Chicago Car Accident Attorneys Blog

A single-car crash on the Far South Side has left one woman dead and a 9-year-old with injuries. The Chicago car accident happened on Tuesday, as 28-year-old Yvonne Kemp lost control of the Ford Escort she was driving on I-57.

The vehicle crossed the right and center lanes before driving off the embankment and striking a light pole, which then broke and landed on the car and caused the vehicle’s roof to cave in.

Katrina Jackson, who was a passenger in the car, died from her Chicago, Illinois motor vehicle crash injuries. Another passenger, a 9-year-old girl, was ejected from the vehicle. She landed on the grass and the light pole fell on her. She sustained non-fatal injuries.

Kemp, who is the girl’s mother, was charged with drunken driving.

Drunk Driving Crashes
Drunk driving-related injuries and death are preventable. Ways to avoid causing drunken driving accidents:

• Don’t drink and drive
• Don’t let your friends drink and drive
• Appoint a designated driver
• Make overnight arrangements if you plan to/end up drinking too much
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact 911

Warning signs that someone on the road may be driving drunk:
• Dangerous passing
• Making excessively wide turns
• Driving too slowly
• Weaving
• Driving without the headlights on
• Driving on the center line

It is negligent behavior for a motorist to get behind the steering wheel of a car while under the influence of alcohol or drug.

One charged with DUI in I-57 crash that killed one, ejected child, Sun-Times, March 11, 2010

1 charged in fatal I-57 crash, Southtown Star, March 10, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Drunk driving can be stopped, Alcohol Problems and Solutions

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident on I-57 Injures 9-Year-Old and Kills One Woman" »

A Joliet teenager has died following a New Lenox car collision on Monday night. 16-year-old Emily A. Dukovac was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead at 6:34 pm.

The Will County car accident took place at New Lenox and Cherry Hill Roads when a Chevrolet Cavalier carrying Dukovac and two other 16-year-old girls failed to stop at a stop sign and was hit by a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The truck hit the Chevrolet on the passenger side, fatally wounding Dukovac, who was in the backseat. The other two girls sustained nonfatal injuries.

According to the Will County Sheriff’s Department, at the time of the Illinois car accident, the weather was clear, the road conditions were “good,” and alcohol, drugs, or speeding don’t appear to have been involved. The 49-year-old Joliet pickup trucker did not sustain any visible injuries. All three car crash survivors were taken to the hospital.

Will County Car Collisions
Our Chicago, Illinois car accident attorneys cannot stress enough the importance of obeying all traffic signs, signals, and laws. It is especially important that teen drivers learn Illinois’ driving laws. They already suffer from the disadvantage of lacking driver experience, which increases their chances of becoming involved in a teen driving accident. Failure to obey traffic laws can prove catastrophic. Not only is this tragic for any victims involved, but it is also a tragedy for the driver, who in many cases lacked the skills, knowledge, and maturity to avoid causing a car crash and made an irreversible mistake.

Common causes of teen driving accidents:

• Driver inexperience
• Speeding
• Easily prone to distraction
• Text messaging
• Talking on cell phones
• Drunk driving
• Drugged driving

Plainfield high school mourns Joliet girl killed in New Lenox crash, Chicago Tribune, March 9, 2010

Joliet teen dies, 2 other girls injured in wreck, Chicago Sun-TImes, March 9, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Teen Drivers, CDC

Illinois Graduated Licensing System, CyberDriveIllinois.com

Continue reading "Will County, Illinois Car Crash Kills Joliet Teenager and Injuries Two Others" »

A Cook County woman who lost her husband and son when the 1984 Chevrolet Astro Van they were riding in rolled over on March 3, 2009 in Mexico is suing the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. Alicia Mendoza and Roberta Graff filed their Cook County wrongful death lawsuit over the deaths of Jose L. Mendoza Sr., Jose Mendoza Jr., and Leonardo Medina. Graff submitted the complaint on behalf of Medina.

According to their Illinois wrongful death complaint, the catastrophic van accident happened because of a tire defect that resulted in tire tread separation and failure.

Also named as defendants in the Illinois wrongful death complaint are Martha and Ruben Mendoza. They lent the van to the deceased. The lawsuit is seeking over $300,000 from the Mendozas and over $600,000 from the tire company.

Common Kinds of Tire Defects:

• Tire failure
• Tread separation
• Tire blowouts
• Rim blasts
• Tire explosions

Tire issues can occur because of design flaws, manufacturing defect, or due to negligence during installation/repair. In the event that a tire blowout happens or tread separation occurs, there is a good chance that a driver can lose control of the vehicle, causing the auto to crash into other cars or roll over. Spinal cord injuries, head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, quadriplegia, paraplegia, and death can result.

Tire manufacturers, retailers, and tire repair and installation shops are supposed to make sure that tires are in proper working condition, no defects exist, and no maintenance errors are made that can cause a tire-relate crash to occur. Injured parties may have grounds for filing a Chicago, Illinois defective tire lawsuit or wrongful death complaint.

Suit: Defective tire led to triple-fatal crash, Chicago Sun-TImes, February 26, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Products Liability, Justia

Motor Vehicles, Recalls.gov

19-year-old Kimisha M. Moore is charged with aggravated reckless conduct for her alleged role in the Chicago car accident that left an Illinois State Trooper with serious injuries on Saturday night. Police say that Moore was looking at her cell phone when she accidentally struck the trooper, who was standing in the express lane’s right shoulder on I-94.

According to Chicago police, the trooper had stopped a vehicle on the Dan Ryan’s Expressway when a Toyota hit her. The trooper sustained a head injury and leg injuries from the Chicago cell phone accident and went into surgery at a Cook County hospital. Following the procedure, she was transferred to the ICU where she was in “stable” condition on Sunday morning.

Moore also received citations for failure to reduce speed, improper lane usage, violating Scott’s Law, and operating an uninsured vehicle.

Our Chicago, Illinois car accident lawyers cannot stress enough that distracted driving is dangerous and can kill people. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that over 500,000 people every year sustain injuries because drivers were not paying attention to the road. Cell phone use and texting have rapidly become two of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving.

Teenagers are one demographic who are especially at high-risk of getting into a distracted driving accident. Not only are they more easily distracted than their adult counterparts, but also they are more likely to text or use a cell phone while driving. They also lack the experience that older drivers have when it comes to preventing car accidents as they are about to happen.

Driver distracted by phone when she hit trooper on Dan Ryan: prosecutor, Chicago Sun-TImes, March 1, 2010

Woman Who Hit State Trooper Was Using Cell Phone, NBC4, March 1, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Scott's Law Brochure, Illinois State Police

Distraction.gov

Continue reading "Chicago, Illinois Cell Phone Accident: Teen Was Looking at Phone When She Hit State Police Trooper on Dan Ryan Expressway" »

A father and daughter are suing Carlo Gordon for personal injury. David and Lauren Levy claim that they were injured on July 17 when their 1995 Saturn was rear-ended by Gordon, who they allege dropped his cell phone while driving a 2003 Buick Lasabre.

Lauren is a minor. She was driving the car and her dad was with her as a passenger. David and Lisa Levy, Lauren’s mother, are the plaintiffs of the Illinois car accident complaint.

David and Lauren say they sustained head and neck injuries and experienced loss of their normal lives, disability, serious physical pain, and mental anguish. Lauren also injured her back, while David hurt his shoulder. The two of them claim their injuries, time off work, and medical bills have cost over $60,000, and they are seeking compensation for injuries and damages, in addition to costs.

Lauren and David claim that Gordon caused the Illinois auto accident when he looked down after dropping his cell phone. He then allegedly failed to: control his vehicle, prevent the Illinois car crash, activate his brakes, slow down his car’s speed, and drive safely. They also are accusing him of following too closely behind their auto.

Cell Phone Accidents
Although still not considered the taboo that drunk driving is, the similarly tragic consequences that can result when driving under the influence or using a cell phone to talk or text message are now undeniable. More than 330,000 people get hurt every year because someone was distracted while using a cell phone or PDA. Thousands are killed. Fortunately, the state of Illinois, a number of other US States, and the federal government are taking steps to discourage drivers from engaging in this dangerous practice.

If you were injured or someone you love died in a Chicago, Illinois cell phone accident, you may be owed personal injury or wrongful death damages.

Dropped cell phone caused driver to lose control, suit claims, The Record, February 11, 2010

Distracted Driving: The Dangers of Mobile Texting and Phone Calls, TechNews Daily, February 26, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Focus Driven

CyberDrive Illinois

US Department of Transportation

A woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury and was left partially paralyzed in a Chicago, Illinois car accident is suing the Checker Taxi Company for personal injury. 38-year-old Joyce Kilburg was riding in the cab on October 6 when the taxi, a Ford Crown Victoria cab, crashed.

Kilburg fell into a coma that doctors did not think she would regain consciousness from. However, not only did she wake up, but she is also learning to walk again.

Munawar Mohiuddin, the cab driver, claims that sudden acceleration caused the catastrophic taxi accident. Following the Chicago, Illinois motor vehicle accident, a judge ordered that the black box be preserved. There have been other acceleration accidents involving Crown Victoria vehicles in the past. However, the black box is now missing.

Kilburg’s Chicago, Illinois injury lawsuit alleges that the taxi company got rid of the black box to cover up the actual cause of the accident. If sudden acceleration was the cause of the crash, the evidence from the black box is key to winning an auto products liability lawsuit against Ford.

Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and other catastrophic injuries can be very expensive to treat and recover from. Not only will the injury victim likely need to undergo numerous medical procedures, extensive rehabilitation, and possibly even require specialized nursing care, but he/she may no longer be able to work, which can lead to a loss of income and benefits.

Suit: Taxi company tried to cover up details of crash, WBBM Radio, February 24, 2010

Woman files lawsuit over cab crash, ABC7Chicago.com, February 24, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Traumatic Brain Injury, TBI Guide.com

Brain Injuries Overview, Justia

An Illinois wrongful death lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Mavis L. Stonick, a 71-year-old woman who died from injuries she sustained in a Cook County pedestrian accident last year. Mavis L. Stonick was trying to cross Sheridan Road close to Foster Street on October 27, 2009 when she was hit by driver Judy Lowrance.

Witnesses say that Stonick was walking against the light when the Mercedes-Benz hit her. Rainy weather and darkness may have contributed to the Cook County car crash.

According to the Evanston wrongful death lawsuit, Lowrance was driving too fast for traffic conditions and neglected to keep a proper lookout. The complaint is seeking over $200,000.

Chicago, Illinois Motor Vehicle Accidents
Drivers are supposed to keep a proper lookout, follow traffic laws and traffic signs/lights, driver sober, and obey the speed limit. If weather conditions require, a driver must adjust the vehicle’s speed accordingly so that he/she don’t get involved in a Chicago car crash or a pedestrian accident.

For a person who gets hurt because a motorist was reckless, careless, or negligent, the physical, emotional, psychological, and financial tolls can be devastating. Fortunately, injured parties can turn to the civil court system to demand compensation from the liable party or parties. In some instances, settling may be the best option. Other cases will require that you take your Chicago, Illinois car crash complaint to trial.

It is important that you NOT settle without speaking to an experienced Chicago, Illinois personal injury lawyer first.

Wrongful death lawsuit filed in Evanston death, Chicago Sun-Times, February 16, 2010

Estate of struck Northwestern pedestrian files lawsuit, Daily Northwestern, February 15, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Pedestrians, Traffic Safety Fact Sheet, NHTSA

City of Chicago, Pedestrian Program

Police have charged 48-year-old Eddie Lumpkin with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide for causing the catastrophic Chicago, Illinois car crash that claimed the life of 6-year-old girl Jada Washington and seriously injured her aunt Tiuette Richardson. The two Chicago pedestrians were crossing the street at Ashland and 74th at around 6:30 on Tuesday when they were struck by Lumpkin, who was driving a van.

According to prosecutors, the young girl’s body struck the windshield before flying into the street. Jada was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. Richardson injured her shoulder blade and leg, as well as fractured her skull.

Authorities say that prior to the South Side auto accident Lumpkin had been ticked at least 40 times for traffic offenses. Speeding, running red lights, running stop signs, and failing to exercise caution around pedestrians were among the many violations he’d been cited for. He was convicted six times but the majority of tickets against him were dismissed.

Chicago DUI Accidents
Even though people know how dangerous it is to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, there are motorists who still get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle while intoxicated or high. When this happens, the motorist becomes a danger to everyone on the road.

It is bad enough to be the victim of a pedestrian accident let alone get hurt in one that involves a drunken or drugged driver whose vision, reflexes, and ability to stop a vehicle have been severely impaired. While most drunk and drugged drivers never intend to injure or kill anyone, unfortunately there are those who end up doing just that. If his happens, you should speak with an experienced Chicago car accident lawyer right away.

As for the people who dare to drink/get high and drive, our Chicago, Illinois pedestrian accident law firm wants to remind you not to be so reckless. In a city with such good public transportation and so many hotels, there is no excuse for why you need to ever get behind the driver’s seat of a car when you are under the influence.

Prosecutors say motorist charged with DUI in child’s death had cocaine in his system, Chicago Tribune, February 19, 2010

Motorist in girl's death collected at least 40 traffic tickets, ChicagoBreakingNews, February 17, 2010

Related Web Resources:
What is Drugged Driving?, National Institute on Drug Abuse

CyberDrive Illinois

The parents of Joshua Molina, Jr., 13 months, are suing driver Putiporn Kaewmooka for their son’s Chicago, Illinois wrongful death. Joshua Molina and two adults, Aldo Maldonado and Orlando Rodriguez died in a Chicago car accident on February 1 when Kaewmooka struck the vehicle they were riding as he was fleeing from another auto accident site.

According to the couple’s Chicago car accident lawyer, Kaewmooka was driving at speeds of about 80 to 100 mph, not driving in the correct lane, and did not have his car lights on even though it was late at night. Kaewmooka’s Toyota Camry struck the vehicle Joshua Molina Sr., who was turning left.

Young Joshua, who was in a child safety seat, was knocked out of the car seat that he was fastened into and struck the rear window. Rodriguez and Maldonado, who were Joshua Molina Sr.'s best friends, were riding in the backseat of the car with the toddler. Maldonado was thrown from the vehicle.

Amy Alanis and Joshua Molina’s Chicago injury lawsuit is seeking at least $50,000 from Kaewmooka for their personal injuries and their son’s wrongful death.

Kaewmooka, who was charged with traffic citations, has been released on bond. The couple’s lawyer doesn’t believe that police charged Kaewmooka with the proper citations or crimes.

Couple Sues Driver in Crash that Killed Baby, Two Friends, MSNBC, February 12, 2010

Couple sues man in crash that left their baby, two friends dead, Chicago Sun-Times, February 8, 2010

Chicago Car Accident Claims Lives of 13-Month Old Boy and Two Adults, Chicagocaraccidentattorneysblog.com, February 3, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Wrongful Death, Nolo

CyberDriveIllinois

Continue reading "Parents File Illinois Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Chicago Car Crash that Claimed Toddler’s Life" »

This week, Illinois State Police arrested 10 people over their alleged involvement in either in providing alcohol to minors or participating in a drinking game at a party that took place before an Illinois car crash that killed two people and seriously injured a third person on October 17.

18-year-old pickup truck driver Evan R. Ibbotson and 16-year-old passenger Jessica Brown died at the crash site. The pickup truck drove off a gravel road before overturning in a ditch. Benjamin L. Jostes, Ibbotson’s 24-year-old half-brother, sustained serious injures from when he was thrown from the truck and pinned under the wreckage.

Jostes, who is one of the people accused of providing alcohol to Ibbotson, has been charged with unlawful delivery of alcoholic liquor to a minor. Other people charged with the same crime are Ellery resident Michael T. Gill, 22, Bone Gap resident Kody J. Bailey, 23, and Albion residents Brandi Wayland, 22, Anson A. Rutger, 23, and Nathan R. Wayland. Ellery residents Ernest J. Fisher, 18, and Brian W. Winter, 19, and two minors were charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor.

Underage drinking is illegal. It can prove especially catastrophic during an Illinois car crash. Teen drivers lack the experience n the road that older motorists that have been driving longer possess. Add intoxication to the equation and the combination has claimed the lives of many teen drivers, their passengers, and people riding in other vehicles, as well as pedestrians.

You may be able to hold a drunk driver liable for your Chicago, Illinois car accident injuries. There also may be other liable parties, such as the bar that overserved an already drunk patron who then got behind the driver’s seat of a car or an adult who served alcohol to a minor.

Ten arrests in Ill. teens' Oct. deaths, Courierpress, February 11, 2010

2 Albion teens killed, 1 injured in crash, Daily Republican Register, October 19, 2009

Related Web Resources:
(720 ILCS 5/) Criminal Code of 1961, Illinois General Assembly

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Continue reading "10 People Arrested in Connection with Illinois Car Crash that Left Two Teenagers Dead" »

Three people died from injuries they sustained during a Chicago car crash on the Northwest Side on Monday night. The victims are 13-month old Joshua Molina Jr., 20-year-old Orlando Rodriguez, and 21-year-old Aldo Maldonado. Molina’s mother, Amy Alanis, survived the Illinois traffic wreck. Her boyfriend Joshua Molina, who is also the toddler's dad, was driving the car. He did not sustain serious injuries.

Their car was turning left when they were struck by a speeding Toyota Camry that had its lights turned off. The Toyota’s driver, a 55-year-old man from Skokie, had just been involved in a hit-and-run crash.

The Molinas say that their son, who was secured in a car seat, was partially thrown through the back window due to the force of the collision. He was pronounced dead at Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Police questioned the Camry driver yesterday. So far, he has been charged with negligent driving related to this deadly Chicago car accident and for driving too fast for the conditions at the time and leaving the scene of the first auto collision. Police say that before these dual car crashes, the motorist had a clean driving record since getting his driver's license in 1999.

Chicago Car Accidents
Every year, people are killed or seriously injured in Chicago, Illinois car accidents. It is life shattering to lose someone in such a senseless manner. Negligent motorists can be held liable for Chicago injury or wrongful death.

Common causes of Cook County Car Accidents:

• Drunk driving
• Speeding
• Hit and run
• Driving faster than current road or weather conditions
• Text messaging
• Cell phone conversations
• Failure to obey traffic signs
• Failure to pay attention to road conditions

Three dead -- including child -- in NW Side wreck, Chicago Sun-Times, February 2, 2010

NW Side crash takes 3 lives, Chicago Tribune, February 2, 2010

Related Web Resource:
CyberDrive Illinois

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Claims Lives of 13-Month Old Boy and Two Adults" »

According to the Highway Loss Data Institute, the number of car accidents aren’t going down despite laws in certain US states banning handheld cell phones and texting while driving. These latest findings were based on insurance claims for accident damage from three of the states that ban handheld devices.

HLDI, which is affiliated with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, speculates that one reason the number of motor vehicle crashes isn’t being impacted by the texting and handheld cell phone bans is because it is likely that more people are using handsfree devices now that handheld ones are off limit and/or have been portrayed as more dangerous. However, HLDI and IIHS president Adrian says more research related to these new findings is required.

