Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Chicago motorcycle accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. have entered into an agreement to represent a motorcyclist from the North Side who was injured in an August 27 accident. The collision occurred as our client rode his motorcycle northbound on Milwaukee Avenue near its intersection with Paulina.

At that time the driver of an SUV failed to see our client and turned left without yielding. There was a collision and the plaintiff was knocked to the ground.

A Chicago Fire Department ambulance rushed the plaintiff to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He sustained multiple lacerations on his legs, a left ankle injury, multiple bruises and abrasions, and neck and back injuries. 52 stitches were required to repair his lacerations.

The injured motorcycle rider is following up with a medical doctor for further treatment.

The Chicago Police Department investigated the accident. The driver of the SUV was ticketed for failing to yield while turning left.

Continue reading "Chicago injury lawyers retained in Illinois motorcycle accident case" »

Officials in Indiana are trying to make sense of a study that found that teens who take driver's education classes are four time more likely to be involved in a crash than those who forgo the training.

The report by the Chicago Breaking News Center comes as officials nationwide continue the effort to reduce the number of serious and fatal car accidents involving teen drivers. As we reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, a teen challenge is running through mid-September, which encourages young drivers to submit public service announcements about the dangers of texting and driving.

Safety advocates point to Illinois' Graduated Driver Licensing System, considered by some to be one of the nation's best young-driver programs, for the reduction in Chicago car accidents involving teenagers.

“I am pleased and encouraged that the number of teen crash fatalities continues to drop since my Teen Driver Safety Task Force issued recommendations that led to the strengthening of Illinois’ graduated driver licensing (GDL) program,” said Secretary of State Jesse White. “Since the stronger GDL program took effect in 2008, teen driving deaths have dropped by over 50 percent."

Still, 164 motorists were killed in Illinois car accidents involving young drivers in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nationwide, 5,864 young drivers were involved in fatal crashes and more than 228,000 motorists were injured in accidents involving young drivers.

The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette reported that the study looked at 122,924 young drivers in Indiana, more than half of whom did not take driver's education. Nearly five percent of driver's ed students were involved in an accident, compared to 1 percent of students without formal driver training. Officials caution that some of the discrepancy might be because teens who take driver's ed are allowed to get their permits at a younger age and hold a permit for at least six months longer.

Still, the Associated Press reported it might be time to overhaul the driver education system in that state, which has not been updated in three decades.

Continue reading "Training of teen drivers has led to fewer Chicago car accidents -- In Indiana ... not so much" »

A lawsuit has been filed over a suburban Chicago school bus accident by a mother who claims her child was injured when the driver fell out of the bus while trying to vomit, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

With the school year set to begin, school bus safety will be back in focus. The causes of school bus accidents can include new or inexperienced drivers, faulty or poorly maintained equipment, unruly passengers, distracted driving, driving under the influence or the driving behavior of another motorist on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that school buses remain among the safest modes of transportation, with an average of just 19 deaths reported each year.

However, many others are injured in school bus accidents and school-related transportation crashes each year. And the fall brings increased risk as motorists get used to watching for buses and students as the school year begins.

In this case, a mother of a child who was injured has filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court, claiming the driver of the Illinois Central School Bus opened the door to vomit, and then fell out of the bus. The bus continued on and crashed into a nearby ditch. The crash reportedly occurred as the bus approached an intersection in Pembroke Township in Kankakee County.

The personal injury lawsuit reports that the child was injured; it does not say whether other students on the bus were also hurt.

The Illinois Central School Bus company would not comment on the lawsuit but said safety was a top priority. Based in suburban Montgomery, the bus company claims to be the 7th largest school bus transportation company in the United States.

Just last week a Chicago injury lawyer at Abels & Annes entered into an agreement to represent a bike rider that was injured on the Lakefront Trail. She was struck by a taxicab that failed to stop at a stop sign near Soldier Field.

Authorities hope the first comprehensive study of Lakefront Trail in more than a decade could reduce the number of serious Chicago bicycle accidents and pedestrian accidents that occur during peak congestion, the Sun-Times reported.

