Articles Posted in Car Accident

Car accidents, whether minor or deadly, can have catastrophic consequences for both the driver and anyone else involved. When a teenager, or multiple teens, are involved in the accident, it may be traumatic for them and impact their future. Most people assume that teenagers are most often involved in car crashes because they are the most inexperienced drivers; however, this is not always the case. Statistics show that while teenagers do not drive as often as other age groups, their risk of fatality in car accidents is higher. Below are statistics and other information about teenage car accidents.

Recently in Chicago, two teenagers were injured after a car crashed into a building. A car was traveling when the driver lost control and crashed into a building. The driver then hit two parked cars and then hit two teenagers who were standing on the sidewalk. One teenager suffered multiple injuries and was taken to the hospital where he was stabilized. The other teen injured her arm and was in good condition when transferred to the hospital.

Illinois and National Teenage Car Accidents and Fatalities

Excessive speed is one of the most common causes of fatal Illinois car accidents, as vehicles traveling substantially over the posted speed limit are more difficult to control, placing law-abiding drivers in serious jeopardy of injury or death. If excessive speed is the cause or a contributing factor in an Illinois car accident, the at-fault driver can be held accountable for the damages through an Illinois personal injury lawsuit. A local news report discusses a recent speed-related Chicago car accident involving four vehicles that left at least three people injured and one dead.

High-Speed Results in Dangerous Consequences

According to the news report, the early morning accident was triggered by the driver of a Chrysler 300 who was traveling at an excessive rate of speed in the northbound lanes and struck another vehicle. After the initial collision, the Chrysler spun into the southbound lanes and was hit by two additional vehicles. Paramedics were called to the scene, where the driver of the Chrysler was pronounced dead, and three other individuals were transported to local hospitals with minor to serious injuries.

Although most drivers know to exercise additional caution when navigating busy city traffic, Chicago car accidents still take place on a daily basis. Sometimes, even the utmost of caution from a careful driver can result in a deadly car accident if others are driving recklessly or carelessly. When these accidents take place, those who fail to operate according to the rules of the road should be held accountable for their actions.

According to a recent local news report, a deadly crash took place on a local expressway that left a 32-year-old Chicago man dead and two other individuals hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. Local authorities noted that a witness saw a reckless driver speeding on the expressway prior to the crash.

Speeding on the expressway, according to recent data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, has increased by nearly 10 percent this year as compared to the previous year. For example, in the last year, the agency reported a 10 percent increase in fatalities from crashes, an 11 percent increase in speeding citations, and a six percent increase in DUI citations.

After a Chicago car accident, parties usually exchange information so that everyone is on the same page and insurance and other claims can be filed. Some people assume, however, that just because the accident is over, that the danger associated with being on the road is over. Before exchanging information, it is crucial that you and the other party or parties involved in your accident move your vehicles and yourselves to a different location, assuming this is possible. Otherwise, you may be at risk of getting hit by a passing car.

According to a local news report, a three-car accident left four people injured, including two children. A Mazda SUV was traveling south when it struck a Cadillac sedan, authorities reported. The Cadillac then crashed into a Ford, which was carrying two children, ages one and three. Both children were transported to the hospital, with one in fair to serious condition and the other in serious to critical condition. Following the initial accident, two adults were standing near the Cadillac exchanging information when they were struck by the Mazda. Both adults were transported to a local hospital, with one in fair to serious condition and the other in serious to critical condition. The accident remains under investigation.

Following an accident, once the dust settles and the initial shock wears off, it is crucial that you remain vigilant. The first thing that you should do if your accident is obstructing the road, is to see if you can get out of the path of active traffic. Although there are a number of things that drivers should do following an accident, safety is still number one. You can get the other party or parties’ insurance and contact information after you are safely out of the way.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) periodically compiles reports regarding the rate and circumstances surrounding accidents in the state. Most recent statistics indicate that Chicago car accidents can result in serious injuries to drivers, pedestrians, and bystanders. The IDOT reports that most fatal accidents occur on dry roadways; however, this may be related to the lower number of drivers on the road during inclement weather.

Despite the statistics, it is clear that winter weather conditions pose significant hazards to motorists. For example, a recent news report described a harrowing accident that involved a driver skidding on ice. According to police, a 42-year-old driver was driving her SUV when she skidded while turning east. The SUV slammed into a curb and flipped over, colliding into a fence before finally stopping. Two of the passengers were taken to a hospital, and two other passengers refused medical treatment.

It may be unrealistic to expect Illinois residents to avoid commuting in winter weather conditions. However, drivers should understand the different types of weather and how to adjust their driving to accommodate the conditions. Long and harsh winters involve cold temperatures, strong winds, ice, snow, and foggy conditions. Cold fronts, especially when temperatures dip below freezing, can affect how a car operates. During these times, tire pressure can fluctuate, and fuel efficiency can vary. Drivers should ensure that their tire pressure is at the appropriate level and their fuel tanks are filled. Strong winds can cause a vehicle to sway and become harder to maneuver. Similarly, icy conditions can make a vehicle harder to control, especially, when black ice is involved. Finally, snow can cover lanes and traffic signs, causing drivers to enter wrong lanes or ramps, inadvertently.