Earlier this month, the National Safety Council announced that about 1.6 million motor vehicle crashes a year (that’s 28% of all traffic accidents) are caused by text messaging and cell phone conversations. The US Department of Transportation reports that almost 500,000 injuries and 6,000 fatalities happen a year because of just these two distracted driving habits. This week, the federal government issued—effectively immediately—a national ban making it illegal for commercial truckers and bus drivers to text and drive at the same time.

Our Chicago car accident lawyers are very aware of the dangers posed by distracted driving. Please contact us to discuss your cell phone accident case.

Drivers no longer can plead ignorance when it comes to the dangers of talking on the cell phone, texting, or surfing the Web while driving. Distracted driving is negligent driving.

Study: Distracted driving laws don't stop crashes, Washington Post, January 29, 2010

National Safety Council Estimates that At Least 1.6 Million Crashes are Caused Each Year by Drivers Using Cell Phones and Texting, NSC, January 12, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Focus Driven

State Cell Phone Driving Laws, Governors Highway Safety Association

A 19-year-old driver was arrested after fleeing a Chicago car accident site on January 18. Six of the passengers who were riding in the van with him were transported to hospital. The single-vehicle collision, which involved the motorist’s van flipping over, took place on the Eisenhower Expressway in Chicago’s West Side.

There of the van’s passengers were taken to John H Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Another three were transported to Mount Sinai Hospital. A seventh passenger also ran away from the crash site.

The young driver may be charged with DUI and child endangerment because two of the vehicles passengers are minors. Other charges may also be field.

Chicago Car Accident Injuries
Injuries from a Cook County, Illinois car accident will likely require medical attention. This costs money. There is no reason why you should have to pay for medical expenses that were caused by another party’s negligence or carelessness.

Once you’ve had your injuries tended to, one of the first tasks you should attend to is to contact a Chicago, Illinois motor vehicle accident lawyer right away. The personal attorney you decide to retain can work with accident reconstructionists to determine what caused the traffic crash. Was it a negligent driver? A careless auto manufacturer? Is the Chicago intersection where the car accident occurred poorly designed?

Your Chicago injury lawyer can also work with medical professionals that can assess the seriousness of your injuries and determine how much time and how much money it will take for you to recover. It is important that you have this information before you attempt to settle your Illinois car accident case. You should let your attorney speak with the other parties’ insurers and legal representatives.

DUI, child endangerment charges pending in Ike crash, Chicago-Sun Times, January 18, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Chicago I-290

CyberDrive, Illinois

The Illinois State Police and Governor Pat Quinn are reporting that there were 943 car accidents deaths in the state last year—a definite decline from the 1,043 Illinois auto crash fatalities in 2008 and the first time since 1921 that there were under 1,000 motor vehicle fatalities.

Quinn credits the Illinois State Police, local police, and the Illinois Department of Transportation for the drop in traffic deaths. He says they have aggressively targeted violations involving speeding, improper lane use, safety belts, drunk driving, drugged driving, and following too closely in order to save more lives. He noted that programs focusing on impaired driving, teen driving, and safety belts also contributed to the decrease in motor vehicle fatalities. Hopefully the decline in Illinois traffic deaths will continue in 2010.

Two new traffic laws that could help the auto injury and death rates continue to go down are the law that bans text messaging, emailing, and going online while driving (an ordinance banning cell phone driving was passed in Chicago in October 2008) and the one that prohibits drivers 18 and under (with a graduated license or an instruction permit) from using a cell phone when operating a motor vehicle. All motorists are now prohibited from talking on a cellular device in construction and school zones.

However, in order for the laws to have an effect, motorists will have to abide by them. In addition to state efforts to reduce distracted driving crashes, the federal government is stepping up efforts to increase awareness about the dangers of texting and talking on a cell phone when operating any kind of motor vehicle. Last week, the National Safety Council and the US Department of Transportation announced that they were launching FocusDriven, a national nonprofit group focused on making more people aware of the dangers of distracted driving. The US DOT has also launched Distraction.gov, a government Web site also focused on providing information about the need for motorists to stop engaging in distracted driving.

Negligent driving that causes catastrophic Illinois auto collision can be grounds for a Chicago car accident lawsuit.

Traffic Fatalities Drop Below 1,000 for First Time Since 1921, Illinois State Police, January 4, 2010

Illinois sees drop in traffic fatalities, Goedwardsville.com, January 11, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Distraction.gov

FocusDriven

Continue reading "943 Illinois Car Crash Deaths in 2009 " »

Officials in Illinois and a number of other states are concerned over whether light-emitting diodes, called LED’s, pose a car crash risk to motorists. The LED’s, which require less energy than conventional bulbs and are easier to see, are now used in many traffic lights. However, there is growing concern that because LED’s require less heat, ice and snow can accumulate on them, rather than melting, making traffic lights harder for drivers to see.

In April, four people were injured and 34-year-old Lisa Richter died in an Illinois car accident when a pickup truck drove past a red light that had snow covering it. The pickup truck struck the woman’s vehicle as she made a left-hand turn.

Oswego Police Detective Rob Sherwood says he doesn’t think the Illinois traffic crash would have happened if the snow wasn’t obstructing the light from truck driver Alex Dyche's view. Richter’s fiancé, Robert Leathers, filed an Illinois car accident lawsuit against Dyche. Leathers sustained significant injuries during the Oswego car crash.

Meantime, the Illinois Department is pushing cities to use LED lights at traffic intersections where there are red light cameras.

Depending on the direction that snow might be blowing the wind, visibility on one side of a two-sided traffic light might be obscured by snow, making motorists more vulnerable to injury accidents. In some states, transportation officials are having workers use brooms to clear the lights' lenses. They are also considering placing sloping snow shields on the lenses of the traffic lights so the snow won’t accumulate on them.

LED Signals Seen as Potential Hazard, NY Times, January 1, 2010

Winter hazard in new LED signals, Chicago Tribune, December 29, 2009

Related Web Resources:
CyberDrive Illinois

Illinois Department of Transportation

Continue reading "Do LEDs Increase Chicago Car Crash Risks? " »

22-year-old Nick Sord is charged with aggravated drunk driving and reckless homicide for the Cook County car crash that killed his passenger early on December 31, 2008. Sord, an Orland Park restaurateur, crashed his Mercedes SUV into a pole after a night out.

The SUV drove into a ditch before partially rolling over. According to the Cook County Sheriff’s office, Sord’s BAC was nearly three times the legal limit.

Mejia, a New Lenox resident and a University of Illinois at Chicago student, sustained multiple injuries before she as pronounced dead at a Harvey Hospital. Sord was treated and later released from an Oak Lawn hospital for cuts and a broken wrist.

Sord and Mejia were formerly used to date but her mother says they broke up in August. Their families did not approve of their relationship.

Cook County Car Accident Cases
A person accused of driving drunk can face criminal charges and be sued for Cook County personal injury or wrongful death if someone was injured or killed. Driving under the influence of alcohol is extremely dangerous and destroys the lives of the victims, their families, and the drunk driver, who not only faces prison time but must live with the guilt of knowing that someone else died because of the motorist’s recklessness and carelessness.

Just last week, Ali Hosseini, a man who was charged with drunk driving after he allegedly struck a motorcyclist in 2007, now faces upgraded charges of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide after the victim died on January 2. Keith Kreinik underwent over 20 surgeries and spent over two years in treatment for the injuries he sustained during the Chicago car accident.

Hosseini, who had been free on bond, was taken back into custody. His bond was increased to $100,000. He was allegedly under the influence of heroin, alcohol, codeine, and morphine at the time of the tragic Northwest Side crash.

High alcohol level cited in fatal crash, Chicago Tribune, January 2, 2010

Man charged in fatal crash, Southtown Star, January 2, 2010

Bond raised for man accused of DUI in 2007 crash, Chicago Breaking News, January 9, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Motor Vehicle Safety, CDC

Impaired Driving, NHTSA

Nearly six months after 36-year-old Diane Schuler drove the wrong-way on the Taconic Parkway while she was allegedly drunk and high, the family of two of the eight victims that died is filing a wrongful death lawsuit against her estate. The tragic car crash, which occurred on July 26, claimed the lives of Schuler, three of her nieces, her two-year-old daughter, 81-year-old Michael Bastardi, his 49-year-old son Michael, and their friend 74-year-old Daniel Longo. Schuler’s 5-year-old son Bryan survived the wrong-way car crash with serious injuries, including severe head trauma.

The motor vehicle accident made national headlines after Schuler drove the wrong-way for nearly two miles, disregarding signs and ignoring the warnings of other drivers. According to a toxicology report, Schuler had marijuana in her system and the equivalent of 10 liquor shots in her bloodstream. She and the kids were coming home from a camping trip when the auto collision happened. A broken bottle of vodka was discovered in the minivan’s wreckage.

The wrongful death lawsuit accuses Schuler of reckless, wanton, and willful actions, driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and disregarding other motorists' warnings that she was driving her minivan the wrong-way. According to the civil complaint, the Bastardis experienced mental trauma, terror, pain, suffering, and serious personal injuries prior to their death. Schuler’s brother Warren Hance is also a wrongful death defendant. He owned the minivan that Schuler was driving.

Schuler’s husband Daniel refuses to accept autopsy findings that his wife was drunk and high. He says an undiagnosed medical problem may have caused her erratic behavior that day. However, according to one report, he told police his wife occasionally smoked pot to alleviate stress.

Suit Filed in Wrong-Way Crash That Killed 8 on Taconic, NY Times, December 10, 2009

Loyal To The End: Grieving Schuler Denies Reports, WCBSTV, August 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The family of 17-year-old Cameron Godee is suing 18-year-old Onofrio J. Lorusso for Illinois wrongful death. Godee died in a Kane County car crash on June 14 while riding in Lorusso’s SUV. Now, the West Chicago victim’s family is seeking $6.175 M in wrongful death damages. Godee and Lorusso, a Wayne resident, had just graduated from St. Charles East High School.

According to police, Lorusso’s blood-alcohol concentration was almost three times the legal limit and he also had marijuana in his system when he lost control of his vehicle and struck two trees. Godee was riding in the front-passenger seat. The two teenagers riding in the back seat sustained injuries.

The Illinois car crash lawsuit is accusing Lorusso of negligent driving and willfully ignoring his passengers’ safety. In the criminal case against him, Lorusso has pleaded not guilty to driving under the influence of drugs, aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless homicide, and driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs. He is currently free on bond.

One of the passengers that survived the catastrophic Illinois car wreck is suing Lorusso for Kane County personal injury. 17-year-old Chelsea Mertz, a St. Charles resident, sustained a traumatic brain injury and broke her jaw during the June car wreck. Her Illinois car accident claims that Lorusso was driving over 40 mph above the speed limit, on the wrong side of the road, and was under the influence of pot and alcohol. Lorusso’s father is also a defendant of the lawsuit, which accuses him of neglecting to prevent his intoxicated son from driving the other teens home.

Mertz is undergoing rehabilitative therapy to treat her brain injury. Doctors had to surgically rewire her jaw. It is unclear whether the effects of her traumatic brain injury are permanent.

Driver in fatal crash sued for millions, The Chronicle, December 22, 2009

Survivor of fatal St. Charles crash sues driver, Daily Herald, August 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Teen Drivers, Motor Vehicle Safety

CyberDrive Illinois

The family of a Marengo motorist who died in a Sugar Grove Township motor vehicle crash is suing Kane County and Elburn resident Linda L. Knotts for Illinois wrongful death. 54 year-old William McKenzie died when Knott’s truck crashed into his Ford van on March 20 on Route 47.

The family’s Illinois wrongful death lawsuit is holding Kane County responsible for the Sugar Grove Township car accident because cops did not arrest Knots on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs when she was briefly apprehended just 15 minutes before the deadly Illinois traffic accident. McKenzie was pronounced dead at the Sugar Grove crash site.

Cops stopped Knotts after receiving complaints that she was driving erratically, including operating her vehicle on the shoulder of Route 47. Her pickup truck struck Mackenzie’s van head-on when she drove into oncoming traffic.

Knotts was initially cited for driving in the wrong lane and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident but the charges against her have been dropped for now. After hearing police testimony in May, a coroner's jury blamed Knotts for McKenzie's death, which they called a homicide.

Illinois Car Accident Lawsuits
There is so much to consider when filing an Illinois car accident lawsuitt An experienced Chicago car crash lawyer will know what to do to successfully pursue your recovery, including gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, negotiating with the other party’s insurer, and filing your personal injury/wrongful death claim/lawsuit on time.

Obtaining compensation for your car crash injuries or your loved one’s death can help you cover accidents costs, medical expenses, and other damages and losses.

Kane County sued over fatal crash, Daily Herald, December 17, 2009

Man dies in 2-car crash, Northwest Herald, March 21, 2009

Related Web Resource:
Kane County, Illinois

Beginning New Year’s Day, it will no longer be legal for Illinois motorists to text message while driving. While this distracted driving activity has been banned in Chicago for over a year, the prohibition will now be statewide.

Authorities will be allowed to stop a driver if they suspect that he or she is texting. They also can look at your PDA or cell phone to determine whether you were texting, IMing, or online.

In the last year, safety and transportation officials have spoken about the dangers that texting while driving presents, including increasing a driver’s risk of causing a deadly motor vehicle crash. On Tuesday, the Obama Administration launched distraction.gov, which discusses the dangers caused by distracted driving. According to distraction.gov, the three main types of distractions while driving are:

Manual – results in the motorist taking at least one hand off the steering wheel.
Visual – the driver’s eyes are off the road.
Cognitive – the driver’s mind is not focused on driving.

Texting while driving involves at least two of these distractions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says over one-fourth of the 1.2 million auto collisions that occur each year in the US involve a distracted driver.

Our Chicago, Illinois car accident lawyers have blogged in the past about the risks of texting while driving and the statistics which support the claim that way too many people are getting hurt or dying because drivers can’t control the compulsion to send and receive texts just long enough to arrive safely at their destinations. We are hoping that more drivers will abide by this new ban and refrain from texting while driving.

Unfortunately, not only do many texting motorists forget that this seemingly harmless activity can kill people, but also they can be held liable for Chicago, Illinois personal injury or wrongful death if they cause a catastrophic car crash that hurts or kills another person.

Obama administration unveils new effort to combat distracted driving, DetNews, December 29, 2009

How to deal with the new Illinois ban on texting while driving, Daily Herald, December 28, 2009

Related Web Resources:

Distraction.gov

Scary statistics on teen texting, calling while driving, The Seattle Times, November 17, 2009

Cell Phone Driving Laws, Governors Highway Safety Association

Continue reading "Illinois Texting While Driving Ban Goes Into Effect on January 1, 2010" »

A $1 million Chicago car accident settlement has been reached between two former best friends. Marissa Palmer, a 22-year-old Buffalo Grove woman, sustained a closed head injury, road rash injuries, spinal, rib, and neck fractures, and lacerated her liver and spleen in 2006 after she was ejected from the Jeep Cherokee that Dana Horowitz, a Highland Park resident, was driving.

The two women were University of Wisconsin undergrad students at the time of the catastrophic three-vehicle crash that took place in snowy weather. They were traveling from Madison to Highland Park on icy roads.

According to witnesses, Horowitz was operating her motor vehicle at a speed of about 60 mph while other motorists were driving at approximately half that speed. She lost control of her Jeep, drove over the median, and struck two other autos.

While a motorist is not responsible for poor weather conditions and the hazards that they can create on wet, icy, or foggy roads, a driver can be held liable for Chicago personal injury if the motorist fails to modify his/her driving to prevent an Illinois car accident from happening.

A driver may have to reduce the vehicle's speed to lower than the posted speed limit to prevent his/vehicle from sliding uncontrollably on icy or wet roads. Texting or talking on a cell phone while driving when the road conditions are poor can cause tragic car accidents.

The party responsible for your Chicago, Illinois motor vehicle accident may be the driver of another vehicle, the driver of the vehicle that you are a passenger in, or another person or entity.

$1M settlement for Buffalo Grove woman in icy-road crash, Chicago Sun-Times, December 19, 2009

$1M settlement for woman in icy-road crash, WBBMNewsRadio780, December 19, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Winter Driving Tips, AAA

CyberDrive, Illinois

Assistant State’s Attorney John Carroll of Cook County says that Lockport Police Officer Edward Stapinski’s blood alcohol was .223 when he allegedly caused a three-auto crash on the Stevenson Expressway on Sunday night. Stapinski, 34, was not on duty when the deadly collision happened. Killed in the tragic Chicago car accident was Man K. Wong, 29.

According Illinois State Police, Stapinski was headed south on Interstate Highway 55 close to Cicero Avenue when his vehicle drove onto the left shoulder and hit the concrete median barrier. It then went over the barrier, striking Wong’s auto in a head-on crash. Next, the off-duty cop’s auto rolled over, hitting a third vehicle.

According to witnesses, the off-duty police driver was operating his vehicle at a speed of about 80 mph when the deadly Cook County car accident happened. Police who were at the scene say that the 34-year-old cop exhibited slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and smelled of alcohol. Stapinski declined to be tested for alcohol while at the crash site but he took a blood tested at the hospital where he was admitted for his injuries.

Wong was pronounced dead in Mt. Sinai Hospital. The third motorist was not injured. On Monday night, Stapinski was charged with drunken driving and reckless homicide.

Illinois Drunk Driving Accidents
While the number of Illinois drunk driving deaths has gone down (439 alcohol-related Illinois car crashes in 2007 and 362 drunk driving fatalities in 2008), drunk driving accidents continue to claim too many lives. A drunken motorist who causes a deadly car crash can be held liable for Illinois personal injury or wrongful death.

Especially during the holiday season, when people are busy going from one holiday event to the next and traveling to spend time with family, our Chicago, Illinois car accident law firm would like to remind you to refrain from driving while drunk.

Off-duty Lockport cop charged with reckless homicide, DUI, Chicago Tribune, December 22, 2009

Lockport Officer Was 3 Times Legal Limit, WBBM780, December 22, 2009

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Intensive Holiday Drunk & Impaired Driving Crackdown & Advertising Blitz, NHTSA, December 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Fatalities and Fatality Rates in Alcohol- Impaired-Driving Crashes by State, 2007-2008, NHTSA, December 2009 (PDF)

DUI Information for Adults, Illinois State Police

A woman is suing a motorist for personal injuries that she and her son suffered during an Illinois car crash. Philicia Holman is seeking over $150,000 plus other relief and costs.

According to Holman, she and her son, O’Brien Pigee, were in Alton late in the afternoon of October 30, 2008 when they stopped for traffic. She says that is when Matthew Sanders, driving a 1999 GM Suburban, rear-ended the 2002 Chevrolet Malibu that they were riding in.

Holman says she sustained shoulder, neck, abdomen, and back injuries from the Alton car accident. She also has experienced headaches, lost income, can no longer participate in certain activities, and incurred medical expenses. She also says that she and her son sustained injuries to muscles, membranes, ligaments, blood vessels, nerves, tissues, as well as became disordered, sore, sick, and lame and experienced great anguish and pain.

