Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Last month a nurse was struck by a passing vehicle as she was helping a motorist who had driven into a ditch. This Illinois car accident happened along U.S. 51 in Jackson County, between Carbondale and DeSoto and killed the nurse.

Authorities are still investigating the scene, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys remind you of Scott's Law, or the Move Over Law as the summer travel season gets underway. Scott's Law is meant to protect stationary vehicles, especially emergency responders and other law enforcement with activated lights.

According to the Illinois State Police, Scott's Law requires drivers to approach these types of vehicles with extreme cautions, yield the right-of-way, move to the lane farthest from them and reduce your speed.

These requirements should be enforced to help those stranded motorists on the side of the road as well, whether they're stopped because their vehicle is broken down, they've been involved in a fender bender or they have a flat tire.

Violating Scott's Law can land you with a fine of up to $10,000 or license suspension.

This law is created to protect those that may be immobile on the side of the road. It is all too common that a motor vehicle accident leads to a secondary accident or injury. Those who stop to help troubled motorists oftentimes put themselves at an even greater risk for injury.

Motorists are urged to follow these roadside safety tips if you have to stop your car along the side of the road:

-Pull over and off the road as far as you can.

-Be sure to turn on your hazard lights to help ensure other motorists will see you pulled over.

-Call police to let them know you are pulled over on the side of the road and let them know the reason.

-Be sure to keep 2 reflectors in the trunk of your car. Place one in the front and one in the back on your vehicle. Be sure they're placed at least 50 feet away from your car.

-If it is the daytime, make sure that you and your occupants exit the vehicle. If you're pulled over in the evening hours it's safer for you to remain in your vehicle.

-Call a mechanic if your car has broken down. In these scenarios, it is better to call for the help of a professional than to attempt to fix it yourself.

-If you've stopped to help a stranded motorist, be sure to stay away from the vehicle, all safety precautions are being exercised and you've called for help.

Continue reading " Nurse Struck and Killed After Helping Stranded Motorists in Illinois Car Accident " »

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" »

Illinois residents convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol will have a tougher time repeating their mistakes starting in 2009. As the Rockford Register Start reported, a new state law takes effect Jan. 1, 2009, requiring first-time offenders to install a breathalyzer-like device in their vehicles if they wish to continue driving to essential destinations like work during a license suspension. This ignition interlock device requires drivers to breathe into a tube that tests their breath for alcohol before the vehicle will start. Drivers must pay for the installation and lease of their own devices, as well as a monthly monitoring fee; they may also choose to bypass these costs by not driving at all while their licenses are suspended.

According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Illinois is one of eight states with a law requiring an interlock device for anyone convicted of DUI. Ten others, including Missouri and Kansas, require it for offenders with a high blood-alcohol concentration or for repeat offenders, and Oregon requires one for people whose licenses are reinstated after a DUI license suspension is over. The new Illinois law is close to MADD’s model law, which calls for a device to be installed within about a month of any DUI conviction.

Drunk driving, and driving under the influence of drugs, is an accident risk so well-known that it's almost a cliche. As an Illinois auto accident lawyer, I see the destructive effects of intoxicated driving more often than I’d like -- wrongful deaths, serious burns, head injuries and other very serious injuries. A breathalyzer device on the ignition can cut down on those tragedies by providing an objective test of whether the driver is safe to drive.

At Abels & Annes, we handle all types of auto accident cases, including drunk driving lawsuits. Based in Chicago, we handle legal claims throughout Illinois involving car, truck, SUV and motorcycle accidents. If you or someone you care about was seriously hurt in an accident that you believe was someone else’s fault, we would like to help. To learn more about your legal options and your rights at a free consultation, please contact us today through our Web site or at (312) 399-8988.

Chicago saw three accidents with fire trucks in as many days in November, according to NBC Chicago. In a Nov. 8 accident, a woman drove her car into the side of a fire truck at around 10 a.m.; she told authorities that she couldn’t tell where the siren was coming from, although a spokesman for the Fire Department said other traffic at the intersection was stopped. On Nov. 6, another woman failed to yield to a fire truck, causing the truck to hit her car and then a building.

In the third accident, on Nov. 7, a man ran a stop sign into the path of a fire truck. The impact pushed the man’s car into a pole and two parked cars. The man was not badly hurt, but has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. Fortunately, only one firefighter was hurt in the three accidents, on Nov. 6; firefighters even stopped and gave first aid to the man who ran the stop sign.

As a Chicago auto accident lawyer, I have worked with many clients who needed help from emergency medical technicians right after their accidents. Sometimes, that help has made the difference for them -- but time is important. You can help by pulling to the side of the road for emergency vehicles whenever possible, or staying put when you’re stopped at an intersection with two-way traffic, even when you have a green light. That said, I also know that emergency vehicles sometimes fail to use their lights and sirens when they should. When that's the case, innocent drivers who hapen to be nearby can be hurt.

Our firm has had a Chicago auto accident case where our client was hit by a fire truck that was on an emergency call where the firefighter failed to activate lights and sirens. The plaintiff was riding as a passenger and was badly injured when the fire truck ran a red light. The defendant municipality initially denied the claim, but there were independent witnesses to the accident, and we were eventually able to prevail for our client.

If you’ve been involved in an auto accident in the Chicagoland area and would like to discuss your legal options with an experienced Illinois car crash attorney, please contact Abels & Annes as soon as possible.