Safety advocates are looking to determine the busiest times and spots on the trail. More than 100 Active Transportation Alliance volunteers counted pedestrians, in-line skaters and cyclists at 30 trail locations last week, including entry points along Lake Shore Drive.

"We all know it's busy," said Gia Biagi, the Chicago Park District's director of planning. However, "we wanted to really establish quantitatively, 'What is the usership?' "

As officials determine how the path is utilized by commuters and recreational users, they will be seeking strategies to make the path safer and more efficient. Last summer, the Sun-Times reported that crashes on the path occur quite frequently but are not specifically tracked.

Chicago pedestrian accidents killed 52 and injured more than 3,200 in 2008, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Five cyclists were killed and more than 1,700 were injured in Chicago bicycle accidents.

City leaders say the analysis is not motivated by safety issues, but rather the need for maintenance and improvements, including trail widening.

Continue reading "Study of Lakefront Trail could reduce congestion, Chicago bicycle and pedestrian accidents" »

A Chicago car accident claimed the life of a cab driver early Monday morning after colliding with a motorcycle and then slamming into a utility pole, WGNTV reported.

The motorcycle rider was among two other accident victims that were transported to Resurrection Medical Center for treatment. The Chicago Breaking News Center reported that the rider was reported to be in good condition. It's unknown whether the other victim was a passenger in the cab.

The accident pushed the utility pole into a garage, which collapsed from the impact.

Also early Monday, a motorcycle rider was killed in an accident with a semi in Chicago. The 33-year-old rider was killed on the Dan Ryan Expressway about two blocks from 35th Street. The accident happened shortly after 1:30 a.m. and closed the expressway's inbound lanes for about three hours.

Riders are expected to be out in force through the remainder of summer, hitting the roads through the long Labor Day weekend and into fall as long as weather permits. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation reports that more than half of all motorcycle accidents involve another motorist who is usually at fault in the crash.

In 2008, a total of 5,290 riders were killed and more than 96,000 were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Illinois motorcycle accidents killed 121 riders.

The Foundation offers safe driving tips for avoiding motorcycle accidents.

Safety advocates are challenging teenagers to create a public service announcement aimed at reminding young drivers of the dangers of using cell phones or text messaging while driving.

As we reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, a new study by Seventeen Magazine suggests that teenagers understand the dangers but ignore the risks. Officials hope speaking to them in their own language will help reduce the risk of Chicago car accidents and traffic crashes caused by teen drivers throughout the country.

The "National Two-Second Turnoff Day Video Challenge" will encourage young drivers to take two seconds to turn off their cell phone before climbing behind the wheel -- about the same amount of time it takes to get into an accident by taking their eyes off the road.

The challenge runs from Aug. 2 to Sept. 10 and the winning video will be aired during National Two Second Turnoff Day on Sept. 17. The video will also be part of the national Distracted Driving Summit scheduled for Sept. 21.

A teen driver entry form is available here.

“One in four teen drivers say they’ve texted behind the wheel, and that’s a trend we’ve got to confront head on,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This contest is an innovative and fun way to get teens involved in spreading the word about the importance of keeping their eyes on the road – and off their phones.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 6,000 motorists are killed and more than 500,000 are injured each year in accidents caused by distracted drivers.

“Eighty-Six percent of teens know that distracted driving is dangerous—and they do it anyway,” says Ann Shoket, editor in chief of Seventeen Magazine. “This contest helps teens hammer the real danger of driving while distracted to prevent accidents and save lives.”

A total of 164 motorists were killed in Illinois car accidents involving young drivers in 2008, according to government statistics.

Continue reading "Teen challenge could reduce the number of Chicago car accidents involving teen drivers" »

Driving with a pet in your vehicle is fun, but not a good idea. As a distracted driving habit, it ranks right up there with using a hand-held cell phone and can increase your risk of being involved in a serious or fatal Chicago car accident.

The Breaking News Center reports a new survey by AAA has found that two out of three dog owners routinely drive with their pets in the car.