Holman is accusing Sanders of not seeing her auto, failing to properly controlling his motor vehicle, neglecting to drive at a reasonable speed, failing to maintain a safe distance from her auto, and neglecting to slow down to avoid causing a car accident.

Rear-End Accidents
A rear-end crash can cause the occupants in the vehicle that is struck to propel their heads forward at a speed that is 10 times or greater than the force of gravity. Rear-end crashes can cause back injuries, neck injuries, shoulder injuries, whiplash, cervical spine injuries, disc injuries, nerve injuries, joint injuries, ligament injuries, and other serious injuries. These types of injuries are very painful and debilitating. A rear-end car crash victim may have to undergo surgery, take pain medication, and spend months in physical therapy. In some cases, the injuries may be permanent.

Mother sues driver over injuries she and son sustained in accident, The Record, December 16, 2009

Cervical spine injuries and whiplash caused by rear end collision< SRISD

Related Web Resources:
NHTSA

CyberDrive Illinois

Douglas Ault is suing St. Clair County and its employee, Daniel E. Stockett, for personal injury. Ault hurt his back and neck during an Illinois car accident because he claims Stockett, a county employee, was driving negligently.

The Illinois traffic crash occurred in Shiloh. Ault says Stockett was driving too fast, did not maintain a proper lookout, was not driving with adequate brakes, neglected to properly apply the brakes, failed to swerve or stop his vehicle to prevent the Illinois car crash from happening, neglected to keep his auto under control, did not yield the right-of-way, and made a u-turn in a manner that was not safe.

Ault says that because of the Illinois car accident, he became disordered, sick, and sore, and his nervous system suffered a shock. Because his earning capacity was impaired, he lost significant income. He cites significant property damage to his vehicle.

Ault is seeking over $100,000 and costs.

Obeying the rules of the road can prevent Illinois traffic crashes. If you were injured because a motorist failed to stop at a red light, made an illegal or unsafe U-turn, disobeyed a traffic signal, did not yield the right-of-way, or committed another traffic violation, you may have grounds for filing a Chicago car accident lawsuit against a liable motorist. Sometimes, there are other factors that contribute to causing an Illinois traffic crash. There may be other parties who should be held liable for your personal injuries.

A Chicago car accident victim can incur medical expenses, recovery costs, lost income, and other expenses because of the Illinois motor vehicle collision. Obtaining Chicago injury recover can help you with your accident expenses.

St. Clair County and driver sued in U-turn accident, The Record, December 10, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accident Defenses: Contributory and Comparative Negligence

Illinois Department of Transportation

The siblings of Lindsey Arnold-Zimmer and Adam Zimmer are suing two drivers for Illinois wrongful death. The couple was riding in a vehicle on Illinois Route 111 on the afternoon of February 21 when they were rear-ended by a vehicle, driven by Donald Canterbery at a speed of at least 90 mph. The collision caused their vehicle to spin out of control some 122 feet before it crossed into the northbound lane and was struck by a vehicle driven by Tiffany Ogara. Both Canterbery and Ogara were allegedly drunk when they struck the Zimmers' vehicle.

Lindsey and Adam died from their Illinois car accident injuries, as did their unborn baby. Now, Theresa Arnold and Christopher Zimmer, the couple’s siblings, are suing for loss of society, loss of companionship, wrongful death, and the pain and suffering that the Zimmers and their baby suffered, in additional to medical expenses incurred prior to their deaths.

The defendants named in the Illinois car crash lawsuit are Canterbery, Ogara, Joshua Ogara, Panero (as Smokey Joe's), Sarah L. Perrigan (doing business as The Village Inn), and MasterCars Company.

Canterbery’s blood alcohol concentration was .246 and Ogara’s BAC was .112 at the time of the deadly Illinois car crash. Cannabis and cocaine were also found in Ogara’s blood.

The plaintiffs are accusing Canterbery of drunk driving, reckless driving, speeding, neglecting to decrease his speed or properly control the auto, driving without a license, and driving even though his license was revoked for past drunk driving charges. They contend that Ogara did not properly control her auto or decrease its speed to avoid being involved in a crash. They also claim she was negligent for driving while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Following the deadly Illinois car accident, Canterbery was charged with numerous felony crimes, including four counts of aggravated driving with a blood level of .08 or more that results in death, three counts of reckless homicide, three counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, and eight counts of aggravated driving with a blood level count of .08 or more causing great bodily harm. He also was charged with a misdemeanor for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Suit filed over Route 111 deaths; Couple and unborn child killed, The Record, December 1, 2009

Granite City teacher, wife and unborn child killed in car accident, Suburban Journals, February 25, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Wrongful Death Act

CyberDrive Illinois

A number of people were killed and injured in Chicago car accidents in the city and suburbs over the holiday weekend. According to the National Safety Commission, the Thanksgiving weekend is considered the deadliest holiday of the year for motorists, with 389 US car accident fatalities and thousands of injuries occurring last year. To view our Chicago car accident law firm’s blog post about the dangers of being on the road during Thanksgiving, click here.

Here is rundown of some of the injuries and deaths, which were reported in the Chicago Sun-Times:

On Thanksgiving Day, 21-year-old Elias Nunez died in a Chicago pedestrian accident when a vehicle that had just hit another auto on S. Cicero Avenue struck him. Nunez was transported to an Oak Lawn hospital in critical condition where he was pronounced dead several hours later. Four other people were injured in the Chicago traffic accident. The driver accused of causing the Cook County car accident, 31-year-old Anthony Morales, was charged with felony aggravated DUI. He also received citations for failure to reduce speed, following too closely, and leaving the scene of an accident where property damage was involved.

On Black Friday, a woman was injured in an Aurora pedestrian accident when a car struck her. Many people were out shopping that day. Also on Friday, eight people were injured in a South Side car crash when the Buick they were riding hit a tree. Six of the Chicago car crash victims were minors.

On Saturday, a 63-year-old Joliet motorist was declared dead at the crash site when he was ejected from his vehicle. Spero Zappas lost control of his vehicle when he tried passing a semi-truck on Interstate 55 while driving at a high speed. His vehicle flew into a ditch and he was thrown from the auto.

Also on Saturday, 29-year-old Miguel Gomez-Ortiz was killed in an Aurora motorcycle accident when his bike collided with a Chevrolet SUV. Gomez-Ortiz was dislodged from his bike during the traffic crash.

Early Sunday, Yorkville driver Dustin Avenarius died when his pickup truck went off the road in a Kendall County truck accident. The pickup truck hit a tree before catching fire.

Chicago Car Accidents
There are many reasons why Chicago car accidents. Distracted driving, poorly designed roads, defective auto parts, drunk driving, and bad weather or road conditions are just some of the causes of Illinois traffic crashes. Before you throw in the towel on your Chicago motor vehicle crash case, you should speak with an experienced Chicago injury law firm about your case. There may be parties that you should hold liable for your Illinois injury accident.

6 dead, more injured in holiday weekend crashes, Chicago Sun-Times, November 30, 2009

Drive Carefully to Prevent Chicago Car Crashes During the Thanksgiving Weekend, MalmanLaw, November 18, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Justia

Tort, Cornell University Law School

Contrary to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s findings that less than 2,000 people a year are injured by power windows, KidsAndCars.org has released research showing that tens of millions of vehicle occupants have been injured by these automatic windows. Harris Interactive administered the research, which was commissioned by KidsandCars.org, in October. Among the findings:

• More than 22 million US adults say they were hurt or know someone who was injured in a power window accident.
• Over 13 million adults say they hurt someone by shutting a car window.
• Over 10 million adults say they got hurt when someone else shut a vehicle window.

Basing its conclusions on its own findings, the NHTSA recently stated in its proposed rulemaking that auto reversing systems don’t have to be mandated. Now, KidsandCars.org wants NHTSA to make sure that ARS are required on all vehicles sold in this country. ARS stops a window from shutting when anything obstructs its path.

Auto manufacturers are aware that power windows can cause serious personal injury. It is their responsibility to design and manufacture auto parts in a manner that doesn't increase the chances of injury or death. Not installing ARS is one way to manufacture a power window that can cause accidental injury or death. Allowing the window to be raised via toggle switch can be dangerous as well, especially if a young child accidentally leans on it while sticking his or her head or finger out the window as it closes.

The majority of power windows use an upward force of 30 to 80 pounds. Only 22 pounds of force are required to hurt or suffocate a baby. The NHTSA and KidsandCars.org are both in agreement that about five kids a year are killed in power-window accidents.

A car manufacturer can be held liable for Illinois products liability if a person is injured by a defective auto part.

New Data Refutes NHTSA Findings, Exposes Real Danger of Vehicle Power Windows, Reuters, November 2, 2009

Power Windows Pose Great Risk to Children, Says Consumer Group, The New York Times, November 2, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Kids and Cars

NHTSA

Continue reading "Chicago Products Liability?: KidsandCars.Org Says Tens of Millions of People Injured by Motor Vehicle Power Windows " »

The National Safety Commission says that if last year’s car crash statistics are any indication, then Thanksgiving weekend ’09 will be the deadliest holiday of the year for motorists. The Thanksgiving holiday season begins on Wednesday, November 25 at 6pm and ends on midnight on Sunday, November 29.

In 2008, there were 389 car accident deaths and thousands of injuries over this long weekend. Many of the people who died were not using their seat belts when the deadly auto crashes happened.

Wearing one’s seat belt is obviously one way to decrease the chances of serious injury or death during a Chicago motor vehicle crash whether the collision occurs over the Thanksgiving weekend or during any other time of the year.

Other ways to avoid becoming involved in a car crash this Thanksgiving weekend:

• Don’t speed.
• Be mindful of heavy traffic—especially if you head off for the holidays on Wednesday night. Try to be patient and don’t engage in aggressive driving behavior.
• If possible, leave before rush hour.
• Don't hurry to arrive at your destination.
• Trade off driving duties with another passenger if you have a long way to go.
• Pay attention to the road and be mindful of current driving and weather conditions—adjust your driving accordingly.
• Don’t text or talk on your cell phone while driving.
• If you have too much to drink during your Thanksgiving meal, don’t drive drunk.
• Also, if the tryptophan in the turkey makes you drowsy, try not to drive or be extra careful when driving.

You don’t want to ruin the holiday weekend by being involved in and/or causing a catastrophic Illinois car crash.

Drowsy driving, distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding, and driver inattention can cause serious Chicago injury accidents.

hanksgiving Traffic Safety 2009, National Safety Commission, November 17, 2009

Practice safe driving this Thanksgiving holiday, Northern Star

Related Web Resources:
Distracted Driving, AAA Exchange

Illinois Department of Transportation

Continue reading "Drive Carefully to Prevent Chicago Car Crashes During the Thanksgiving Weekend" »

Two people died from injuries they sustained in a Chicago car crash on Saturday evening when a Chevy Malibu ran a red light at State and 75th Streets. The car struck a Ford sedan that was turning from 75th onto State, which then hit an Infiniti. Meantime, the Malibu struck another Chevrolet.

Killed in the Chicago car accident were 27-year-old Christopher Chatman, who was driving the Ford, and Ardella Wells, who was riding in the Malibu that caused the multi-vehicle crash. The 87-year-old victim is the mother of Darnell Wells, who was driving the Malibu.

Charges are pending against the 52-year-old driver, who police say was at fault. They have already cited him for driving without insurance and disobeying a red light.

Less than 24 hours later, another Chicago car collision on the Southwest Side, this one close to 48th Street and Cicero Avenue, left seven people injured. Four of the accident victims were initially listed in serious-to-critical condition.

Involvement in a serious traffic crash can result in catastrophic injuries. Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, internal injuries, organ damage, and burn injuries can be very costly and your insurance may not be able to cover all medical and recovery costs.

Seven hurt in Southwest Side crash, Sun Times, November 15, 2009

Two killed in four-car crash on State Street, ABC 7 News, November 15, 2009

Related Web Resource:
Car Accidents Caused by Negligence, Nolo

Continue reading "Chicago Car Crash on South Side Claims Two Lives " »

A single mother and her four sons, ages 8 to 16, must find another place to live after a CTA bus that crashed into their home damaged the residence to the point that it had to be raised. The Chicago motor vehicle accident happened at around 5:40 am on Wednesday at 115th Street and Vincennes Avenue in Morgan Park.

Four people who were in the CTA bus were injured. All of them, including bus driver 36-year-old Zoye Sanders, were taken to hospitals in good condition. Sanders was cited for negligent driving.

The bus crashed through the bedroom’s brick wall and a portion of the bathroom. The mother who lived in the house, Lasharon Smith, was unable to get a lot of the family’s belonging because officials would only let her enter the front of the residence. The family is staying with relatives.

A neighbor of Smith’s, Jerome Freeman, says this is the third Chicago motor vehicle crash this year where a property on the road has been involved. He says that his fence was hit in a Chicago car crash in January. Smith’s fence was hit by another car a few months ago.

Involvement in a Chicago bus crash can result in serious injuries that can result in costly medical bills. This is one reason it is important to determine whether other parties are liable for causing your injuries.

Because CTA buses are commercial vehicles, their drivers owe their passengers a duty of care, both professionally and legally, to safely take them where they need to go. When failure to fulfill that duty results in injury, death, or damages, the injured party may have grounds for a Chicago bus accident case.

CTA driver who crashed into home cited for negligence, WGNTV, November 11, 2009

Driver ticketed after CTA bus slams into house, Southtown Star, November 11, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Bus Safety Rules Are Long Overdue, Board Says, Washington Post, April 22, 2009

National Transportation Safety Board

Chicago Transit Authority

Continue reading "Home damaged in Chicago bus crash is razed after officials deem it structurally unsound " »

November 2 – 8 was Drowsing Driving Prevention Week. Designated as such by the National Sleep Foundation, the weeklong campaign focused on making more drivers aware of how dangerous it is to drive while drowsy or tired.

Studies reveal that a person who has been awake for 18 hours exhibits impairment equal to someone whose blood alcohol level is .05% to .10%. Driving while sleepy or tired impairs a motorist’s reflexes and ability to pay attention, while causing blurry vision if not loss of consciousness during even just a few seconds of unintentional sleep. Considering that it takes just a few seconds for a tragic Chicago car crash to happen, drowsy driving can prove catastrophic.

Groups especially at-risk for drowsy driving are commercial drivers, people with untreated sleep disorders (millions of people may not even be aware they are suffering from slip apnea), young motorists, and people who work the graveyard shift. People on long trips, motorists who are medicated or did not get enough sleep, drunk drivers, solo drivers on dark roads or on those lacking scenery, and late night drivers are also at risk for falling asleep at the wheel.

Many people don’t realize that drowsy driving can be deadly. A new National Sleep Foundation poll reports that 54 million motorists drive while drowsy at least once a month. 105 million drivers report driving while sleepy at least once in the last 12 months.

National Sleep Foundation Chairman Thomas Balkin says contrary to common belief, motorists can’t just will themselves to stay awake, which accounts for the 1.9 million car accidents and near-collisions a year involving a drowsy driver.

On a positive note,1.9 million motor vehicle crashes that can be prevent in the future if only motorists would stop drowsy driving.

Drowsy Driving Prevention Week, National Sleep Foundation (PDF)

1.9 Million Drivers Have Fatigue-Related Car Crashes or Near Misses Each Year, Reuters, November 2, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Drowsy Driving, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Drowsy Driving, National Safety Council

Continue reading "Decrease the Number of Chicago Car Accidents by Not Driving While Drowsy" »

A 42-year-old woman was killed on Tuesday after her vehicle was struck by a minivan driven by a drug suspect trying to get away from police. Valerie Davis leaves behind her family, including a teenage son.

The fatal Chicago car accident happened after 7am when police pulled over the van during a drug enforcement stop. The cops say the suspects in the vehicle tried to strike the Chicago police officers before hitting the police cars, running a red light, striking the vehicle that Davis was in, and hitting another vehicle.

The two suspects then fled the scene on foot before they were arrested.

Police say they were not chasing the van when the auto crash that claimed Davis’s life happened.

High-speed police chases, with one car fleeing and the other vehicle attempting to keep up can be very dangerous for the participants and others. People have been known to get hurt during Chicago police pursuits. Cops are required to exercise caution during chases so that the suspects and innocent bystanders are not accidentally struck during a motor vehicle chase or shot during any exchange of fire.

On Monday, a high-speed police pursuit resulted in two Chicago auto collisions. One traffic collision involved the vehicle carrying four suspects. The other motor vehicle crash involved an auto trying to get out of the way during the Chicago police chase. The accident occurred around 1:45 am.

A number of people were hospitalized. One victim reportedly said he couldn’t feel anything in his legs. Another person, who was ejected from the auto, broke his pelvis and sustained massive head injuries.

Woman killed after van tries to hit police, strikes four cars, Chicago Sun-Times, November 3, 2009

1 dead, 2 arrested after chase, crash, ABC Local, November 3, 2009

Car crashes trying to avoid police chase on South Side, Chicago Breaking News, November 2, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Chicago Police Pursuits (PDF)

Car Accidents, Justia

Continue reading "Woman Dies in Chicago Car Crash After Driver of Minivan Trying to Flee From Police Rams into Her Vehicle " »

In Tazewell County, Illinois last week, 23-year-old Morton driver Jesse A. Horn was charged with three counts of aggravated driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs resulting in an accident causing great bodily harm, unlawful possession of a converted vehicle, and driving on a suspended license. All of these offenses are felonies.

Horn is accused of causing a three-vehicle Illinois car crash while driving a pickup truck on US Route 150 on September 16. Court documents indicate that Horn had just left the Morton Pumpkin Festival where he had been doing community service for a past DUI conviction when the deadly collision occurred.

12 people were sent to the hospital after Horn, who witnesses claim was driving the wrong way up a lane, allegedly rear-ended a Toyota truck and struck an approaching Jeep. Court records note that one car accident victim sustained vertebrae and rib fractures. Another victim, who broke his arm in three places, had to undergo surgery so pins could be installed to fix the injury.

Horn’s BAC at the time of the car accident was over four times the legal drinking and driving limit at .327. Drug testing also revealed that Horn had taken cannabis.

2008 Alcohol-Impaired Driving Facts (NHTSA):
• 11,773 US drunk driving-related deaths.
• That’s one drunk driving death every 45 minutes.
• 8,027 drunk drivers died.
• 1,875 of the victims that died were riding in a car with a drunk driver.
• 1,179 victims were riding in the other vehicle involved in the drunk driving accident.
• 692 of the people that died were not riding a vehicle.

On a positive note, there were less alcohol-impaired fatalities last year than there were in 2007 when 13,041 people died because drivers were drunk. That said, too many people are still dying in Chicago car crashes because of this type of negligent driving behavior.

Morton man charged in crash that injured 12, Pekin Times, October 30, 2009

Alcohol-Impaired Driving, 2008 Traffic Safety Facts, NHTSA (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Influenced Driving, Illinois State Police

Drunk Driving

Continue reading "Morton Driver That Caused Three-Vehicle Illinois Car Crash Had BAC of .327" »

The 4-year-old Fox Lake toddler who was seriously injured in a Lake County, Illinois car accident last August is still recovering. Skiler Wright was hit by a car that was backing out of a driveway. The little girl got caught under the gas tank, muffler, and bumper and was dragged 200 feet.

