to prevent cars from traveling underneath the trailer during a rear-end collision.

The suit alleges that the fasteners connecting the rear-impact guard were corroded and damaged due to normal wear and were not durable enough to withstand the impact.

"Due to the failure of the fasteners and the height of the Stoughton Trailer frame, the windshield, roof and upper A-Pillars of Jessica's 2001 Saturn struck the rear of the Stoughton Trailer," the complaint says. "The trailer impact to the upper A-Pillars of Jessica's 2001 Saturn with the rear of the Stoughton Trailer frame deformed the upper A-Pillars rearward and downward pulling the roof panel downward allowing the trailer to ride over and compress the roof panel into occupant survival space such that Jessica's head came into contact with the roof headliner and panel, breaking her cervical spine and lacerating her head."

Because of the injury to her cervical spine, Baker was paralyzed and remains a quadriplegic, she claims.

She contends that her paralysis could have been avoided if the rear impact guard was properly attached to the back of the trailer.

"Had the rear impact guard on the Stoughton Trailer been attached with adequate fasteners that could withstand at least as much force as the rear impact guard itself, excessive underride would not have occurred," the complaint says.

Baker was wearing her seatbelt and the airbag deployed, but the lack of adequate safety features on the trailer made the safety equipment in Baker's automobile largely ineffective, the lawsuit claims.

In addition to Valeanu, Bronnbauer, Stoughton Trailer, Kleinschmidt and Air Product and Chemicals, other defendants in the suit include Motor City Express, Challenger Motor Freight, James Group International, James Group International II, Inc., James Group Midwest, STI Holdings and Kevin M. Ryan.

Motor City Express, James Group International, James Group International II, James Group Midwest and Challenger Motor Freight agreed to provide tractor trailer transportation. At the time of the collision, Valeanu was driving a tractor trailer for the companies, according to the complaint.

STI Holdings manufactured the vehicle Valeanu was driving at the time of the collision, the complaint says.

Ryan was driving a 2007 Freightliner tractor and a compressed gas trailer for Air Products and Chemicals, which was the trailer initially stopped on the Interstate, the suit states.

Baker is seeking a judgment in excess of $500,000.

Continue reading "Illinois trucking accident lawsuit seeks damages for teenager left paralyzed" »

Insuring a rental car is critical in the event of a Chicago car accident -- Illinois visitors and residents alike are encouraged to know the status of their coverage as we hit the height of summer tourist and driving season.

Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes remind motorists that driving a strange car in a strange area puts rental cars at increased risk for accident.

Insuranceagents.com has issued a reminder of the importance of making sure proper coverage is in place for a rented vehicle.

"The worst thing that could ruin your trip is finding yourself in an emergency and without any rental car insurance," the agency said. "The costs for even a minor accident could be astronomical. Do you know if you're already insured for a rental car, or do you need additional coverage?"

Those renting a car need to check their own car insurance policy to see if it includes rental car insurance. Another source of coverage can be your credit card, which can include coverage for cars rented using the card. However, such coverage often applies only to damage to the car and not personal injury or medical expenses.

"First call your auto insurance agent to verify whether your auto insurance policy extends to rental cars as well. In general, if you are traveling for pleasure, such as a vacation or visiting family or friends, your policy will also cover a rental car," according to the Insuranceagents.com article, 'Rental Car Dilemma: Would You Like Insurance With That?' "Be careful though: any gap in coverage in your own auto policy applies to your car rental."

The article warns business travelers that personal auto insurance often does not cover someone traveling for business and supplemental insurance from the rental agency may be required.

Some typical types of supplemental coverage includes:

- CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) and LDW (Loss Damage Waiver): These waivers cover you for any theft, vandalism, or physical damage resulting from an accident.

- PAI (Personal Accident Insurance): This coverage applies to any medical costs related to an accident with the rental vehicle.

- SLI (Supplemental Liability Insurance): This type of coverage extends your liability coverage, usually up to $1 million.

-PEC (Personal Effects Coverage): If your personal property is stolen or damaged while inside the rental vehicle, it will be covered under this insurance coverage.