An 80-pound dog exerts more than one ton (2,400 pounds) of force during a 30 mph accidents. "As about 40 percent of Americans own dogs. We see this as an increasingly big problem,'' said Beth Mosher, spokeswoman for AAA in Illinois.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are more than 77 million dogs in the United States -- or about one dog for every four people.

While the site of a dog hanging its head out a car window is nothing new, the behavior of drivers with pets has grown increasingly dangerous, including drivers who keep a dog in their lap or who feed or water their pet while driving through traffic. Additionally, emergency crews report that dogs can become aggressive in protection of an owner in the wake of an accident. The Illinois State Police reports dogs have had to be shot in order to get medical aid to a vehicle's occupants.

A survey sponsored by AAA and Kurgo, a company that makes pet restraint systems, found that 55 percent of owners who travel with their dogs admit to petting them while driving. One in five drivers held a dog in their lap.

Other dangerous habits included feeding or watering a dog or playing with a dog while the vehicle was in motion. Fewer than 1 in 5 travelers used a restraint system to limit distractions and ensure pet safety.

Continue reading "Dogs can be a danger when it comes to Chicago car accidents caused by distracted driving" »

A Chicago car accident on the Northwest Side resulted in the death of a 4-year-old boy on Sunday morning, ABC7 reported.

The car in which the boy and a 2-year-old were riding was eastbound on Fullerton Avenue at Kilbourne Avenue when it rear-ended another car. Both cars then went careening into other vehicles. The driver of the car the boy was riding in was taken into police custody. The 4-year-old North Saint Louis Avenue boy was taken to Children's Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after 2 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

The 2-year-old passenger and the driver of one of the other vehicles were also transported to the hospital. The Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating.

While our Chicago accident attorneys spend a lot of time talking about teenagers and the dangers of auto accidents, car accidents are also the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Every day in the U.S. an average of 4 children are killed and 529 are injured in auto accidents. In 2008, a total of 1,347 children under the age of 14 were killed in traffic accidents and more than 193,000 were injured.

-20 percent were killed in pedestrian accidents.

-11 percent were killed in bicycle accidents.

-Nearly half of those killed were unrestrained. The use of appropriate safety seats reduces the risk of injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers.

Illinois traffic accidents claimed the lives of 44 young motorists in 2008, including 23 who were under the age of 7.

A 16-year-old has been killed in a hit-and-run Chicago car accident during a police pursuit and the child's father is questioning the report of the incident by the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

Police are still looking for the driver of the gray Hyundai Sonata, the Chicago Breaking News Center reported. The car reportedly swerved off Greenwood Avenue near 154th Street and struck the 16-year-old as he was riding his bike. The impact of the bicycle accident launched the teen into oncoming traffic.

On Monday, the victim's father questioned why the driver was traveling more than 70 mph if deputies behind the vehicle were never going faster than 35 mph, as authorities contend. He believes a high-speed chase was responsible for his son's death.

Authorities report the car was traveling at a high rate of speed when it passed an unmarked police cruiser on the Bishop Ford Freeway shortly before 8 p.m. The sheriff's office said officers did not give chase, but did exit the freeway and remain behind the vehicle. The vehicle reportedly sped away when officers hit the emergency lights.

A Dolton police squad car attempted to box in the fleeing car as it sped south on Greenwood. The car then hit another vehicle and swerved off the road, where it struck the victim, Kenyatta Brack.

The victim and a friend had been riding bicycles to meet the victim's mother, who was getting off the bus after work just a few miles from the crash scene.

Our Chicago car accident lawyers frequently talk about the dangers faced by teen drivers on the road. But it is our ever-growing population of older drivers who are the fastest-growing at-risk category.

The Washington Post reports that drivers over the age of 75 were more likely than any other age group to be involved in a fatal crash. They were also twice as likely to say they planned to drive into their 90s than those ages 65 to 74.

Meanwhile, the percentage of those over 75 who remain licensed to drive has increased in the last decade, from 73 percent to 78 percent. And the 30 million senior drivers on the road could double in the next two decades as the Baby Boomers hit the road to retirement. The resulting conversation about when it's time to hang up the keys "is happening all across the United States in families up and down the streets every day," said Elinor Ginzler, a senior vice president of AARP. "It's a huge issue."