Skiler, who weighs just 24 pounds, sustained a skull injury, lost a significant portion of her scalp, and injured her shoulder in the Fox Lake pedestrian accident. She already has had eight surgeries.

The medical bills for her treatments are racking up. Skiler’s dad, an iron foundry worker, is on short-term medical leave and her mother is a pregnant, stay-at-home mom. Their health insurance coverage is only taking care of a portion of the little girl’s medical treatments.

This week, the driver of the vehicle that struck Skiler was charged with a traffic violation and a misdemeanor. Pamela Simone, a 36-year-old Fox Lake resident, posted bond after turning herself into the authorities.

Simone was driving on a revoked license at the time of the catastrophic Lake County, Illinois car crash. Previous to losing her license she was charged four times with driving on a suspended license.

2008 Children (Under age 15) Traffic Safety Facts (NHTSA):

• 1,347 child traffic deaths
• 193,000 child traffic injuries
• About 4 child traffic deaths/day
• 270 child pedestrian deaths
• 13,000 child pedestrian injuries
• 44 Illinois child pedestrian deaths

Drivers must exercise caution anytime they are operating a motor vehicle so that they don’t accidentally strike a pedestrian. Kids are especially at risk of sustaining serious injuries during an Illinois pedestrian accident, which is why a motorist needs to look out for them when backing out of driveways, crossing intersections, or driving through areas where there are schools.

Woman who struck, dragged toddler charged with misdemeanor, Daily Herald, October 29, 2009

Fox Lake toddler recovering after being dragged 200 feet by car, Daily Herald, October 22, 2009

Lake County, Illinois Car Accident Leaves 3-Year-Old in Critical Condition, Malman Law, August 26, 2009

Related Web Resources:
NHTSA

Backover Accidents, Kids and Cars/Consumers Union

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the state’s new graduated licensing requirements appear to be working. Between January and October, 60 teen drivers died in Illinois car crashes. That’s a significant decrease from 2007, the last year before the GDL was enacted, when 127 teen drivers died.

Per Illinois’s GDL:

• Teen drivers must now have a learner’s permit for six month instead of just three.

• Teen drivers are not allowed to use cell phones while driving until they turn 19.

• Illinois’s graduated licensing program creates two young driver stages: the learner stage and the intermediate stage.

• The GDL prohibits both learner teen drivers and intermediate teen drivers from operating a motor vehicle after 10p during the week and after 11p on Fridays and Saturdays.

A teen who has just gotten a driver’s license can only have one teen passenger in the car with him or her during the first year.

Young drivers in general are known to be more easily distracted than older drivers. They also don’t have as much driving experience and are more likely to text while driving. Having a group of teens in the car can be distracting for the teen driver, who may forget to pay attention to the road and other vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 164 people died in Illinois car accidents involving a young driver last year. The NHTSA classifies people between the ages of 15 and 20 as young drivers.

80 of the victims were the young drivers. 39 of the people that died were riding in the young drivers’ cars. 37 of the Illinois traffic accident victims that died were riding in the other vehicles involved. 8 of the Illinois auto accident victims were not riding in or on a vehicle when the deadly teen driving accidents happen.

Teen driving law appears to work, Galesburg.com, October 23, 2009

Young Drivers, Traffic Safety Facts 2008, NHTSA (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Graduated Driver License, Cyberdrive Illinois

Illinois Department of Transportation

Continue reading "Graduated Licensing Requirements Lower Number of Illinois Teen Car Crashes, Says Department of Transportation" »

Two parents are suing driver Billie L. Varner for Illinois personal injury. Varner, allege Michael S. Overby and Tiffany Blomgren, ran a red light on June 27, 2008, striking the vehicle driven by Overby. Also riding in the car with Overby were his children, Alexandria and Paige Overby, and Blomgren’s children, Joshua and Michaela Blomgren. The four children are minors.

The plaintiffs contend that because of the Illinois car crash, Michael Overby became disabled and ill, sustained back injuries, and continues to experience pain. His vehicle was damaged during the traffic crash.

According to the Illinois injuries to minor lawsuit, the kids experienced disfigurement, disability, and pain and suffering. As a result of the plaintiffs' injuries, the car crash victims incurred medical expenses.

The Illinois car accident lawsuit claims Varner neglected to obey a traffic control device, was driving too fast, failed to maintain a proper lookout, and did not stop to avoid causing the motor vehicle collision. The plaintiffs are seeking over $50,000 from Varner.

In another Illinois car crash alleging failure to obey a stop sign, Amber N. Hosford says Shirley Hook failed to yield when she struck Hosford’s vehicle on February 24.

Hosford says that because of the traffic accident, she injured nerves, ligaments, bones, discs, and muscles in her body, back, and neck, as well as suffered from bruising. She contends her medical expenses are a result of her injuries. She also says she remains unable to tend to her regular responsibilities. Hosford is seeking over $50,000 from Hook.

Failure to Obey a Stop Sign
Not stopping or yielding at a stop sign can have catastrophic consequences for the vehicle occupants and pedestrians involved. Traffic signs exist to regulate traffic, warn of hazards, and prevent Illinois car accidents from happening. Failure to obey a traffic sign or a traffic light can be grounds for a Chicago car accident case if someone gets hurt or dies.

Driver failed to obey stop sign, say parents in suit, Madison Record, October 23, 2009

Alton accident is subject of suit, Madison Record, October 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

2009 Rules of the Road, CyberDriveIllinois

A baby boy was delivered prematurely at a hospital today, after his pregnant mother was killed in a Chicago car accident on the West Side. Kim Brown, 27, was walking with her friend and the latter’s two children at around 11:30am at Washington and Kostner when a van, which had just collided with another van, jumped the cub and struck them. The other woman, 30, and her two daughters, ages 1 and 3, were also injured.

Doctors say it will take 24 hours to determine the premature infant’s chances of survival. The baby sustained injuries during the Chicago car crash and is in “extremely critical” condition. Brown has five other children.

Police are investigating the catastrophic Chicago car accident, which, unfortunately, was not the only traffic accident today that caused injuries.

There people inside a North Shore tanning parlor got hurt when an 85-year-old driver accidentally stepped on the gas pedal and drove into Wilmette store.

Two of the injury victims were patrons who were struck by the vehicle. They were taken to Evanston Hospital. The third Chicago car accident victim, a Palm Beach Tan patron, got pinned between the wall and front counter.

The motorist was trying to park his car when the auto accident happened.

Pregnant woman dies in crash, baby survives, WGN, October 21, 2009

Illinois Department of Transportation

NHTSA

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Kills Pregnant Pedestrian and Injures Three Others" »

Motor vehicle crashes continue to be the number one cause of teen deaths. National Teen Driver Safety Week was created to raise awareness about the dangers of teen driving and to promote solutions to prevent teen driving accidents from happening.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says teen motorists are involved in three to five times as many deadly car accidents as adult drivers. Distracted driving and drunk driving, both negligent acts, continue to be the leading factors in teen car crashes.

Teen driving crashes can lead to Chicago car accident lawsuits if one of the motorists involved contributed to causing the traffic crash through negligence, recklessness, or carelessness.

Today, Vlingo Corp. released new information about the distracted driving habits of teenagers. According to its Vlingo Consumer Mobile Messaging Habits Report, 60% of teenagers say they read text messages when behind the steering wheel of a car. The report also noted that while 62% of teen drivers support making it illegal to text message while driving, many of them are in favor of technology that would make it safe to do so. Cell phone use is now the number one medium of communication for teenagers.

As we blogged about in an earlier post on our Chicago car accident attorney blog site, two other studies have found that teen drivers who either owned a vehicle or can use one whenever they want to were more likely to become involved in a motor vehicle crash than young drivers who had limited access to a vehicle and/or whose parents supervised their driving habits.

Clearly there are ways to prevent Chicago car accidents involving teen drivers from happening.

Vlingo Reveals New Data Regarding Teen Driver Distractions as Nation Prepares for National Teen Driver Safety Week, Reuters, October 19, 2009

National Teen Driver Safety Week, Keeping Young Drivers Safe

Related Web Resources:
Teen Driving: Safety Tips for Parents, Make It Better, October 2009

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "Preventing Chicago Car Accidents: National Teen Driver Safety Week Runs from October 18 – 24" »

Police have arrested one of the drivers involved in Sunday’s Park Ridge car accident with aggravated DUI. If convicted, Ibrahim Y. Yaro, a Chicago resident, could face up to 28 years in prison.

The deadly Cook County car crash in the Chicago suburb took place after 2am at Riverside Drive and Oakton Street. Killed in the Park Ridge traffic accident where Des Plaines resident Younan Chalabi, 25, and Morton Grove resident Christine Merza, 37. The two of them where passengers in the Mercedes that was involved in the Illinois car wreck with a Nissan.

According to the Nissan’s driver, she had a green light when her car drove into the intersection. Her auto hit the Mercedes’s passenger side. The drivers of the Nissan and the Mercedes and two other passengers were taken to hospitals for non-life threatening injuries.

Aggravated driving under the influence charges were filed in another Chicago area car accident. The Chicago car crash took place on the North Side on August 1 at around 3:25am at the Wilson and Ashland avenues intersection.

47-year-old Raquel Wright was charged with aggravated DUI causing the accidental death of Alexander Foamette, a 24-year-old motorcyclist. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office says that Foamette died from multiple injuries.

At the Chicago motorcycle accident site, Wright reportedly told police she didn’t see the motorcyclist. She accused the rider of red light running. After she failed a field sobriety test she was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for further testing.

Lisa Hofstra, the charge nurse at the Chicago hospital, says that the police officer that asked her to perform the blood test falsely arrested her when she told him that Wright need to be checked into the facility. Hofstra filed a Chicago police brutality lawsuit accusing the cop and the city of Chicago of civil rights violations.

DUI charges filed in fatal crash which sparked lawsuit against city, Chicago Sun-Times, October 15, 2009

Arrest made in fatal Park Ridge crash, Sun-Times, October 13, 2009

2 dead, 4 injured in Park Ridge accident, Chicago Sun-Times, October 11, 2009

Relate Web Resources:
DUI Conviction Penalties, Illinois State Police

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "Park Ridge Car Accident Leaves Two Dead and Four Injured " »

There is growing concern among some groups that electric cars can be a danger to pedestrians because their near-silent sound may make them hard to hear. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is in the process of examining data about car accidents involving hybrid vehicles and pedestrians and will issue its final report in January 2010.

Blind people may be especially susceptible to pedestrian accidents involving Hybrid cars. This is one reason the The National Federation of the Blind is calling on carmakers to design plug-in electric autos and hybrids that emit some type of noise.

Last summer, a blind woman’s cane was run over and broken by what she believes was a hybrid auto. Considering that millions of hybrid and electric vehicles are expected on streets within the next few years, making sure that people can hear them approach could save lives and prevent car manufacturers from becoming defendants of auto products liability and wrongful death lawsuits. Deaf pedestrian may also be at greater risk of becoming involved in a Chicago car accident with a hybrid or electric car than people who have all of their senses intact.

Some carmakers are already attempting to address this possible hazard. According to Bloomberg.com, Nissan is trying to come up with a sound system that would automatically activate when the car is started and wouldn’t shut off until it was traveling at a speed of at least 12 mph.

With so many commuters and tourists in Chicago, pedestrian accidents occur more often than we would like to think. Even if you are not from the area and you were injured in a Chicago car accident, you may be entitled to Chicago personal injury recovery.

Addressing the danger of too-quiet electric cars, with a little help from Blade Runner, Smart Planet, September 21, 2009

Safety experts fear electric cars too quiet, Kansas City Star, September 25, 2009

Related Web Resources:
NHTSA

City of Chicago Pedestrian Program

Continue reading "Are Electric Cars a Danger to Chicago Pedestrians?" »

A motorist faces two counts of reckless homicide and two counts of aggravated DUI over the deaths of a Chicago man and an East Chicago, Indiana resident. David Barbour’s BAC was .148% when he crashed his car into the vehicle carrying William Taylor, 27, and Lawrence Peterson, 28.

Police say that the deadly Chicago car accident happened at 59th and Ashland when Barbour ran a red light. Cook County prosecutors say that he was involved in another auto accident before the one that killed the two men. A third passenger who was riding with Taylor and Lawrence sustained critical injuries.

Barbour, 27, is accused of denying offers to drive him to his destination after he left a bar. Other charges against him include driving without insurance, negligent driving, and disregarding a traffic light.

Drunk driving continues to be a leading cause of car crashes in Illinois and throughout the US. Our Chicago car accident lawyers know how hard it is for surviving family members to deal with their loss while attempting to pick up the pieces of their lives. We are here to help our clients with their personal injury and wrongful death recovery.

Just this June, a 24-year-old woman died on Illinois 47 when Oak Lawn resident Joe Olvera crossed the northbound lane to strike their vehicle. Meagan Ahlstrom was 24. Her mother Rebecca sustained permanent injuries from the deadly Illinois car accident.

Olvera was charged with six counts of aggravated DUI. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to two counts. He will receive his sentence in December. Olvera faces a maximum 14 years in prison.

Olvera pleads guilty in fatal wreck, Morris Daily Herald, October 9, 2009

Two killed, two injured in Austin neighborhood crash, Chicago Sun-Times, October 3, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Illinois DUI Conviction Penalties

ABC7 Chicago is reporting that the widow of a man who died last Thursday in a Crestwood multi-car crash is furious that the driver responsible for causing the deadly traffic collision was a parolee who already had a conviction for reckless homicide. Marian Anderson’s husband, Frederick Anderson, was 55.

On Sunday, Bruce Dozier again was charged with reckless homicide, in addition to aggravated driving under the influence of drugs, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Eight vehicles were involved in the chain-reaction collision on Cicero Avenue.

The deadly Chicago suburb car accident occurred early in the morning. His wife, Marion says she saw footage of the deadly auto crash on TV but didn’t know that her husband was involved in the collision until she received a call from his office.

Police say that Anderson died instantly.

Dozier, who has paroled in 2008 after serving two of his six-year prison sentence, received his first conviction for reckless homicide when he was involved in an auto accident that killed a 28-year-old driver. Anderson’s family is angry that Dozier was let out of jail early.

Chicago Car Accident Lawsuits
If someone you love died in a Chicago car accident and your injury case seems impossible to prove, do not despair. Our Chicago injury law firm is known for taking on and succeeding with Cook County car accident lawsuits that other local personal injury lawyers have turned down. Even if the driver was an uninsured motorist or a hit and run driver, there still may be a way to obtain financial recovery for you. There even may be other parties who should be held liable.

Suspect received bond Sunday, ABC Local, October 4, 2009

Parolee Charged In Fatal Crestwood Crash, My Fox Chicago, October 4, 2009

Crestwood crash leaves one dead, Southtown Star, October 2, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Cyber Drive Illinois

Reckless Homicide, Illinois General Assembly

This week, Toyota, the largest automaker in the world, announced that it is going to recall 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles because the motor vehicle’s floor mats can cause accelerator to get stuck. That’s what investigators believe happened last month in the Lexus that Mark Saylor, his wife Cleofe, their teenager daughter Mahala, and his brother-in-law Chris Lastrella were riding.

During a 911 call made from the Lexus ES 350, one of the passengers exclaimed that the brakes did not appear to be working. All four vehicle occupants died after the auto, which was moving at high speeds, struck another vehicle, crashed through a fence, bounced off a dirt embankment, flew off the ground, and landed close to a riverbed before catching fire.

Toyota says that preliminary data from the tragic crash probe indicates that the all-weather floor mat on the driver’s may have been installed improperly, which allowed the mat to interfere with the accelerated pedal.

According to the federal government, five deaths, 17 injuries, and 13 car crashes have been linked to Toyota floor mats. Over 100 related complaints have been filed.

The New York Times is reporting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Toyota have known about this floor mat problem for a couple years. As a matter of fact, Toyota recalled a number of all-weather floor mats in 2007.

The NHTSA’s investigation in 2007 found that there were problems with the Toyota accelerator pad’s design and the optional all-weather, rubber floor mats. According to a NHTSA test center, the accelerator pad’s design allows it to easily become entrapped in the floor mat’s groove if the mat isn’t secured correctly. The test center’s report went on to say that if the accelerator pad did get stuck, the driver’s ability to brake could be reduced significantly.

Car manufacturers can be held liable for auto products liability if someone is seriously injured or dies in a Chicago car accident because the automaker made a mistake and designed a vehicle or auto part with a defect that caused or contributed to the deadly Illinois auto crash.

Toyota Floor-Mat Problem Was Known Two Years Ago, NY Times, October 1, 2009

Toyota recall: 3.8 million cars with risky floor mats, CNN, September 30, 2009

Floor Mats the Focus of Deadly Lexus Crash, NBC San Diego, September 10, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Toyota Motor Corporation

Defects & Recalls, NHTSA

Continue reading "Toyota Has Known About Deadly Floor Mats for Two Years, Reports New York Times" »

Beginning January, the state of Illinois will ban all motorists from texting while driving. In the meantime, this form of distracted driving is still legal and many motorists will continue to send and receive texts while operating a motor vehicle despite knowing that texting while driving significantly increases a person’s chances of becoming involved in a Chicago car crash.

Fortunately, efforts to continue to educate and remind people that texting while driving can be fatal. Beginning tomorrow, the US Department of Transportation will hold its Distracted Driving Summit to discuss the dangers that can arise and the deaths that can result when someone texts while driving or participates in other distracted driving activities. Also, from October 5 to October 11, AAA and AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is sponsoring Heads Up Driving Week. They are calling on motorists across the US to stop all distracted driving activities---especially talking on a cell phone and texting—for just one week.

In Illinois, one Northwestern University student is garnering attention for a school project she and other students are making called "Message Received." The film highlighting the dangers of texting when driving. Last year, the city of Chicago passed an ordinance making Internet surfing and texting illegal.

If you were injured in a Chicago auto crash because a driver was distracted, you may be entitled to personal injury recovery from the liable party.

AAA Foundation for traffic safety says that driver inattention is a cause of over one million traffic accidents in the US. It is unacceptable that people are getting hurt and dying because certain motorists are unable to wait until they’ve arrived at their destination to respond to or compose a text message, make a phone call, light a cigarette, read a newspaper, or use their hands to eat, paint their nails, or apply makeup.

Student film focuses on texting during driving, DailyNorthwestern, September 29, 2009

Administration Eyes Ways to Block Texting While Driving, US News & World Report, September 28, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Distracted Driving Summit

What is Heads Up Driving Week?, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety

Cellphone laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Continue reading "Preventing Chicago Car Crashes: Dangers of Texting While Driving Highlighted During US DOT's Distracted Driving Summit " »

According to two studies by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researcher, teenagers who either own a car or are able to use one whenever they want have a greater chance of becoming involved in a car accident than teens who have shared use of a vehicle and/or whose parents monitor their kids’ driving activities and/or have specific rules about driving.

The studies’ research is based on a nationally representative survey of over 5,500 teens, grades 9-11. Students from 68 US high schools responded to the questionnaire, which was issued 2006.