Continue reading "Chicago visitors, Illinois residents reminded that rental car insurance is critical in the event of an accident" »

Fourth of July holiday weekends claim an average of 500 to 700 lives in traffic fatalities and almost half are alcohol related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

2006 was the deadliest this decade with 659 fatalities, compared to the 200 that were recorded in 2007 when Fourth of July fell on a Wednesday.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is urging motorists to buckle up, stay sober, comply with posted speed limits and use extra caution in construction zones.

“While we want everyone to enjoy their holiday weekend, we must put safety first and remind motorists to not drink and drive and to be conscious of work zones,” said IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig. “We will limit lane closures where possible to provide some relief to those travelling over the holiday weekend, but some areas will still have workers present, so please obey the posted speed limits and drive cautiously."

Illinois State Police will be conducting a DUI crackdown.

“The sad reality is that numerous lives are impacted every day in Illinois because of an impaired driver,” Illinois State Police Director Jonathon Monken said. “Even with the raised awareness about the consequences of drinking and driving, there are still those who choose to drive while impaired. That's why the ISP will increase our enforcement efforts by working closely with our local partners during the July 4th holiday.”

The You Drink & Drive. You Lose crackdown began June 19 and runs through July 5. It is being supported by nearly $1 million in federal safety funds being made available by IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety.

For more information about the impaired driving in Illinois, please visit www.drivesoberillinois.org.

IDOT will suspend construction-related lane closures starting at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 2 to midnight, Sunday, July 5.

Wherever a road is closed, a detour will be posted. In some areas, there will be lane restrictions.

Due to the nature of some projects, there will be a number of work zones that will continue to have lane closures. Motorists are advised to slow down and be alert in those work zones, and are reminded that work zone speed limits are still in effect.

For more information about ongoing construction projects, motorists can check IDOT’s traveler Web site http://www.gettingaroundillinois.com. Interstate road information is also available at 1-800-452 IDOT (4368).

The NHTSA tracks traffic fatalities for New Year's, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Continue reading "Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes wish everyone a safe Fourth of July" »

After failed attempts to reach a settlement, car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have filed a lawsuit against a driver who is insured by State Farm. The claim arises out of an automobile vs. motor scooter collision which took place on June 25, 2008.

Our client was riding his motorized scooter westbound on Lawrence Ave. in Chicago, Illinois. The car in front of him had stopped to make a left turn and then came to a stop behind the car stopped in front of him.

The defendant was driving her Buick Century westbound on Lawrence Ave. She failed to stop for stopped traffic and struck the plaintiff. The front end of her vehicle hit the rear of the scooter. The force of the impact threw our client off the scooter and injured him. He landed on the pavement on his back.

The lawsuit alleges the defendant failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to stop for stopped traffic, was driving at an excessive rate of speed, and failed to exercise due care for the safety of those in the area, including the Plaintiff.

Following the collision the plaintiff had an immediate onset of head, neck, back and left foot pain. That night his condition worsened and he was unable to sleep.

Due to his worsening symptoms our client sought medical treatment the next day at an Urgent Care Center. He complained mostly of head and back pain. A history was taken, he was examined and diagnostic tests were performed.

Continue reading "Chicago Injury Lawyers file lawsuit against State Farm driver" »

The tough economy is forcing people to reduce their automobile insurance, increase their deductibles, shop for cheaper coverage and, in some cases, even cancel their insurance.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes urge motorists to carry as much uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage as they can afford. Reducing expenses by reducing auto insurance is shortsighted at best -- the cost is minimal compared to the expense of being hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver.

The Insurance Research Council reports that a recent survey found 15 percent of those surveyed said they had increased their deductibles or reduced their coverage in order to reduce their premium costs.

Nine percent of those surveyed said they canceled or did not renew vehicle coverage in response to the economic downturn.

Encouragingly, the survey found most homeowners and drivers have continued their insurance coverage, even if they shopped for a lower rate.

"These findings confirm that most Americans recognize the importance of maintaining essential insurance coverage on their homes and cars," said Elizabeth A. Sprinkel, senior vice president of the IRC. "But they also show that Americans are willing to shop and reevaluate their insurance needs in order to reduce insurance costs."

And a proposal awaits the signature of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn that would make failure to carry auto insurance a criminal offense, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Current law allows for a fine of up to $1,000 and license suspension of up to 6 months.

Chicago car accident attorney Dave Abels was recently interviewed about the new law and blogged about the inadequacy of the state's mandatory minimum insurance of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident.