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that 4,268 motorists over the age of 70 were killed in car accidents in 2008 -- significantly more than the 3,775 who died in 1975. The elderly population has also doubled during that time, from 14.5 million to 27.5 million.

Drivers are living longer and they are dealing with debilitating illnesses -- including heart disease, Parkinson's, dementia, Alzheimer's and diabetes -- which can make driving an increasingly dangerous proposition.

"In the old days, or even 20 years ago, people just did not live long enough for this to be a problem," said Elin Schold-Davis, head of the American Occupational Therapy Association's Older Driver Initiative, who notes that some older drivers are taking potent medications that fog concentration. "People are living with a level of impairment that is unprecedented."

A total of 163 drivers over the age of 65 were killed in Illinois car accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The federal government offers driving resources for older adults and families. Topics include:

-Safe driving for older adults
-Driver transition education
-Talking with older drivers
-Screening and evaluation
-Medication and older drivers
-Adapting the vehicle for older adults
-Understanding and influencing older drivers
-Driving safely and aging gracefully
-Family and friends concerned about an older driver

Continue reading "Senior drivers an increasing safety issue -- older motorists at greater risk of a Chicago car accident" »

Family members who lose loved ones in Chicago car accidents or traffic accidents elsewhere in Illinois will be allowed to buy official memorial markers under a new state law, the Herald-Review reported.

The program would permit the markers to then be installed by the Illinois Department of Transportation near the scene of the accident. Technically, such memorials were not permitted under previous law, although road crews often left them alone if they were small and not distracting to passing motorists. The new program, which was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn, is similar to a program already in place for the victims of drunk driving accidents.

In addition to a traditional burial plot, families frequently wish to commemorate the spot where a motorist was last alive. In Australia, a study suggested that as many as 1 in 5 highway fatalities have been honored with a roadside memorial.

The origin of roadside markers in the United States can be traced to the early Hispanic settlers of the Southwest; they were used to mark the place where a coffin was set while pallbearers rested during a funeral procession from the church to the graveyard.

The legality of the memorials varies in the United States. In California, residents must pay a state fee of $1,000. In Colorado, Massachusetts and Wisconsin, the memorials have been banned.

In 2008, a total of 1,043 people were killed in Illinois traffic accidents.

The Chicago Daily Herald is calling for tougher punishment for those caught leaving the scene of a Chicago car accident.

The paper said it was raising the issue after two high-profile cases: The son of the Elk Grove Village mayor was fined $195 for leaving the scene after striking a parked car; and a DuPage County judge was fined $500 after leaving the scene of an accident involving a parked car in Glen Ellyn.

But hardly a week goes by that our Chicago car accident lawyers are not reporting serious or fatal injuries caused in a hit-and-run accident.

The newspaper questions whether the law is tough enough, since a driver is likely to suffer less punishment for leaving the scene of an accident than for DUI; and research suggests an offender convicted of DUI is much more likely to have their driver's license suspended.

While the penalties are much more severe for leaving the scene of serious or fatal accidents, the media continues to report almost daily occurrences. Often a driver panics, but the decision can be life-threatening for a victim, especially in cases involving a cyclist or pedestrian who is left on the ground, often in the dark, usually with very serious injuries.

The law requires that you stop and offer assistance to an injury victim; that you trade basic information with other drivers involved; and that you notify authorities, according to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office. Those caught leaving the scene can be fined up to $2,500 and sentenced to up to one year in jail. If a driver fails to report a crash for over 30 minutes after it occurred, they may be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to up to three years in prison.

Common reasons that drivers do not stop at the scene of a crash include impaired driving, speeding, and driving without a license or proper insurance. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports that 86 unlicensed drivers have been involved in the state's 459 fatal crashes so far this year.

Continue reading "Hit-and-run drivers increase risk of serious or fatal injuries for victims of Chicago car accidents" »