Over 2,000 teens who said they drove unsupervised were at the center of the study. 70% reported that they either owned a vehicle or were the main driver of an auto. While 25% of “main” drivers had been involved in auto accidents, that figure was at 10% for teen drivers who had shared use of a car.

Flaura Koplin Winston, who is the study’s lead author, noted that when teenagers are given free use of or ownership of a car, they may develop a “sense of entitlement” that can make them less careful drivers. She said that teen drivers who shared driving access had a lower crash rate because having to ask for the car keys made it easier for parents to monitor their driving habits. Teens whose parents were more involved in their driving activities were 71% less likely to drive drunk and 30% less likely to talk on a cell phone while driving.

Considering that traffic accidents is the number one cause of teen fatalities, this information is good for parents to know. Just because a teen driver is now old enough to legally drive does not mean that he or she automatically has the skills, experience, knowledge, and judgment that is necessary for driving safely.

A teenager who causes a Chicago car crash risks not just his or her life but also the lives of others. In 2008, 4,400 teens were killed in US car crashes. In 2007, over 7,000 people died in US auto accidents involving teen drivers. Over 3,000 of the people who died were teenagers. Over 250,000 teen drivers sustained injuries.

Ken Ginsburg, associated pediatrics professor at The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recommends that parents set “appropriate” rules and boundaries for teen drivers. His suggestions include establishing curfews, restricting driving during bad weather, and preventing their kids from driving passengers around for the first six months to one year.

The studies findings’ can be found in the October issue of Pediatrics. State Farm Insurance Co. funded the study.

Strict rules from parents lead to safer-driving teens, USA Today, September 25, 2009

Teens with own cars have more crashes, study finds, AP, September 25, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Teen Drivers, CDC

New Drivers, NHTSA

Continue reading "Owning a Motor Vehicle Increases Chicago Car Accident Risk for Teenagers" »

In Cook County, Illinois, a jury has awarded $25 million to a man who is now a paraplegic after he was injured in a Schaumburg car accident in April 2004. Andrzej Chraca can only walk using a cane and leg braces because he fractured a vertebra in his spine.

The Cook County car accident happened as Chraca’s vehicle and a car driven by Steve Miles crossed an Elgin O'Hare Expressway intersection at the same time. Both men have argued that each of them had the right-of-way. Miles, who was working for the Illinois Department of Transportation at the time of the Schaumburg, Illinois auto crash also sustained permanent injuries, including a mild traumatic brain injury and partial paralysis to the right side of his body. Chraca and Miles haven’t been able to go back to work since the auto accident happened.

Even though investigators were not able to figure out who ran a red light and witnesses at the Chicago personal injury trial offered contradicting testimony, the jury ruled in favor of Chraca—although they did find him 5% responsible for driving too fast—because Miles’s car struck Chraca’s vehicle.

After making a slight deduction for comparative negligence, Chraca’s $25 million award was reduced to $23,838,668. The IDOT is responsible for $2 million because Miles was operating IDOT equipment when the deadly Schaumburg car accident happened.

Proving liability in a Chicago car accident can be complicated. There may be inadequate evidence and conflicting testimony from various witnesses.

Schaumburg man gets $24 million judgment in crash suit, The Daily Herald, September 9, 2009

Cook County jury awards $24M to man hurt in Schaumburg crash, Sun Times, September 9, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Spinal Cord Injury : Quadriplegic and Paraplegic Injuries, Apparelyzed

Car Accidents, Proving Fault, Nolo

Continue reading "Cook County Jury Awards $25 Million Schaumburg Car Accident Lawsuit to Partial Paraplegic" »

In Cook County Circuit Court, a woman is suing former Chicago Bears player Steve McMichael for personal injury. Her Chicago car accident lawsuit is seeking over $50,000 in damages.

Marzanna Jakszewicz says she sustained a herniated disc during the Cook County car crash, which occurred on January 8, 2008 on the Northwest side. McMichael was reportedly getting off Kennedy Expressway at North Kimball Avenue when he allegedly hit Jakszewicz's vehicle, which was stopped at a traffic light.

Jakszewicz claims that the former Chicago Bears player stumbled out of his car, verbally abused her, and left the Chicago car crash site even though she asked him to wait for police.

According to Jakszewicz’s Chicago car accident lawyer, McMichael may have overshot the exit, which is how he ended up hitting his client’s vehicle. Jakszewicz’s car and another auto were damaged during the Chicago car collision.

Herniated Discs
A herniated disc can be extremely painful and a CT scan or an MRI may be required for diagnosis. Some car crash victims may find themselves experiencing a lifetime of pain from their herniated disc injuries, and they may have to undergo surgery, therapy, or steroid injections.

If you are injured in any kind of Chicago accident that was caused by another parties negligence, you need to speak with a Chicago injury attorney immediately. In many serious cases, your car accident insurance may not cover all the costs of medical expenses, rehabilitation, and time off from work. You may have to file a Chicago car accident lawsuit to ensure that you receive all of the recovery that you are owed.

Former Bear McMichael sued for allegedly causing crash, fleeing the scene, WBBM 780, September 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Herniated Disc, Web MD

Welcome to Herniated disk guide, May Clinic

According to the National Occupant Protection Use Survey, seat belt use this year is at 84%. This is a 1% increase from 2007's seat belt use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis conducted NOPUS.

Per the survey:
• US states where vehicle occupants are more likely to get pulled over for not wearing seat belts had a higher seat belt use rate than states with less strict seat belt regulations.
• Seat belt use on expressways is at 90% and 81% on surface streets.
• Seat belt use in passenger cars is 86%, 87% in vans and SUVs, and 74% in pickup trucks.
• Seat belt use on weekdays is 83%.
• Seat belt use on weekends is at 86%.

With so many people using seat belts, it is important that these safety devices be free from defects so that they are able to properly protect wearers in the event of a motor vehicle crash. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and our Chicago car accident lawyers have represented injury victims with defective seat belt claims against auto manufacturers and seat belt makers.

Common kinds of seat belt defects that can be grounds for a Chicago products liability complaint:

• Torn webbing
• Ribbed webbing
• Inertial unlatching
• Failed retractor
• Lap-only seat belts

Defective seat belts can lead to catastrophic car accident injuries. If a person using the seat belt is involved in a Chicago car accident and the safety restraint system malfunctions, the vehicle occupant could get thrown into the front or side windows, get ejected from the motor vehicle, or sustain a serious traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury if the roof crushes inward during a rollover accident.

Seat Belt Use in 2009, NHTSA, September 2009 (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Safety advocates seek more seat belt use, USA Today, June 14, 2009

Seat Belts, Why You Should Use Them, OSU EHS

In Illinois, the secretary of state’s office is putting together an emergency contact database that police can use to locate the family members of car accident victims. The database is voluntary and lets state residents submit phone numbers and addresses of up to two contacts located anywhere in the United States. To submit your contacts’ information, go to the CyberDrive Illinois Web site.

All you need is an Illinois driver’s license, learner’s permit, or identification card. Only law enforcement personnel can access the data.

The emergency information will hopefully make it easier for police in Chicago and other Illinois cities to contact family members of people who were injured or killed in Illinois car accidents. It can be especially difficult to locate the relatives of victims that were killed, are too injured to communicate, or whose own contact information is not up-to-date. This can prove traumatic not just for the victim but also for some family members who may not be able to make it to the hospital in time to make the important decisions about their loved one’s medical care.

Over 6,000 people have signed up to participate since the program’s launch in August.

Chicago Car Accidents
Getting hurt in a Chicago car accident can be a life-altering experience. There can be so much to think about following a serious injury crash, including figuring out what to do about medical expenses and living costs, exploring best options for medical care and recovery, worrying about how you are going to pay your bills, or wondering whether you will lose your job if you take the needed time off from work to recover. Also, there is the pain and suffering you may be experiencing as a result of your injuries.

This is why it is important that you work with an experienced Chicago auto accident lawyer who can help you get through this difficult time while pursuing your Illinois personal injury recovery from all liable parties.

Illinois secretary of state compiles 'in case of emergency' database, Chicago Tribune, September 16, 2009

CyberDriveIllinois

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Department of Transportation

What to do after a car accident, MSN

Police in Chicago, Illinois are citing the 64-year-old motorist who fatally struck a 5-year-old bicyclist with failure to provide a pedestrian with due care in a roadway and failure to stop when leaving an alley. Following the deadly Chicago car accident in the Rogers Park area, driver Mary Mani remained at the crash site.

The young girl, Ester Kenig, was transported to an Evanston hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Chicago Car Accidents Can Fatally Injure Child Bicyclists
With the new academic school year underway, it is important for drivers to be on the look out for bicyclists. A Chicago motorist can be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death if a cyclist is injured in a Chicago auto crash. Young child riders are especially at risk of serious injuries.

Steps to avoid injuring a bicyclist in a Chicago car accident:
• Be on the look out for bicyclists.
• Be especially careful around child bicyclists.
• Before opening your car door, make sure that a bicyclist isn’t approaching.
• Follow the speed limit.
• Stop completely when at stop signs.
• Give a bicyclist room to maneuver.
• Don’t tailgate a cyclist.
• Watch out for child pedestrians and bicyclists in school crossing zones and in areas where kids are likely to be going to or from school.
• Slow down when passing a bicycle rider.
• Try not to honk your horn when you are close to a bicyclist. You might startle him or her, causing the rider to fall onto the street.

Chicago car accidents can lead to serious injuries for victims. In many cases, car insurance will not cover all recovery expenses. An experienced Chicago, Illinois car collision lawyer can pursue the maximum compensation that you are owed.

Driver cited in death of 5-year-old, ABC Local, September 7, 2009

Yield to Heels, Hsrc.unc.edu

Related Web Resources:
CyberDrive Illinois

Driver ticketed in crash that killed 5-year-old girl, WBBM Newsradio, September 7, 2009

Chicago auto products liability lawyers are watching and waiting to discover if indeed the allegations brought by a former Toyota lawyer who is accusing the automaker of concealing key evidence and information in hundreds of rollover lawsuits are true. If so, a number of Toyota rollover lawsuits that were either settled or with verdicts that came out in favor of the carmaker may have to be reopened.

Last July, Dimitrios Biller sued the his former employer for wrongful termination. He says Toyota made him resign because he disagreed with the way they allegedly mishandled key evidence in over 300 personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Biller, who was given a $3.7 million severance package in 2007, is now ready to talk about why he says he was let go.

Biller worked for the world’s biggest automaker from 2003 to 2007. While employed by Toyota, he defended the company against rollover lawsuits filed by plaintiffs and the loved ones of victims that died in catastrophic traffic crashes.

Biller is accusing Toyota of keeping electronically stored data from plaintiffs instead of turning over the information to their products liability lawyers. He also says that Toyota destroyed documents about roof crush issues that were relevant to these cases.

Biller claims that Toyota withheld records about the testing and the designs of vehicle roofs. He says the carmaker has never come up with a document to prove that its roof strength standard is tougher than the federal government’s requirement. Bill claims that currently, there are people who are driving Toyota vehicles that fail to meet the carmaker's own internal standard.

The allegations that Biller is making against Toyota are serious and could impact the outcome of hundreds of products liability cases that were already closed. Our Chicago SUV rollover accident law firm will be watching closely to determine if indeed Toyota has been keeping key information from plaintiffs who perhaps should have received a larger recovery for their injuries, pain and suffering, and losses.

Rollover accidents continue to claim many lives in the US on a regular basis. This is why automakers must design their vehicles in a manner that decreases the chances of a rollover accident and if a rollover crash does happen, the vehicle’s roof should be sturdy enough so that it doesn’t crush inward to cause serious injury or death to vehicle occupants that are secured by their seat belts.

Toyota Accused of Hiding Evidence, CBS News, August 29, 2009

Toyota May Face Push to Reopen Rollover-Crash Cases, Bloomberg, September 1, 2009

Toyota Accused of Concealing Evidence in Rollover Lawsuits, NY TImes, August 31, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Justia

Rollover and Roof Crush, IIHS

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, some 500 people in the state died in alcohol-related car accidents in 2007. In an effort to decrease the number of drunk driving deaths this year, over 300 local police agencies are stepping up their efforts to crack down on motorists who are driving drunk or not using seat belts—especially over the holiday weekend.

There will be more police patrols on the street and officers will focus on the night hours. Last week, the IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety reported a significant difference in the motor vehicle deaths that happen late at night than during the other times of the day.

While Illinois State Police are quick to point out that driving drunk at any time of day or night is never appropriate or acceptable, the latest data indicates that the chances of becoming involved in an Illinois drunk driving accident rises dramatically at night.

Almost 7 out of 10 traffic deaths that took place between 12am and 3am involved a driver who was drunk. Less than 3 of the 10 car crash deaths that occurred at this time were people who were using seat belts. This 3-hour period is considered the deadliest time of the day to be riding a vehicle on an Illinois road.

During the day, alcohol was a factor in under 2 out of every 10 Illinois traffic deaths. Almost 6 out of the 10 fatality victims had been properly restrained.

Our Chicago car crash law firm has said time and again that drunk driving is negligent driving and can be grounds for an Illinos personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death case if a motorist was careless enough to drink and drive and someone was killed or hurt as a result. While it is the responsibility of vehicle occupants to use their seat belts, there are Chicago auto injuries and deaths that happen because of products liability. In order to save a life, a seat belt must be free from defects and cannot malfunction during an Illinois traffic accident.

Labor Day DUI crackdown set, Chicago Tribune, September 3, 2009

IDOT data reports late-night hours as the deadliest time on Illinois roadways, Illinois Gov, August 24, 2009

Related Web Resources:
2007 Drunk Driving Statistics

Cops target U.S. 41 for drunken drivers, Post-Tribune, September 3, 2009

Police in Clinton County, Illinois have charged Melissa Weiser with 32 counts of aggravated DUI. The 27-year-old was driving the car that crashed into a SUV on May 24 near Keyesport.

Three of the people riding in the SUV, Aviston resident Blake Thole, Germantown resident Derek Garrison, and Beckenmeyer resident Justin Haar, all died in the deadly Illinois car crash. Four other occupants, New Baden’s Crystal Fuehne, Albers’s Elisah Engelmann, Damiansville’s Casey Athmer, and Breese’s John Lampen sustained injuries. East Carondelet resident Chaz Sarget, who was riding in Weiser’s car, was also killed in the Clinton County, Illinois car crash.

Weiss was arrested on Tuesday after prosecutors filed the charges against her.

According to new government figures, the number of DUI arrests involving women in Illinois and the rest of the US has gone up, while the number of men arrested for DUI over the last 10 years has gone down. One reason for this, says former Cook County prosecutor Denise Nalley, is that police officers are no longer practicing leniency toward female drunk drivers.

In 2007, US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s daughter, Ann Banaszewski, was charged with DUI in DuPage County. Banaszewski was sentenced to 18-months court supervision and she had to undergo alcohol counseling.

While in 1998, 126,000 women were arrested in the US for drunk driving, that number rose to 162,000 in 2007. In Illinois, there were 7,430 women arrested for DUI in 1998. 9,800 women were arrested for Illinois drunk driving in 2007. In Chicago, there were 400 female DUI arrests in 2001. In 2007, 610 women were arrested for Chicago DUI.

As evidenced by the drunk driving accident that our Chicago car accident law firm discusses in this blog post, driving under the influence of any kind of substance is negligent driving that can kill people and destroy the lives of the victims’ loved ones.

Woman accused of felony DUI in wreck that killed 4, Chicago Tribune, August 27, 2009

Woman charged with DUI in Keyesport wreck that killed 4, BND, August 27, 2009

Cops get tough with women driving drunk, Chicago Sun-Times, August 23, 2009

Continue reading "27-Year-Old East Carondelet Woman Charged with 32 Counts of Aggravated DUI in Illinois Car Accident that Killed Four People Last May" »

A 3-year-old girl is in critical but stable condition at a Chicago hospital. The young girl had been playing in Fox Lake on Monday evening when a Dodge that was backing out of 23 Arlington Road struck her. The girl was pinned underneath the vehicle during the backover accident and dragged some 200 feet before the driver realized what happened. The 3-year-old broke her collarbone and sustained shoulder and head injuries during the Lake County, Illinois car accident.

Police say they may pursue charges against the motorist.

Backover Accidents
Backover accidents involve a person that is struck by a vehicle that is backing up. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that 221 people died in backover accidents in 2007. 14,000 others were injured. 99 of the deaths and 2,000 of the injuries were kids in the 14 and under age group.

Most of the backover accidents took place in parking lots and driveways. Kids and Cars founder Janette Fennell says that the NHTSA figures affirms her group’s findings that about two children a week die in the US because of backover accidents.

It is important that motorists carefully check around and behind their vehicles before backing up. Larger cars, such as vans, sport utility vehicles, and trucks, tend to have bigger blind spots.

Steps to prevent backover accidents from happening:
• Physically go around your vehicle before backing it up.
• Keep an eye on children on the road so that you don’t miss one of them running behind your car.
• Keep toys and other items kids might want to play with off your driveway.
• Drive carefully

A driver can be held liable for personal injury if negligence or carelessness caused the motorist to accidentally run over someone during a Lake County, Illinois backover accident.

Fox Lake girl critical after struck by car, Lake County News-Sun, August 26, 2009

3-Year-Old Struck By Car, Dragged 200 Feet, CBS2Chicago, August 26, 2009

221 People Killed in "Backover" Accidents in 2007, NHTSA Study Shows, Edmunds Daily, January 2009

Related Web Resources:
Kids and Cars

Automobile Back-Over Accidents: How to Avoid a Surprisingly Prevalent & Serious Accident, SixWise.com

A 65-year-old woman was killed yesterday in an Illinois car accident on Route 13. Frances Koon, a seamstress, was going to work when her car was in a collision with a pickup just before 5am.

According to investigators, it was Nicholas Wilson, 19, who crossed the center line, causing the head-on crash with Koon’s motor vehicle. Illinois State Police have charged Wilson with DUI.

Three people were in the car driven by Wilson. The passengers, ages 19 – 21, were flown to hospitals.

Drunk Driving
Despite all the information available regarding the dangers of drunk driving, there are still many motorists that continue to drink and drive. Drunk driving accidents killed almost 13,000 people in 2007—that’s one drunk driving death every 40 minutes. In each of these instances, the driver who was drunk had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or more.

Drunk driving accidents destroy the lives not just of the person killed or injured in the Illinois car crash, but also the lives of the victim’s loved ones who now must spend years dealing with the fact that the person they care about is gone or catastrophically hurt because someone drank too much and decided to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

On August 21, 2009, law enforcement officers throughout the US will begin an 18-day Drunk Driving crackdown until Labor Day. The initiative, called Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. Is meant to save lives and make it clear to motorists that if they are driving drunk, they will be arrested.

Drunk drivers that end up killing someone will likely face time in prison for committing this crime. The negligent motorist can also be held liable in civil court for Illinois personal injury or wrongful death.