The new law is tougher, but still not tough enough.

Here is the big problem with the insurance law in Illinois. The minimum coverage is still $20,000 per person, and $40,000 per occurrence. No amount of money is going to bring a loved one back or make a family whole again, but $20,000 is a slap in the face. (I have handled car accident death cases where the victim incurred over $500,000 in medical bills before passing away).

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Authorities are reminding motorists of the tough laws that are in place for those caught speeding in work zones through the summer construction season.

The Chicago car accident and worker's compensation lawyers at Abels & Annes urge motorists to give our construction workers a break -- drive safely so everyone can get home to their families.

“Construction season is in full effect and we want to urge motorists to comply with the posted speed limits in all work zones,” Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said. “If you are caught speeding in a work zone, at minimum you will be looking at a fine of $375, and while some may think that’s harsh, you cannot put a price on a life.”

IDOT is joining the Illinois State Police and Illinois Tollway in reminding motorists of the tough penalties for speeding in construction zones. Lawmakers passed legislation in 2004 that targets speeders in construction zones because of the danger to construction workers and other drivers.

The state says the tougher laws have reduced work-zone fatalities by 50 percent. In 2003, there were 44 work zone traffic related fatalities with 5 workers killed; 2007 showed a consistent decrease resulting in 21 traffic related work zone fatalities with 2 workers killed.

First time speeds, including those caught on camera, face a $375 fine, including $125 that goes to off-duty State Troopers to provided added enforcement in construction zones.

Second-time offenders face a $1,000 fine and a 90-day license suspension. Tickets in a construction zone also require a mandatory court appearance.

In addition, drivers who hit a worker are subject for up to a $10,000 fine and 14 years in prison. The law also permits photo enforcement of speeding in construction zones.

This summer, five vans will be deployed across the state. Staffed by State Troopers, the vans can take photographs of speeders and the tickets can be issued in the mail to vehicle owners.
The registered owner will not be liable if someone else is driving the vehicle.

To date, over 8,000 citations have been issued across the state.

"As the work zone season is well underway, we want to remind motorists the importance of slowing down and staying alert when workers are present," said Illinois State Police Director Jonathan E. Monken. "In an effort to reduce fatalities and injuries, Troopers will be out in force strictly enforcing the 45 mile per hour work zone speed limit, both for the safety of construction workers and motorists. Drivers can expect to see aggressive enforcement with increased patrol cars, photo enforcement vans and motorcycle units to help save lives on our roadways during this construction season."

Click here more information regarding photo radar enforcement.

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What do you do every day while driving that has the greatest potential to get you into a car accident?

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes begin the work week by examining the 10 deadliest driving mistakes motorists make, as compiled by MSN Autos.

As MSN Autos puts it, "Don't just blame it on 'them' -- everyone is guilty of making common driving mistakes that can endanger us all."

Swerving
The No. 1 fatal mistake made by drivers is perhaps the most simple: not staying in their own lane. In 2007, 15,574 people died in crashes where the driver simply couldn't stay in the lane, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Driving While Drowsy
In 2007 fatigued driving caused the deaths of 1,404 people, according to the NHTSA. More traffic fatalities occurred during the hours when most people are accustomed to being asleep (3 a.m. to 6 a.m.) than at any other time of day.

"Driving a vehicle when you are fatigued is as dangerous as driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs," National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said after a fatal highway accident in 2003 in which a college student who had been awake for the previous 18 hours was driving a carload of fellow students at 5 a.m.

Drinking and Driving
Every 40 minutes someone dies in a drunk-driving accident. (A little-known fact is that you can be charged with driving while impaired even if you're under the legal limit of .08).

Young drivers are particularly prone to drinking and driving: The 21- to 34-year-old set is responsible for well over half of alcohol-related fatal crashes. Not surprisingly, the decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated is made most often at night and on the weekends. According to the NHTSA, 60 percent of drivers who died after dark in 2007 were legally drunk. Alcohol is also a factor in half of pedestrian traffic deaths — both drivers and pedestrians are the culprits.

Overcorrecting
Overcorrecting or oversteering is a particularly perilous maneuver when you're behind the wheel of an SUV driving on the highway at high speeds. Consider it a rollover waiting to happen. More than 4 percent of automobile fatalities a year occur because of drivers overcorrecting.