Pedestrian accidents can cause serious injuries and fatalities

With social distancing measures remaining in place, more pedestrians than ever have been heading outdoors to enjoy the weather while it lasts. As a result, motorists need to also exercise more caution while driving, as pedestrians are often out at all hours walking, running, or biking around local neighborhoods. Most people know that when a pedestrian and a driver operating a vehicle are sharing the road, pedestrians get right of way. However, when drivers are negligent or purposely don’t yield to pedestrians and cause serious injuries or even death, they can be held accountable for their actions through a Chicago car accident lawsuit.

In a recent news report, a man was hit and killed by a semi-trailer truck at an intersection. The driver of the truck was at a red light when the pedestrian was walking between vehicles in the roadway. The truck proceeded through the intersection but was waved down by multiple witnesses who told the driver that the pedestrian was hit by the rear passenger-side tires of his vehicle. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene and the truck driver was ticketed for a failure to yield. According to local authorities, the investigation is ongoing.

Few accidents are as jarring as a hit and run car accident. For most people, the thought of speeding off when after a serious accident would never enter their mind. Yet, there are hundreds of hit and run accidents each year in and around Chicago. Sadly, many of these accidents result in serious injury or death. And unfortunately, recovering after a Chicago hit and run accident can be difficult for accident victims.

While recovering financial compensation after any Chicago car accident can raise certain challenges, hit and run accidents often present unique difficulties for accident victims. For one, in a Chicago hit and run accident, there may not be another party to look to for financial responsibility. By their very nature, a hit and run accident involves a situation in which one of the motorists leaves the scene of the accident without calling the police or providing their information to other drivers. Thus, when it comes to pursuing a claim for compensation, the only option is often with the accident victim’s own insurance policy, under the Uninsured Motorist (UM) provision.

Illinois Auto Insurance Requirements

The death of a loved one is always a sorrowful time. However, it can be especially traumatic when the situation could have been avoided, as is the case in Chicago drunk driving accidents. According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every year in Illinois over 300 drivers are killed in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. While criminal charges are often pursued in these cases, this does not meaningfully help the victim’s family with expenses and the emotional distress they suffered as a result of their loss. However, when someone’s death is the result of a wrongful or negligent act, such as driving under the influence, Illinois law allows the victim’s family to pursue a claim for compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit after losing a loved one may be the last thing on a person’s mind, a wrongful death lawsuit can help the victim’s family to ease their financial burdens while they are psychologically recuperating.

Earlier this month, a 41-year-old man was killed in Naperville after a car crossed onto the road’s eastbound lanes and struck him. According to a local news report covering the accident, the responsible driver’s truck rolled over after slamming into the man’s car, eventually coming to a stop on its roof. Sadly, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was later charged with aggravated driving under the influence and reckless homicide.

Although the families of Illinois car accident victims cannot have their loved ones back, Illinois state law allows them to bring a claim for their damages resulting from the loss of their loved one. In a wrongful death lawsuit, the family of the victim can file civil charges against whoever is responsible for the accident. Notably, a wrongful death case is completely independent of any criminal charges that may be brought. Thus, even if criminal charges are not filed, or a defendant is acquitted, a wrongful death case can still be filed.

Anyone who lives in Chicago or the surrounding area is more than a little familiar with cold winter weather. Last month, when temperatures dropped and winter weather hit, snow and below-freezing degrees created icy roads, leading to an increase in traffic accidents. On the morning of April 15th, there were more than a dozen crashes reported in Chicago and the surrounding areas.

One crash, in particular, made major headlines, as over 50 cars and 3 semi-trucks were involved in a pileup on the Kennedy Expressway. According to a local news report covering the incident, the pileup occurred at around 5 in the morning. Fourteen individuals involved were transported to hospitals—which are already burdened by COVID-19 patients—and 45 others were evaluated for injuries at the scene. While fire officials and police made sure to do their job and respond appropriately to the tragic, and massive, incident, they did so whilst trying to maintain proper social distance, to lessen the risk of spreading COVID-19.

The crash was so massive that the expressway at North Avenue was shut down as it was cleaned up, with over a dozen Illinois Department of Transportation vehicles towing away cars that could not be driven. It was about five hours until the expressway was re-opened. While the crash is still under investigation, a Chicago Fire Department Deputy Chief stated that he thought speeding may have been a contributing factor. Vehicles driving quickly on icy roads are more likely to get into a crash, and then the vehicles behind them are unable to stop in time, and instead slide on the ice. This may explain why the pileup became so incredibly large.

Drivers who are involved in an accident are required by Illinois law to stop at the scene of the crash and alert authorities if the accident caused any injuries or property damage. A driver is being sought by Chicago authorities after he struck a man in a crosswalk in the city’s Brighton Park neighborhood recently and failed to stop. According to a local news report, the auto-pedestrian crash occurred when the driver of a red SUV hit a 73-year-old man while he was crossing a crosswalk at the intersection of South California Avenue and West 44th Street. After hitting the pedestrian, the driver sped off without stopping to render aid or alert authorities. The report stated that other witnesses to this Chicago car accident called 911, and the pedestrian was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for several fractures and a head injury.

Pedestrian Accidents Are Common in Chicago

Auto-pedestrian accidents are common throughout Illinois, but they are especially prevalent in busy Chicago neighborhoods and the surrounding suburbs. Although drivers are required by law to yield the right of way to pedestrians who are crossing at a marked and active crosswalk, negligent drivers often fail to do so and hit pedestrians, sometimes causing serious injuries or death. Because of the high danger posed by auto-pedestrian crashes, it is recommended that pedestrians establish eye contact with drivers of vehicles that may cross their path, even when the pedestrian has the right of way.

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