Head On Collision Kills Woman from Lenzburg, Illinois, Fox2Now, August 17, 2009

Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest, NHTSA

Related Web Resources:
Underage Drinking, SADD

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Continue reading "Woman Dies in Illinois Head-On Car Accident on Route 13" »

A 2009 new poll commissioned by AutoVantage called "In The Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey” ranks Chicago, Illinois number 12 on its list of 25 metropolitan centers in the United States. New York City ranked number one as the city with the rudest drivers in the country, a likely relief for Miami, which ranked on top for three years running until now.

When participants were asked what they felt were the leading causes of road rage, the most popular answers included:

• Bad driving
• Speeding
• Careless driving
• Tailgating
• Making obscene gestures
• Using a cell phone
• Failing to use the appropriate signals
• Running late, being in a hurry, being in a bad mood, feeling tired, having a bad day, or feeling stressed out
• Traffic
• Other car accidents
• Road construction
• Poor road conditions
• Rude drivers

The participants were asked about other drivers' behaviors that bothered them:

• Drivers who eat and drive
• Drivers who drink and drive
• Drivers who text or e-mail
• Speeding drivers
• Drivers who use cell phones

When asked how they might respond to behaviors by other drivers that bothered them:

• Curse at the motorist
• Honk their horn
• Make gestures with their arms
• Make obscene gestures
• Call police
• Rear end the car in front of them

Road Rage
Road rage can lead to Chicago car accidents resulting in serious injuries. A driver who is experiencing road rage may end up engaging in dangerous behavior, such as slamming the brakes to punish a tailgater, rear-ending a motorist who is driving too slowly, recklessly weaving out of traffic, or cutting off drivers in an attempt to vent their frustrations. This puts the angry driver, the other motorist, and the drivers and pedestrians around them at risk of serious injury or death.

Driver Courtesy: Forget It and Drive On, National Safety Commission, July 16, 2009

Affinion Road Rage 2009 Survey

Related Web Resource:
AutoVantage Road Rage Survey Reveals Best, Worst Cities, Affinion Group Media, June 16, 2009

Aggressive Driving: Three Studies, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Affinion Group Media

Continue reading "New Survey Ranks Chicago as #12 On 2009 List of US Metropolitan Centers with Most Road Rage" »

A 17-year-old Illinois teenager who survived a catastrophic St. Charles car accident is suing the driver and his dad for personal injury. Chelsea Mertz is seeking damages over $50,000 for her brain injury and broken jaw.

On June 17, Mertz and three teenagers were riding in a sport utility vehicle driven by 18-year-old Onofrio Lorusso (also known as Josh) when the SUV went off the road, hitting two trees. West Chicago resident Cameron Godee, 17, died from her injuries.

Because of the Illinois SUV accident, Mertz’s jaw was surgically shut. Because she underwent brain surgery, she has had to undergo rehabilitative therapy. It is unclear at this time whether there will be any permanent effects from her traumatic brain injury.

According to Mertz’s Illinois car accident complaint, Lorusso was driving on the wrong side of the road, going over 40 miles above the speed limit, as well as high and drunk. Mertz is also suing Lorusso’s father, who has the same name as his son, for allowing Josh to drive the teenagers home that night even though he’d been drinking.

The lawsuit contends that Lorusso’s father knew that his son had a history of driving while under the influence. Also named as a defendant in the Illinois personal injury lawsuit is Active Concrete. The company belongs to Lorusso’s father and the car involved in the auto accident was registered in its name.

Police say Lorusso’s blood alcohol content was over three times the legal drinking limit. The teen driver also tested positive for marijuana. He is charged with 4 counts of reckless homicide and 12 counts of aggravated DUI.

Suit filed in fatal St. Charles crash, Suburban Chicago News, August 7, 2009

Injured passenger sues driver in fatal STC crash, The Chronicle, August 6, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Traumatic Brain Injury, CDC

Broken Jaw, EmedicineHealth

Police say that the 36-year-old mother who drove the wrong-way on a New York road killing 8 people, herself, her 2-year-old daughter, her three young nieces, as well as three people in one of the vehicles she struck, had a blood-alcohol level that was over twice the legal limit at the time of the deadly multi-vehicle car crash.

They claim that Diane Schuler had more than 10 alcohol drinks in her system as well as a high level of the primary ingredient found in marijuana. They believe she’d been smoking the drug anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour before the deadly multi-vehicle crash. Her BAC was reportedly 0.19%--over double the 0.08% drinking limit and there was alcohol that was still undigested in her body. A broken bottle of Absolute vodka was in the minivan that she’d been driving.

Schuler stunned the nation on July 26 when her minivan drove for almost two miles the wrong-way up the Taconic State Parkway. She crashed into two vehicles, including an SUV carrying the three men who were killed in the deadly wrong-way driving accident. The three men are Guy Bastardi, his year- father Michael Bastardi, and their friend Michael Longo. Their families are considering filing a wrongful death lawsuit against whoever allowed Schuler to drive drunk.

Schuler’s son Bryan, 5, survived the crash with injuries.

Schuler’s husband, Daniel Schuler, however, says the toxicology reports are wrong. He says he’s never seen his wife drink during all of the years that they’ve known each other. His attorney held a news conference today claiming that Schuler was diabetic. The family thinks she suffered a stroke.

Police have ruled the car accident a homicide because Schuler caused the accident while driving the wrong way up the road.

Lawyer: N.Y. mom in wrong-way crash was diabetic, August 6, 2009

Wrong-way driver in N.Y. crash was drunk, LA Times, August 4, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Continue reading "Wrongful Death?: Wrong-Way Driver Who Killed 8 People Was Drunk and High, Say Police, but Her Family Disputes Allegations" »

According to a spokesperson for the Illinois government, tomorrow Governor Patrick Quinn will sign a bill into law that will make it illegal for drivers in the state to text while driving. The new law would allow for the use of GPS devices on cell phones and let motorists pull off to the shoulder of the road while they text.

This is good news for people in Chicago and the rest of Illinois—especially after recent findings by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute reported that texting while driving dramatically increases the chances that a driver will become involved in a motor vehicle crash.

In the wake of this news, as well as revelations that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knew as far back as several years ago that using a cell phone while driving was dangerous—yet decided not to notify the public—US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced this week that there will be a “distracted driving summit.” The gathering is tentatively scheduled to take place in September.

Safety advocates are noting that this move shows that the federal government is beginning to increase its focus on the dangers that can arise when drivers text or talk on the cell phone while driving. They are hoping that the summit will result in action, such as new laws, and not just discourse.

Last week, a number of US lawmakers proposed holding back on federal highway funding unless states established laws regulating both texting and talking on the cell phone while driving.

To date, the District of Columbia and 5 US states have laws making it necessary for drivers to use hands-free cell phones when driving. 14 US states have banned texting while driving.

Secretary LaHood says that people need to be educated about the dangerous of texting and talking on the cell phone while driving so they can be clear about the potential dangers.

Already, too many people have sustained serious personal injuries in Chicago car accidents or become the victims of wrongful death because a motorist was texting or talking on a cell phone and driving at the same time.

Quinn plans to sign ban on texting while driving Thursday, Chicago Tribune, August 5, 2009

Federal Agency Plans Distracted Driving Forum, NY Times, August 4, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Cell Phone Driving Laws, GHSA

CyberDrive Illinois

Continue reading "Gov. Patrick Quinn to Sign Texting while Driving Ban into Illinois Law in Chicago" »

It is now common knowledge that talking on a cell phone while driving, texting and driving, and reading while driving are dangerous activities. Yet did you know that eating certain foods can also increase the chances you could become involved in a Chicago car accident?

According to some insurers, here are three groups of food to avoid while driving:

Any HOT liquids: Hot chocolate, hot soup, and hot coffee can become safety risks if you spill any of these items on yourself while driving in traffic.

GOOEY foods: Not only could you find yourself taking at least one hand off the steering wheel if your jelly donut ends up squirting onto your blouse and you scramble to unscrew your water bottle or search for a napkin to blot out the stain before an important meeting, but your attempts at multi-tasking could cause you to swerve out of your lane into the vehicle next to you or onto oncoming traffic.

Greasy foods: Apparently hamburgers, tacos, chili dogs, chicken wings, chocolate cake, and bbq ribs are considered dangerous dishes to eat while driving as well.

Of course, eating while driving is just one type of distracted driving that can lead to Chicago car crashes. And it’s a poor excuse if you ever do find that a cup of hot and sour soup caused you to become involved in a Chicago auto collision.

It can also be very costly—not just in terms of any traffic tickets that could result or an increase in insurance rates if you end up causing an Illinois traffic collision as a result—but if someone gets hurt, you could find yourself the defendant in a Chicago car accident lawsuit.

Eating while driving, dangerous foods, My Fox DC, July 28, 2009

Related Web Resource:
Cyber Drive, Illinois

Continue reading "Certain Foods are Dangerous to Eat While Driving and Can Cause Chicago Car Accidents " »

Four people sustained critical injuries and one person was killed in a Chicago car accident involving a drunk driver in Woodlawn on Sunday night. The person that died was a passenger in the car driven by an alleged drunk driver, who drove into another vehicle and then a light pole, which then landed on a 9-year-old pedestrian. The child is reportedly in stable condition at the University of Chicago Corner Children’s Hospital. Another car accident victim reportedly sustained a broken arm.

In another Chicago car accident on Sunday, two police officers ended up in the hospital after the squad car they were riding in was broadsided by a Honda. The driver, 20, is accused of ignoring a traffic control device at Elston and Albany and t-boning the squad car. Aggravated DUI charges against the motorist may be pending, in addition to driving without insurance and driving without a license charges.

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration roadside survey, in 2007 2.2% of drivers had a BAC of .08% or greater—a significant decline compared to the number of drunk drivers (7.5% were legally drunk) that were surveyed in 1973. Despite the fact that there are less drunk drivers on US roads than their used to be, drunk driving is still a cause of way too many Chicago car crashes.

Drunk driving is negligent driving and a drunk driver can be sued for Chicago personal injury if he or she causes serious injury or wrongful death during an Illinois car accident.

The recent NHTSA survey also went on to note that for the first time, 16.3% of the nighttime weekend drivers surveyed tested positive for drugs, with cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine the most commonly drugs detected. Not only can taking drugs impair a driver’s ability to drive safely, but these narcotics can stay in the motorist’s system for weeks—making it hard to know if these drugs were a contributing factor in causing a Chicago car accident days after they were ingested.

One dead, four critically hurt in Woodlawn Crash, Chicago Sun-Times, July 27, 2009

Drunken driver injures two cops, WBBM 780, July 27, 2009

Study finds decline in alcohol use by drivers, AP, July 13, 2009

Related Web Resources:
NHTSA

MADD

Continue reading "Chicago Drunk Driving Accident Injures Four and Kills One " »

Surprisingly, there are people who read while driving a motor vehicle. This is a form of distracted driving that happens more often than you would think. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, reading while driving triples the odds that a driver might become involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Examples of reading while driving:
• Reading text messages
• Reading emails
• Surfing the Internet on a PDA or cell phone
• Reading a map
• Reading directions
• Reading books or newspapers

Reading while driving can prove dangerous because a driver likely will have to take his or her eyes off the road. The motorist’s cognitive attention is focused on the material being read, which can take a driver’s overall focus off the road and away from driving safely.

Some people may get bored in traffic and decide to pick up a book or surf the Web while their vehicle isn’t moving. It can be challenging to for a motorist to stop reading once the pace of traffic picks up and they may continue reading—especially when traffic is moving at a stop-and-go pace, increasing the chances of a driver becoming involved in a rear-end crash that can turn into a chain reaction, multi-vehicle crash.

Reading, painting your nails, texting, talking on a cell phone, watching a DVD, surfing the Internet may seem like harmless activities until a motorist does them while getting behind the wheel of a car. People have sustained catastrophic, even fatal Chicago car crash injuries because a driver was distracted from multi-tasking while driving.

Careless Driving Tickets: Reading While Driving, National Safety Commission, July 16, 2009

Driver Inattention, National Safety Council

Related Web Resources:
NHTSA

AAA Exchange

Continue reading "Reading When Driving Can Cause Chicago Car Accidents" »

Two people got hurt on Saturday when a woman crashed her car into a Curves fitness club in Lake Zurich. The Chicago area car accident victims, both club customers, were taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.

The driver of the car, 65, was treat at the crash site and released. Police are investigating the cause of the Lake Zurich auto collision, which occurred at around 10 am.

They don’t believe that alcohol or drugs are a factor. They think the woman may have stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake as she pulled into a parking spot. She crashed her vehicle through two panes of glass.

Also this weekend, five people sustained injuries in a Chicago car accident on the Southwest side on Sunday. The two-vehicle crash occurred close to the Nagle and Archer Avenues intersection around 4am.

Two of the Chicago car crash victims were thrown from vehicles. One car accident victim severed an arm in the Illinois traffic crash.

Also on Sunday, four people sustained critical injuries and a Berwyn man died in a five-vehicle collision in the Southwest Side Little Village area. 35-year-old Jorge Serrano was pronounced dead at the Chicago car accident site.

The catastrophic Illinois auto crash took place at California Avenue and 31st Street around 3:30am. One of the vehicles fled the Chicago crash site.

Spinal cord injuries, severed limbs, internal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and broken bones are just some of the more serious injuries a car crash victim can sustain in a Chicago car accident.

5-car crash kills Berwyn man in Little Village, Chicago Breaking news, July 19, 2009

Man's arm severed, 3 others critically injured in crash near Midway, Chicago Sun-TImes, July 19, 2009

Two injured when woman drives car into front of Lake Zurich business, Daily Herald, July 18, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Justia

Cyber Drive Illinois

Continue reading "Chicago Area Car Crashes Injure at Least 11 People and Kills 1 over the Weekend" »

According to a new study published in the National Safety Council’s Journal of Safety Research, using a hands-free cell phone while driving is as much a safety risk as it is to talk on a hand-held cell phone while operating a motor vehicle. This is not the first study to support the idea that use of either kind of cell phone is equally dangerous and can lead to driver errors, traffic accidents, affect a motorist’s reaction time, and cause a driver to operate a vehicle at a slower speed—the latter is especially true for motorists using hand-held cell phones. Researchers say that slowing down could be a driver's way to compensate for the cell phone use.

The findings from this study are especially important for motorists in Chicago to know about. While there is no statewide law regarding cell phone use, each Illinois locality is allowed to decide what cell phone law to enact. In Chicago, there is a ban on hand-held cell phones. Yet, per the study, hands-free cell phone users are just as likely as their hand-held cell phone user counterparts to becoming involved in a Chicago car accident.

A study featured last summer in the journal Experimental Psychology explains why it isn’t safe to talk on any kind of cell phone while driving. Dr. Amit Almor, the University of South Carolina psychology researcher that conducted the study, says that planning to talk and actually talking to someone put more demands on the brain than it does to listen to someone speak.

He says experiment subjects were four times more likely to be distracted when they were preparing to speak and when they actually talked. He also noted that study participants were better at performing visual tasks when they were listening to someone else talk. It was also easier for participants to perform assigned visual tasks when they were listening to a voice that was in front of them rather than a voice coming from somewhere else.

Unfortunately, it is no longer unusual for a driver to cause a motor vehicle crash because he or she was talking on a cell phone or text messaging while driving. All of these behaviors are forms of distracted driving and can be grounds for a Chicago car accident lawsuit if someone gets hurts or dies.

If you do need to use a cell phone and drive, AAA recommends that you:

• Ask a passenger riding with you to make the call for you.
• Make the cell phone call brief.
• Get off the cell phone if you get caught in traffic or it starts to rain or snow.

New Study in NSC Journal Shows Hands-Free Phones No Safer Than Hand-Held Phones, NSC.org, July 9, 2009

Talking Distractions: Why Cell Phones And Driving Don't Mix, Science Daily, June 1, 2008

Related Web Resources:
Cellphone laws, Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, July 2009

Crashes caused by inattentive drivers are nothing new. Cell phones are the latest distraction, Via Magazine, May 2003

Continue reading "Preventing Chicago Car Crashes: NSC Study Concludes that Talking on a Hands-Free Cell Phone While Driving is Just as Dangerous as Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone" »

If you were recently injured in an Illinois motor vehicle collision, our Chicago car accident law firm understands that you may be feeling overwhelmed. Your initial reaction to getting rid of your anxiety may be to settle your Chicago, Illinois personal injury case without speaking to a lawyer first.

This is not a good idea. You likely will not know how much time it will take for you to recover from your injuries or how much it will cost you to get the medical and rehabilitation care that you need. There may even be more than one reason why you can hold a negligent party liable for personal injury, and there may be even more than one party that you can hold responsible for your Illinois car accident case.

If you agree to settle your case right away, you give away your right to negotiate the maximum recovery possible once all the accident evidence is discovered. This is why before you even speak to representatives for any other parties, Chicago Car Crash Attorney Steve Malman wants you to call him right away for a free consultation.

By exploring your legal options, you give yourself the chance to receive all of the compensation that you could be owed. Recent Illinois personal injury lawsuits that have been filed by negligent car accident victims include:

• James Jones is suing driver Gregory L Willyerd for over $50,000. Jones says that because Willyerd was driving too fast, did not keep a proper lookout, and was unable to control his vehicle, he struck the car that Jones was a passenger in. Jones says he sustained shoulder and back injuries as a result.

• Andrew Brewster is suing Lea Sayles for personal injury because he says she rear-ended his vehicle at an Illinois intersection. He is seeking over $50,000 for his spinal, neck, and back injuries.

• Tina Bivins is suing Heidi Huff. Bivins is accusing Huff of crashing into her vehicle. Bivins contends that the Illinois car accident happened because Huff did not keep a proper lookout, did not try to avoid a collision, and was driving too fast. Bivins says her body and nervous system were injured.

Illinois Court News, Madison/St Clair Record

What to do after a car accident, MSN

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Justia

According to 2007 statistics, there was a 17% decline in the number of US construction zone deaths from the year before. However, with 835 highway construction zone deaths in ’07—almost 2.3 fatalities a day—that’s 835 deaths too many.

Many people think that construction zone deaths and injuries only affect construction workers and road zone employees. However, 4 out of every 5 fatalities that occur in a highway work zone are motorists involved in Chicago car accidents. This fact is important to realize, considering that more construction projects are expected to set up work zones in the future.

While the parties in charge of the construction zones must set up the proper warnings and signs to indicate that there is a work zone on the road and workers must wear the proper protection and safety gear, motorists are responsible for driving safely through these areas so that more Chicago car accidents don’t happen.

Motorists can be held liable for Chicago personal injury or wrongful death if a vehicle occupant, a pedestrian, another driver, or a construction worker gets hurt because the driver caused an Illinois car accident in a work zone.

Steps Chicago motorists can take to prevent construction zone accidents:
• If you have to merge into another lane, do so as soon as it is possible to merge safely.
• Watch out for construction trucks and make sure that you keep a good following distance behind them.
• Do not talk on the cell phone, text message, or read while in a construction zone. In fact, don't do any of these activities whenever you are driving.
• Obey the posted speed limit.
• Watch out for construction workers.