Speeding
Racing, driving faster than the posted speed limit or simply going too fast for road conditions comprises the second highest cause of death in fatal crashes, according to the NHTSA.

Once you hit 55 mph, you're in the danger zone: 30 percent of fatalities occur at 55 or above.

Failure to Yield Right of Way
For drivers age 70 and above, failing to yield while merging into traffic is the top cause of crashes. In a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers 80 and older simply fail to see the other vehicle they should be yielding to. Drivers 70 to 79 see the vehicle but misjudge whether they have time to proceed ahead of it. Failure to yield right of way was the fifth leading cause of fatal crashes in 2007.

Erratic or Reckless Driving
At its mildest, we're talking about weaving and tailgating; at its most severe, this kind of driving involves steering down the wrong side of the road, exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph or doing more than 80 mph, and worse. Reckless driving can bring fines, jail time — and death. More than 1,850 fatalities in 2007 were the result of erratic or reckless drivers.

Running Red Lights
A whopping 75 percent of automobile crashes occur in cities, according to the nonprofit Insurance Research Council. The most common cause of these accidents? Hitting the gas when the light turns red.

Not Wearing a Seat Belt
Despite the fact that seat belt use is far more prevalent than even a decade ago — not to mention being legally required — 33 percent of people who die in vehicle fatalities failed to buckle up. Without a seat belt, car drivers and passengers put themselves at risk of being ejected from a vehicle, and 76 percent of the time the ejection ends in death.

Inattentive Driving
Eating, talking on a cell phone, typing text messages and fumbling with the car stereo all fall under the umbrella of inattentive driving, which was responsible for 4,704 deaths in 2007. Of these bad habits, cell phone use behind the wheel is becoming standard practice, with an estimated 1 million Americans driving and talking on the phone at any given time -- those who use their cell phone while driving increase their risk of an accident by four times.

Continue reading "Chicago car accident lawyers present 10 lethal driving mistakes from MSN Autos" »

The State of Missouri has barred a Chicago auto insurance company from doing business with motorists in that state, after the company was accused of unfairly denying claims, offering unreasonably low settlement offers and failing to respond to or properly investigate claims filed by policy holders in a timely manner.

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes urge motorists to check the complaint history of their insurance company before choosing or renewing your policy.

The Illinois Department of Insurance offers shopping tips and Illinois complaint historiesfor motorists choosing an insurance company.

Illinois records indicate the insurance carrier had 260 complaints in 2007 -- the highest number of any auto insurance company in Illinois.

Missouri's Department of Insurance reported they have more than 13 times the typical number of consumer complaints for a company it's size -- 63 complaints have been filed so far this year.

"The department has serious concerns about Universal Casualty's ability to comply with Missouri consumer protection laws and treat its customers fairly," said John Huff, director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP). "We need to be convinced that the company has sufficient staffing and resources for handling insurance claims. Until then, we cannot allow the company to sell new policies in Missouri."

The order forbids the company from writing any new policies in the state but allows it to service current policies. The state reported the company wrote $5.9 million in premiums last year.

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Specific circumstances, occupations and health issues can put you at higher risk for drowsy driving. But in reality we are all at risk from sharing the road with drowsy drivers.

As part of its Summer Safe Driving series, the Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes look at the affects of drowsy driving on your roadway safety and offer some tips to avoid drowsy driving.

While night drivers are at highest risk from drowsy drivers, statistics also show a surprising spike in mid afternoon.

The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates 56,000 crashes a year are caused by drowsy drivers, including 1,550 fatal crashes.

Specific risk groups include young people, especially males under 25; commercial drivers, especially long-haul truckers where drowsy driving is blamed for 15 percent of all heavy truck crashes; business travelers and people with health problems or sleep disorders.

The rest of us can put ourselves at higher risk. Risk factors include, sleep deprivation and fatigue (6 hours of sleep or less per night); insomnia and poor sleep quality; driving long distances without proper rest breaks; driving through the night, near sundown, during mid-afternoon or when you would normally be asleep; taking sedatives like antidepressants and cold medicines; working more than 60 hours a week or working shift work; and drinking even small amounts of alcohol.