Of course, Chicago car accidents can also happen in construction work zones because a construction worker was negligent or the parties in charge of overseeing the construction site did not set up the work zone properly. Some causes of Chicago motor vehicle crashes in highway construction zones:

• Debris
• Improperly set up cones
• Inadequate warning signs

Driver Education: Construction Zone Safety, National Safety Commission, July 10, 2009

Construction zone warning: Slow down, pay attention, May 12, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Illinois Department of Transportation

Roadway Work Zone Safety, National Safety Council

Continue reading "Prevent Chicago Car Accidents by Exercising Caution in Illinois Highway Construction Zones" »

The US Department of Transportation says that 1,043 people died in Illinois traffic accidents last year. Alcohol was a factor in 362 fatalities, while speeding was involved in 385 of the deaths.

Other 2008 Illinois Traffic Safety Facts provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• 133 Illinois motorcycle rider deaths
• 135 Illinois pedestrian deaths

2008 Traffic deaths in 10 Illinois Counties:
• 274 Cook County fatalities
• 44 Will County deaths
• 40 Kane County fatalities
• 36 Madison County deaths
• 31 St. Clair County fatalities
• 27 La Salle County deaths
• 26 Lake County fatalities
• 24 DuPage County deaths
• 23 Champaign County fatalities
• 20 Dekalb County deaths

The Illinois traffic fatality count was lower last year than it was in 2007 when there were 1,248 deaths. Nationally, there was an overall drop in traffic deaths and injuries between 2008 and 2007. There were 37,261 fatalities last year compared to 41,259 deaths during the year prior. Other substantial declines in the number of traffic fatalities included 25,351 passenger occupant deaths (29,072 fatalities in 2007), 11,883 drunk driving deaths (compared to 13,041 in 2007), 10,764 light truck occupant deaths (12,458 in 2007), 4,378 pedestrian fatalities (4,699 pedestrian deaths in 2007), and 716 pedalcyclist deaths (701 fatalities in 2007). Motorcycle rider fatalities, however, did increase from 158 deaths in 2007 to 188 fatalities in 2008.

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says that the annual total for the number of traffic deaths reached its lowest level last year since 1961. The trend appears to be continuing this year, with the first quarter of 2009 showing a decrease in traffic deaths compared to the same period in 2008. From January – March 2009, 7,689 people died in US traffic accidents. There were 8,451 fatalities for the first quarter of 2008.

There are many reasons why an Illinois motor vehicle accident might happen. Many catastrophic Chicago car crashes occur because another party was negligent.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: Overall Traffic Fatalities Reach Record Low, NHTSA, July 2, 2009

Related Web Resources:
2008 Traffic Safety Annual Assessment Highlights, NHTSA, June 2009 (PDF)

Illinois Traffic Safety Facts for 2008, NHTSA (PDF)

Early Estimate of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities For the First Quarter (January–March) of 2009, NHTSA, June 2009 (PDF)

Continue reading "NHTSA Reports 1,043 Illinois Traffic Deaths in 2008" »

Did you know that driving while under the influence of a hangover can cause Chicago car accidents? While traffic conditions, traffic laws, and the way a driver handles a vehicle can all be determining factors of whether or not a person is able to drive safely, his or her state of mind is also important. For example, if you are running late for an important appointment, your anxiety may compel you to speed or try to run a red light without getting caught. If you have a high fever and you are driving, your mind may feel foggy, which could affect your ability to properly see your surroundings and might slow your reaction reflexes.

Hangovers can last as long as up to 24 hours after your Blood Alcohol Content hits 0. It can make you feel dehydrated, which leads to lethargy and lightheadedness. A hangover can cause you to experience glucose reduction, which could lead to exhaustion, decreased concentration, and a poor attention span. Hangovers can also cause sleep deprivation. All of these aftereffects can impede a motorist’s ability to stay alert and fully tuned in to the road conditions and the vehicles and pedestrians around him or her.

A study conducted in England at the Brunei University observed how a hangover can affect one’s driving compared to driving when sober. Among the findings:

• Hungover motorists were four times more likely to drive outside their lanes.
• Hungover drivers had a tendency to drive faster than sober drivers.
• Hungover motorists committed twice the number of traffic violations than their sober counterparts.

Many of us are aware of the dangers associated with drunk driving and are smart enough to avoid driving when under the influence of alcohol. However, just because a motorist may not know that driving with a hangover can lead to Chicago car accidents won't prevent him or her from being held accountable in a civil court for getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle the morning after a night of drinking because someone got hurt or died as a result.

You may be entitled to Chicago personal injury recovery.

The Hazards of Driving with a Hangover, National Safety Council, June 5, 2009

Impaired Driving, CDC

Drowsy & Distracted Driving, NHTSA

Continue reading "Driving with a Hangover Can Cause Chicago Car Accidents" »

In Illinois, John B. Roach and Louis M. Roach are suing Lauren D. Lewis for personal injuries they say they sustained on US Highway 50 on November 1, 2007. Their four-count car accident lawsuit is seeking over $200,000 plus other costs and relief.

According to their Illinois car crash complaint, Lewis was trying to swerve around another auto that was making a left turn when she hit Rhody R. Campbell’s vehicle. This caused Campbell’s auto to strike another car. The Roaches were riding in Campbell's vehicle when the traffic collision happened.

The couple says their injuries include head, shoulder, and neck injuries, a traumatic brain injury, multiple facial and body structure injuries, fractured vertebrae, multiple bruises, a spinal sprain, and ongoing knee and rib pain. John Roach also says that his post-concussion symptoms have led to memory loss, decreased vision, tingling, numbness, and problems concentrating.

The plaintiffs are each claiming loss of consortium, society, companionship, affection, love, and. They are accusing Lewis of failing to maintain a proper look out, disregarding the safety of others while driving, driving too fast, neglecting to properly use the brakes, not keeping her car under control, neglecting to exercise due care, failing to swerve or stop to avoid a crash, and failing to yield the right of way. The Roaches say they incurred medical bills and lost wages because of their personal injuries.

Illinois Car Accidents
We know how frustrating it can be to have sustained permanent injuries that have impaired your ability to maintain a normal life or perform daily tasks. Fortunately, there are ways to hold all negligent parties liable for your car crash injuries.

What to do if you are in a Chicago Car Crash:

• Stop at the crash site.
• Contact police.
• Contact 911 if anyone needs medical attention.
• Get everyone’s contact and insurance information.
• Document all the accidents facts.
• Contact your insurance company.
• If there is significant property or injury damage contact our Chicago, Illinois car accident law firm.
• Don’t negotiate a settlement agreement with the other party’s insurer without talking to us first.

Vision and memory loss claimed in accident suit, St. Clair Record, June 30, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents: Proving Fault, Nolo

Rules of the Road, CyberDriveIllinois.com

A deadly East Garfield Park car accident that occurred early this morning has left one person dead and at least three others with injuries. The Chicago motor vehicle collision occurred at California Avenue and Jackson Boulevard.

One of the vehicles, a Jeep Cherokee, burst into flames. Its occupants, with their clothes on fire, ran from the scene.

Details about what caused the fiery crash are still unclear, but one one the vehicles seemed to have flipped over. While one victim was pronounced dead at the Chicago car crash site, two victims, both 15, were taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition. Another victim was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital. Two other teenagers that were involved in the Illinois auto collision walked into the Mt. Sinai emergency room on their own.

Chicago Car Accident Lawsuits
The best way to determine whether you have grounds for filing a Chicago car accident lawsuit is to talk to a Chicago personal injury law firm that has experience dealing with these types of cases. You need to make sure that you have someone on your side that has the skills and resources to prove that the other party is liable for your injuries.

While driver negligence is one common cause of deadly Chicago motor vehicle crashes, there may be other reasons why a motorist could be held liable for Illinois personal injury or wrongful death.

Just last night, in Broadview, a female driver is accused of stabbing another motorist to death in an incident involving road rage. Police say the victim, 35-year-old Adrean Price, got into a dispute with a woman riding in another vehicle.

The two cars stopped at an intersection close to Eisenhower Expressway and they both left their vehicles to continue their discussion. The other motorist allegedly stabbed Price, who got back into her vehicle, drove to a gas station, and crashed into a parked vehicle.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office says Price was transported to Loyola University Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Police say the other woman also was injured during the altercation.

Woman stabbed to death in road rage incident, Chicago Breaking News, June 26, 2009

1 dead, 4 hurt in Garfield Park crash, Chicago Sun-Times, June 26, 2009

1 killed, several hurt in East Garfield Park crash, Chicago Breaking News, June 26, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Nolo

Drivers.com

Continue reading "Fiery Chicago Car Accident Kills 1 and Injures at Least 3 Others" »

An Illinois motor vehicle crash on I-64 on Monday left three people injured on Monday. Police say the accident occurred because Breese resident Brian Kuper was driving the wrong way.

According to witnesses, Kuper was headed westbound when he drove into a turnaround area in the median and then kept going west in the eastbound lanes. His vehicle, a 1993 Pontiac minivan, was first struck by a Honda Odyssey before it collided with a Saturn. At this point, Kuper’s minivan rolled onto a Honda Civic before finally coming to a standstill.

Kuper sustained head injuries and was flown St. Louis University Hospital. The driver of the Civic, Lebanon resident Christopher Noeldner, and the driver of the Saturn, Frankfurt resident Douglas Jones, were also taken to the same hospital for minor injuries.

The wrong-way driving accident occurred approximately half a mile from where two sisters, 13-year-old Kelli Uhl and 18-year-old Jessica Uhl, died in 2007 when a car driven by an Illinois State Trooper crossed the median and struck the vehicle that they were in head-on. The Illinois Department of Transportation was supposed to install high-tension cable barriers in the median where the two girls died. Police, however, say Monday’s crash may still have occurred even if a barrier had been erected.

Wrong-Way Driving
Wrong-way driving can lead to deadly Chicago car accidents—especially as the motorist that is driving the wrong way is at high risk of hitting other vehicles in head-on crashes that can be catastrophic for the occupants of all vehicles involved.

Common scenarios that can lead to wrong-way driving accidents:

• A motorist enters a freeway through its exit.
• A driver ends up driving on the wrong side of the road.
• A motorist enters a one-way street but is driving in the opposite direction.

Many wrong-way driving accidents take place at night when Exit, Entrance, One-Way, and Do Not Enter signs are easier to miss.

Three hurt in crash caused by wrong-way driver on I-64, Bnd.com, June 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Negligent Driving

Illinois Department of Transportation

Continue reading "Wrong-Way Driver Causes Illinois Car Crash on I-64 that Injures Three People" »

A multi-vehicle Chicago car crash involving a Blue Line Train has left 9 people with injuries. The Illinois collision occurred on Thursday on the West Side at around 4am in a construction zone. DuPage County police say that speed and wet streets may have contributed to the Chicago car-train accident on I-290.

According to Illinois State Police, a 2008 white Dodge Charger driven by Melrose Park resident Jose Rivera rear-ended a 2007 Ford Taurus. The Ford then struck a guardrail while the Dodge jumped an embankment on the Eisenhower Expressway. It landed on train tracks and was hit by a Blue Line train. A fourth car, which was involved in the multi-vehicle crash, was damaged after the driver, Cicero resident Edmundo Mendoza, struck a concrete median in the highway construction zone.

At the time of the CTA accident, there were 30 people on the train. 9 people from the different vehicles were transported to local hospitals for treatment of neck injuries, back injuries, bumps, bruises, and trauma.

Investigators are looking into the crash. Rivera received citations for not having insurance and improper lane usage.

Chicago Car Accidents
Chicago drivers must operate their vehicles safely at all times. This may mean adjusting the speed of their vehicle to accommodate the road and weather conditions at any given moment to prevent injury accidents from happening.

Safety.com offers advice on how to drive safely when the roads are wet:

• Slow down
• Drive at a steady pace
• Keep an even greater distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
• Activate your headlights
• Don’t use cruise control when the roads are wet
• Don’t slam on the breaks if your car begins to skid

Chicago driver jumps I-290 crashing Blue Line train-9 injured!, Justice News Flash, June 13, 2009

Car Lands On The CTA Blue Line Tracks, WIFR.com, June 11, 2009

How to Drive Safely on Wet Roads, Safety.com

Related Web Resources:
Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago Department of Transportation

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident: Multi-Vehicle Crash Involving Blue Line Train Injures 9 People" »

A head-on crash in Vermillion County involving a pickup truck and an SUV has claimed the life of a toddler. Hoopestown resident Zachary Howard would have turned 2 this week. The deadly Illinois motor vehicle collision happened on Wednesday at around 4:30 pm on Illinois 1 about 1 mile from Hoopestown.

According to police, a pickup truck going north on Illinois 1 swerved into the southbound lane to hit a Ford Explorer driven by 44-year-old Denise Goodrum in a head-on crash. Zachary, Samuel Howard, 25, Robert Irvin, 19, and a 15-year-old passenger were riding the pickup truck driven by 23-year-old John Schwartz.

Both drivers and two of the people in the pickup were transported by air to an Urbana hospital. Preliminary reports indicate that Schwartz may have swerved into the other lane to avoid a car that was turning in front of him that he did not initially see. Witnesses say that the pickup truck wasn’t speeding.

Pickup Truck Accidents
While pickup trucks do not fall into the same category as large trucks, they are still bigger and heavier than most passenger vehicles and can cause substantial damage and serious injuries in the event of a pickup truck accident.

According to the Department of Transportation, in 2006, motor vehicle accidents involving light trucks and passenger vehicles resulted in twice as many deaths as auto crashes involving just passenger vehicles. One reason for this is that a pickup truck’s bumper usually is placed in a higher location than where bumpers are placed on minivans and cars. This can cause the bumper of the pickup truck to strike the hood or side of the car, which can lead to serious injuries.

Toddler died in head-on crash, The News-Gazette, June 12, 2009

Toddler named in fatal accident, Commercial News, June 11, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accidents, Justia

Head-On Collisions, Safety.Transportation.Org

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Law Firm: Illinois Head-On Motor Vehicle Crash Involving Pickup Truck Claims Toddler’s Life " »

Last month, our Chicago car accident law firm posted a blog about a catastrophic Illinois motor vehicle accident involving a drunk driver that claimed the life of a 48-year-old Chicago Heights man. Now, Debrasha Piper, the daughter of car accident victim Calvin Hatten, is suing the alleged drunk driver, the vehicle owner, and the city of Chicago for her father’s wrongful death.

The deadly Chicago car crash occurred on May 10. Two days later, driver Juan Cayetano was charged with aggravated drunken driving and reckless homicide. He also received tickets for driving an uninsured vehicle and not having a valid driver’s license.

Hatten and his family were on 43rd street that evening when they were hit by a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier, operated by Cayetano, who had just run a red light. The impact of the collision forced Hatten’s car to collide with a Toyota Corolla that was stopped at a red light.

Hatten died from his injuries and seven other people also got hurt. Prosecutors say that Cayetano’s BAC was .206. The legal limit is .08%. Hatten leaves behind his two teenage daughters and his wife of 30 years.

Chicago Drunk Driving Accidents
Drunk driving accidents destroy not just the lives of the people that are killed and injured, but also the lives of surviving family members. Not only must the people that are left behind deal with the sudden and unnecessary loss of someone they love, but a young child may be forced to grow up without a father or mother, and a spouse may have to deal with losing not just a partner, but coping with the ramifications that come with raising and supporting a family alone.

Daughter of fatal-crash victim files suit, Sun-Times, June 4, 2009

Victims of Drunk Driving, About.com

Related Web Resources:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Chicago DUI Accident Lawyers: Recent Drunk Driving Crashes Cause Fatalities and Injuries, ChicagoCarAccidentAttorneysBlog.com, May 15, 2009

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Lawsuit Sues City, Car Owner, and Alleged Drunk Driver for Man’s Illinois Wrongful Death" »

A Fayetteville couple that were injured in a November 2007 Illinois car accident with a police car have filed their amended complaint suing the state trooper that was involved for personal injury. Kelly and Christine Marler submitted their personal injury lawsuit to the St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Their Illinois personal injury complaint accuses trooper Matt Mitchell of negligence for driving his police car at 126 mph, losing control of the vehicle, crossing the Interstate 64 median, and causing a multi-vehicle crash. Killed in the Illinois traffic accident were two sisters from Collinsville—18-year-old Jessica Uhl and her sister 13-year-old Kelli. The girls’ family is suing Mitchell and the state of Illinois for wrongful death.

Christine, who was pregnant at the time of the catastrophic Illinois auto accident, went on to deliver a healthy baby a few weeks after the collision. She did, however, sustain leg and knee injuries from the accident. Her husband Kelly sustained wrist injuries.

Mitchell sustained serious leg injuries during the Illinois auto crash. He was reportedly driving to the site of an unrelated motor vehicle collision when his car was involved in the auto crash that killed the Ulhs and injured the Marlers. This is not first time that he has been involved in an auto collision while doing his job. Following a low-speed Peoria accident in 2003, a $1.3 million judgment was made against the state after Mitchell was found at fault for causing the car crash.

Following the 2007 multi-vehicle accident, Mitchell was relieved of his duties but continues to get paid a salary. The assistant district attorney representing Mitchell is asking the circuit court to dismiss the case, claiming that it should be filed in the Illinois Court of Claims. Judge Patrick Young will hear arguments about this matter next month.

Lawsuit alleges trooper was on cell phone before crash that killed two Collinsville sisters, BND.com, June 5, 2009

Trooper in crash was speeding, on cell phone, suit says, SLT Today, June 7, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Read the Marlers' Amended Complaint (PDF)

Another Illinois Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed Against State Trooper Involved in Deadly Crash on I-64 that Claimed the Lives of Two Teenage Sisters, Chicago Injury Attorney, November 20, 2008

In Chicago, the City Council’s Finance Committee Chairman, Edward M. Burke, has introduced an ordinance telling the Department of Administrative Hearings to come up with a “red light education program” that Chicago drivers caught on red light cameras would have to take. The cost for the course is $25 and would focus on helping the motorists become repeat offenders. Drivers that did not complete the course would be fined $50. Already, red light camera runners must pay a $100 fine.

Burke says the course could help decrease the number of Chicago motor vehicle accidents involving people driving through an intersection even when they are supposed to stop at a red light. Statistically, 27% of the six million US motor vehicle crashes that occur every year take place at intersections.

According to US traffic statistics, about 153,000 people were hurt and nearly 900 others died in motor vehicle crashes involving someone running through a red light. About 50% of these victims were either occupants in the vehicle that was not running the red light or pedestrians.

Currently, there are red light cameras in 143 Chicago intersections that are known for spots for traffic accidents. Another 39 cameras will go up later in the year and by 2012, 330 Chicago intersections will have red light cameras. There has been a 59% decrease in red light running since the cameras were installed.

In 2008, the City of Chicago made $44.8 million from the 579,560 traffic tickets that were issued because people were caught on camera running red lights. Between January and March 2009, 148,612 tickets were issued to red light runners, generating $13.3 million in revenue.

Some Facts About Red Light Cameras in Illinois:

• Regardless of who drove through the red light, in Illinois, it is the owner of the vehicle that gets the ticket.
• An Illinois red light ticket will not affect your insurance rates or driving record.
• Under Illinois law, the red light cameras cannot take a picture of the driver’s face.
• Most Illinois red light violations occur on weekends.