Signs you are a drowsy driver, according the the National Sleep Foundation:

* Difficulty focusing, frequent blinking, or heavy eyelids
* Daydreaming; wandering/disconnected thoughts
* Trouble remembering the last few miles driven; missing exits or traffic signs
* Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
* Trouble keeping your head up
* Drifting from your lane, tailgating, or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
* Feeling restless and irritable

Adequate sleep and planning:

Before hitting the road, drivers should:
* Get a good night’s sleep. Sleep experts recommend between 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

* Plan to drive long trips with a companion. Passengers can help look for early warning signs of fatigue or switch drivers when needed. Passengers should stay awake to talk to the driver.

* Schedule regular stops, every 100 miles or two hours.

* Avoid alcohol and medications that may impair performance. Alcohol interacts with fatigue, increasing its effects — just like drinking on an empty stomach.

* Consult your physician or a local sleep disorders center for diagnosis and treatment if you suffer frequent daytime sleepiness, often have difficulty sleeping at night, and/or snore loudly every night.

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More than 1.5 million people will get into a car accident this year because of driver distraction, according to federal statistics.

That's more than 4,300 crashes a day!

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes, handle cases often where someone was injured or killed by a distracted driver. As part of its Summer Safe Driving series, the firm urges everyone to take a minute and review their driving habits to eliminate points of distraction.

Eighty percent of the nation's 6 million auto accidents are caused by some form of driver distraction in the three seconds leading to the collision, according to a landmark 2006 study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

AAA has also studied the issue and provides a number of driver resources.

The problem is so serious that Illinois commissioned a distracted driver task force that issued its final report last year.

Legislation sponsored by Illinois Rep. William Blake, R-Danville, would create a misdemeanor category of negligent vehicular homicide, which could result in up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for distracted drivers who cause a fatal accident. Black pushed for the reform after a 25-year-old Urbana cyclist was killed by a driver who went off the road while downloading ring tones on her cell phone.

The NHTSA found:
-Reaching for a moving object while driving increases your risk of a crash by 9 times.
- Dialing a hand held device increases your risk of an accident by 3 times.
- Looking at an external object increases your risk by 3.7 times.
- Reading or applying makeup increases your risk by 3 times.

The state's distracted driving task force notes Illinois has been a leader in battling distracted driving, with a number of laws on the books, including: prohibiting driver headsets in 2001; prohibiting bus drivers from operating cell phones in 2002; prohibiting media technology other than navigation systems from being visible to the driver; and prohibiting drivers under 19 from using cell phones.

A national survey revealed the following typical driver distractions:
- Talking to passengers
- Adjusting vehicle climate/radio controls
- Eating
- Using a cell phone
- Tending to children
- Reading
- Grooming
-Preparing for work

Signs you are a distracted driver:
- Has a passenger in your vehicle screamed or gasped because of something you did or did not do?
- Have you ran a stop sign or traffic control device unintentionally?
- Have you slammed on the brakes because you did not see the car in front of you stop?
- Have you ever reached your destination and not recalled part or all of the journey?

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A Chicago man caused a rollover car accident this week after attempting to make a U-turn across three lanes of traffic to get to Hooters.

"He decided he wanted to go to Hooters and decided to make a U-turn" across three lanes of traffic after passing the establishment on the Chicago side of the street, Park Ridge Police Cmdr. Lou Jogmen told the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate. As he made the turn he reportedly collided with the Jeep, causing the vehicle to flip over and land on its roof just west of the restaurant.

Nobody was seriously injured so the incident is worth a small chuckle.

Yet, not only was the driver cited for driving with a suspended license but the improper lane change and improper U-turn are both cited by the State of Illinois as leading causes of aggressive driving accidents.

More than half of all fatal accidents are caused by some form of aggressive driving, according to the AAA foundation.

The driver of the Jeep was not seriously injured and had exited the vehicle before police arrived. Police say they want to present him with a "Saved by the Belt" award for wearing his seat belt at the time of the auto accident.

But the newspaper photo shows that this accident could have easily resulted in serious injuries. And anyone involved in a rollover accident should take the time to be examined by a physician.

Aggressive drivers who cause serious accidents can face fines and jail time, depending on the circumstances.

No word on whether the culprit every made it to Hooters. But it's safe to say it was way later that he had hoped.

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