Drivers nabbed by red light cameras may need school, Chicago Sun-Times, June 3, 2009

10 facts about red-light cameras, Chicago Tribune, April 8, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Q & A: Red Light Cameras, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Traffic Safety Fact Sheets, NHTSA

A woman who says the baby she was carrying died when she was involved in an Illinois car accident is suing the driver of the other car for personal injury. Jamie Heusohn filed her complaint in St. Clair County Circuit Court on her behalf and as the mother of baby Heusohn. The defendant of her Illinois personal injury complaint is Arthur Coplen.

According to Jamie, Coplen struck the vehicle she was driving on May 2, 2007 as he tried to make a U-turn out of a private residence. Her car ended up in a ditch. As a result of her injuries, Jamie says that the baby she was carrying died. She also sustained injuries to her wrist, stomach, and nerves and her car was totaled.

Her complaint accuses Coplen of trying to make a U-turn onto a highway and failing to yield the right-of-way. Jamie says the loss of her baby and her own injuries resulted in medical expenses, loss of enjoyment, pain and suffering, expenses from the damages to her vehicle, and lost earning capacity. She is seeking over $60,000 in damages.

In another Illinois car accident lawsuit, filed in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Fershon Lockett is suing Patricia Takmajian for personal injuries. Locket says that Takmajian “violently struck” her car on May 22, 2007.

Lockett claims that she sustained serious injuries to her knees, neck, back, & body and, as a result, she accrued hospital expenses, could not tend to her usual tasks, and experienced anguish and pain. Her Illinois personal injury lawsuit accuses Takmajian of failing to observe her, failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to step on the brakes, failing to slow down her speed so that the accident wouldn’t happen, neglecting to give proper warning, failing to turn so she wouldn’t hit the plaintiff, and driving too closely to Lockett's vehicle. Lockett is seeking more than $50,000 plus costs.

Suit claims woman miscarried after Belleville auto accident, The Record, May 29, 2009

Eiler Road accident caused injuries, woman claims in suit, The Record, May 29, 2009

Related Web Resources:
What To Do If You Are in an Auto Accident

Personal Injury Resource Center, Nolo

A college student has died in an Illinois car accident close to Chicago. Andrew Galo, 22, was from Northbrook. He was riding as a passenger in a pickup truck when the vehicle drove off the road, hitting a semi-trailer that was parked close to an intersection. Galo sustained numerous injuries from the deadly Waukegan car accident and was pronounced dead at the crash site.

The driver of the pickup truck, 22-year-old Adam Burkhart, was treated at a Park Ridge hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. He has been charged with reckless homicide. Police also charged him with speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol. Waukegan police say the Gurney resident was remanded to the Lake County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Speeding and Drunk Driving
Speeding and drunk driving are two of the most common causes of fatal US motor vehicle crashes. When done together, they make an even more deadly combination.

According to a 2007 Talk of the Nation discussion with University of Hawaii psychology professor Leon James, people speed because it’s part of our culture to “do something fast.” He says that many people don’t think that driving above the speed limit is necessarily dangerous.

However, speeding is the cause of 30% of motor vehicle fatalities that occur each year—about 1,000 deaths a month. Speeding makes it harder for a driver to stop their vehicle in time during an emergency situation. It also narrows the distance between a motor vehicle and the vehicle or obstacle in front of the car. The faster the speed that a motor vehicle is traveling the greater the impact of collision in the event of a car crash.

Compound the issue of speeding with driving drunk and the outcome can be catastrophic for the drunk driver or others. Drunk driving impairs ones judgment and ability to gauge distances between the driver’s vehicle and the vehicles and other objects around, while slowing down a motorist's reflexes.

Student dies in car accident near Chicago, Media.dennews.com, May 28, 2009

Gurnee man charged with reckless homicide, Lake County News-Sun, May 27, 2009

Northbrook passenger killed in car crash, Gurnee driver charged, Northbrook Star, May 26, 2009

Psychology behind the wheel: Why do we speed?, NPR, June 7, 2007

Related Web Resources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Cyber Drive Illinois

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accidents: Northbrook College Student Dies in Illinois Motor Vehicle Crash" »

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding 15-passenger van users to drive carefully and exercise the proper safety precautions to prevent a tragic rollover accident from happening. Studies show that these large vehicles are at higher risk than passenger vehicles of rolling over—especially when fully loaded with luggage and passengers.

The NHTSA has reported that more deadly 15-passenger van accidents occur between the months of June through August than any other time of the year because the US summer months are usually when many families and other groups tend to travel together.

Latest NHTSA 15-Passenger Van Statistics:

• 15-passenger van occupant fatalities increased by almost 20% between 2006 and 2007.
• 15-passenger van drivers made up approximately 25% of these fatalities between 2003 and 2007.
• 45 peopled died in 15-passenger van rollovers—a 73% increase from 2006.
• Approximately 80% of people killed in 15-passenger van accidents over the past 5 years were not wearing seatbelts.

It doesn’t help that 15-passenger vans are designed in a way that loading the vehicle can result in its center of gravity shifting toward the rear, which increases the likelihood that the driver will lose control of the van during an emergency situation or that a rollover accident will happen. It is important to note that vehicle manufacturers are responsible for making sure that their motor vehicles are designed in such a way that the chances of a rollover or another deadly accident happening are decreased rather than increased. Failure to exercise this duty of care can be grounds for a products liability lawsuit in the event of a Chicago car accident.

That said, 15-passenger van drivers, like all motor vehicle operators responsible for transporting large groups of people on the road, must have the experience to safely operate such a large vehicle.

Consumer Advisory: Federal Government Restates Rollover Warning for 15-Passenger Vans Users, NHTSA, May 20, 2009

Fatalities to Occupants of 15-Passenger Vans, 2003 - 2007, NHTSA (PDF)

Related Web Resources:
Safercar.gov

15-Passenger Van Safety Hazard Information, Public Citizen

Continue reading "Chicago Motor Vehicle Accidents: NHTSA Warns 15-Passenger Van Riders of Rollover Dangers" »

Is the Chicago police officer arrested for the Illinois hit-and-run death of 13-year-old Trenton Booker getting preferential treatment? That’s what Chicago Mayor Richard Daley wants to know. He is ordering the police department to conduct a probe into the matter immediately.

Bail was set at $2 million for Richard Bolling—although as of this afternoon, the Chicago police department still won’t identify him as the off-duty cop who was driving the speeding car that hit Booker, who was riding a bicycle, early Saturday morning. They are also refusing to release Bolling's arrest photo.

According to witnesses, Bolling was at a bar right before he got into his vehicle and hit the boy at the intersection of Ashland and 81st at around 1:30am. Police arrested the off-duty cop a few blocks away from the Chicago bicycle accident site after they saw his vehicle driving the wrong way down a one-way street. The state attorney’s office says there was an open bottle of beer in the car and Bolling’s Dodge Charger had sustained windshield and front-end damage.

The 17-year veteran of the Chicago police force was charged with leaving the crash site where an injury or death occurred, aggravated driving under the influence, transporting alcohol, driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street, and reckless homicide.

There are concerns as to why the Chicago police department did not administer a Breathalyzer test to Bolling until four hours after the deadly Chicago motor vehicle accident. Another eight hours reportedly passed before a blood test was administered to Bolling to determine his blood alcohol level. His BAC at that time was .079. The legal limit is .08%.

Booker’s family members have also complained that a court hearing on Saturday to set bail for the Chicago cop took place an hour ahead of schedule and that they weren’t notified of the change. Typically, bond hearings occur at noon.

A police arrest report says that Bolling did not appear impaired after he was given field sobriety tests. However, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney John Dillon said at the Saturday hearing that a witness that saw the Chicago cop at the bar said Bolling always had a drink in hand.

Favoritism shown in cop's DUI arrest?, Chicago Breaking News, May 26, 2009

$2M bail set for Chicago cop charged in hit-run death of boy, Chicago Sun-Times, May 24, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Chicago Police Department

Car Accidents Overview, Justia

Richard M Daley, City of Chicago

Continue reading "Chicago Hit and Run Car Accident: Mayor Daley Orders Police to Investigate Whether Cop Arrested for Boy’s Bicycle Death Was Given Preferential Treatment " »

Yesterday, the Illinois Senate approved a ban on text messaging and surfing the Internet while operating a motor vehicle. The measure would still let drivers pull over onto the shoulder of a road to search the Web or send and receive text messages without fear of reprisals from an Illinois law enforcement officer. A motorist would also still be able to use a cell phone for GPS purposes.

While some Illinois lawmakers, such as Sen. Kwame Raoul, are concerned the legislation would give locals cops an excuse to engage in racial profiling when pulling people over, others, including Sen. Martin Sandoval, who sponsored the legislation, says the ban would create safer roads. Text messaging has recently been cited as one of the reasons why car accidents happen.

The legislation now goes to the House for approval. Also on Tuesday, the Illinois Senate approved legislation that banned cell phone use in school zones and construction areas unless the motorist is using an earpieces with the phone.

Illinois Cell Phone Driving Laws
Currently, Illinois lets localities determine their own cell phone driving laws. Chicago has a ban on handheld cell phone use while driving. Statewide, teen drivers younger than age 19 cannot use a cell phone or any other hand-held communication device and drive a vehicle at the same time. School bus drivers cannot use a cell phone while there are children riding the bus.

A new study by Vlingo, the maker of mobile phone speech-recognition technology, found that 26% of people surveyed say they still text while driving even though they know that the habit can lead to fatal motor vehicle accidents. This is just a slight decline from the 28% of drivers that took the survey last year that admitted to text messaging while operating a vehicle. Also, among those surveyed:

• Almost 60% of teen drivers say the text while they drive.
• 49% of 20- to 29-year-olds confessed to texting while in the driver’s seat.
• 13% of drivers in the over 50 age group say the send, receive, and read texts while driving.

Illinois Senate OKs ban on texting or surfing while driving, Chicago Tribune, May 20, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Cell Phone Driving Laws, Governors Highway Safety Association

Driving While Texting Still Popular Despite Bans: Survey, VOXEO, May 20, 2009

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Lawyers: Illinois Senate Approves Ban on Text-Messaging and Internet Surfing While Driving" »

Throughout Illinois, police officers are telling motor vehicle riders to “Click It or Ticket.” Their efforts are part of a nationwide campaign, running from May 18 to 31, to remind people that they need to wear seat belts—or else face getting slapped with a ticket for the violation.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, seat belt use throughout the state was at 90.5% in 2008—up from 88% in 2006—with Illinois motor vehicle deaths dropping by 211 for this same time period. These figures are positive progress, considering that the US Department of Transportation has released new information revealing that 22,372 serious traffic injuries and 1,652 traffic deaths could be avoided annually if each US state logged in a seat belt use rate of 90%. Currently, the national seat belt use rate is 83%. This means that 1 out of every 5 vehicle occupants in the US is still not buckling up 100% of the time.

2007 data reveals that 15,147 lives were saved that year because people were using seat belts. Safety belts, however, can only be effective if they are working properly and free from defects. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case, and car makers and seat belt manufacturers have had to recall motor vehicles because a seat belt defect was discovered—in many cases, after someone got hurt or died in an auto accident. Car accident victims and families have filed products liability lawsuits against seat belt makers and auto manufacturers for personal injury and wrongful death because a seat belt became unlatched or malfunctioned in another way during a catastrophic auto crash.

Also, as essential as it is that a person wear a properly working safety belt to decrease the chances of injury or death, there are still many motor vehicle crashes that occur in Chicago, the rest of Illinois, and throughout the US that claim the lives of seat belt users because a motorist or another party was negligent.

Research Kicks Off 'Click It or Ticket' Nationwide Enforcement Campaign Set To Run May 18-31, NHTSA, May 14, 2009

Illinois State Police launch 'Click it or Ticket' initiative, WREX, May 14, 2009

Related Web Resources:
The Increase in Lives Saved, Injuries Prevented, and Cost Savings if Seat Belt Use Rose to at Least 90 Percent in All States, NHTSA (PDF)

Safety Restraints, Illinois State Police

Continue reading "Preventing Chicago Car Accident Injuries and Deaths: Illinois State Police Tell Drivers and Vehicle Occupants to Either Buckle Up and “Click It or Ticket” " »

In DuPage County, Illinois, a woman accused of causing a Naperville drunk driving accident on Wednesday afternoon faces charges of aggravated battery in a public place, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving too fast for conditions, leaving an accident scene that involved damage, and failing to slow down the speed of her vehicle.

Margaret T. Puleo was trying to exit an apartment complex on Naper Boulevard in her 1997 Infinity when she struck landscaping rocks close to the driveway before hitting a 2006 Chrysler convertible at the intersection of Columbia Street and Chicago Avenue.

While Puleo and the other driver initially got out of their cars to investigate the DuPage County car crash site, she quickly got into her vehicle when she heard that police were on the way and that is when she hit the other driver, who sustained a serious, non-life threatening injury. Police apprehended Puleo less than two hours later. She is currently free on bail.

In another Illinois drunk driving accident, this one in Cook County, a Brighton Park driver was ordered held in lieu of bail for his alleged role in the fatal drunk driving accident that claimed the life of a Chicago Heights man on Mother’s Day. Juan Cayetano, 38, was charged with aggravated drunk driving resulting in death and reckless homicide.

Prosecutors say Juan Cayetano had a BAC of .206% when he ran a red light on Chicago’s South Side and hit a Lexus driven by a 48-year-old Chicago Heights resident. Calvin Hatten died from his injuries.

Police had been trying to apprehend Cayetano prior to the deadly Chicago car crash. His wife and two daughters were in the car with him when he hit the other car. His wife broke her ribs during the traffic crash. Another passenger fractured a leg. Cayetano was hospitalized following the Chicago traffic accident.

Drunk Driving Accidents
A driver who gets behind the wheel of the car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs seriously increases the chances that he or she will be involved in an Illinois DUI accident that could hurt or kill other people. Although a drunk driver may have impaired his or her senses enough to not know what he or she is doing, this doesn’t excuse the behavior or exempt the motorist from being held accountable for another party’s personal injuries or wrongful death.

Inebriated driver cuts swath of mayhem through Naperville, SuburbanChicagoNews.com, May 15, 2009

Suspect in DUI death ordered held in lieu of bond, Sun Times, May 13, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Drunk Driving, Insurance Information Institute

Continue reading "Chicago DUI Accident Lawyers: Recent Drunk Driving Crashes Cause Fatalities and Injuries" »

In Illinois, the man charged with two counts of first degree murder and two counts of attempted first degree murder in last week’s Humboldt Park car accident that left two people seriously injured and two women dead has been denied bail. Joshua Enriquez is accused of purposely rear-ending the vehicle that the victims were riding in.

The May 3 Chicago car accident took place close to Kedzie Street and Augusta Boulevard when Enriquez, in a Jeep, allegedly rammed his vehicle into the back of a Grand Am. The impact of the crash pushed the other vehicle into a tree, before it then hit several parked cars and rolled over. Enriquez than reportedly fled the crash site. He was arrested on Friday.

According to certain news sources, Enriquez allegedly got into a verbal altercation with the four women while at a gas station prior to the Chicago motor vehicle accident. One of the women is reportedly Enriquez’s ex-girlfriend, Karina Paredes.

The two people that died in the Cook County traffic accident are 19-year-old Nicole Mijares and 22-year-old Gabriella Almanza. Their respective causes of death were multiple injuries from a Jeep. Two other women were taken to local hospitals in reportedly serious-to-critical condition. They are Paredes and driver Maria Ortega, who is the sister of Almanza. Ortega sustained a fractured foot during the crash and had to have 57 stitches sewn into her face.

Enriquez claims he is innocent.

If you were injured in a Chicago car accident because another driver behaved recklessly or negligently—whether with malice or by accident—you may be entitled to Illinois personal injury compensation. If you were the victim of a violent crime that left you with injuries, you also may have grounds for filing a civil lawsuit seeking damages from the negligent party.

No Bail for Man Charged in Humboldt Park Crash, Chicago Breaking News Center, May 11, 2009

Car Crash Survivor: Suspect Could Have Stopped, ABC Local, May 11, 2009

Suspect held in deaths of two women in West Side car wreck, WBBM, May 10, 2009

Two women killed in Humboldt Park crash, Chicago Sun-Times, May 3, 2009

Related Web Resource:
Illinois Criminal Code

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident: Judge Denies Bail to Man Charged in Humboldt Park Auto Crash that Killed 2 Women and Injured 2 Others" »

An Illinois mother says her daughter got injured because the driver of the car the girl was riding in pulled away before she could get out of the vehicle. The Illinois car accident allegedly occurred on the evening of December 30, 2008.

According to Tracy Jenkins’s complaint, driver Nicholas R. McGraw had stopped the vehicle on Route 15 in Freeburg to let Megan Jenkins out but then tried to drive off before the girl was completely out of the auto. Tracy says that as a result of McGraw’s negligence in failing to tell Megan that he was about to drive off and neglecting to keep a proper lookout, the girl sustained extensive ankle and leg injuries and became sore, sick, disabled, and disordered, experienced suffering and pain, and accrued medical expenses. She is seeking over $100,000 plus costs on her daughter’s behalf.

Illinois Personal Injury
Depending on the circumstances surrounding an Illinois car accident case, you or your child may be entitled to recovery for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional damages, and disfigurement. Hedonic damages, for the loss of the ability to enjoy certain activities, and punitive damages to punish the defendant may also apply. Injuries to minors cases must be filed by the child’s parent, guardian, or another adult.

Just because you or your loved one was seriously injured in an Illinois car accident doesn’t mean you will instantly receive personal injury compensation. As the plaintiff, you will have to prove that the defendant is legally liable in terms of legal causation and actual causation.

A good Chicago car crash lawyer can do this for you, including determine whether there is more than one party that can be held liable for Illinois personal injury, such as a car maker, a tire manufacturer, local police, an Illinois city, or another entity.

Driver sued for taking off before passenger all the way out, The Record, May 5, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Car Accident Overview, Justia

Car Accidents: Proving Fault, Nolo

In Chicago, police are looking for the driver of the car that killed two Illinois pedestrians while they were crossing the street in West Rogers Park on Monday night. The two people that died in the Chicago hit and run accident are 34-year-old Christy Cawthon and 50-year-old Yakho Oshana.

The two friends were walking against the crossing signal on Devon Avenue when they were hit by a red Honda Civic that then fled the crash scene. The impact of the motor vehicle crash threw Oshana into the air, knocking his shoes off his feet. He was pronounced dead at the crash site.

According to police, the car's driver crossed the intersection on a green light but failed to yield to the two pedestrians. One witness says that the driver hit the brakes after striking the victims before speeding off again. Police found the vehicle but are still trying to determine who was behind the wheel of the car at the time of the deadly crash.

Chicago Hit and Run Accident Claims
Even if you were injured in a Chicago car accident involving a hit and run driver, there are still steps you can take to make sure that you recover the maximum amount possible for your claim. An experienced Chicago personal injury attorney can work with your insurance company to makes sure that you receive the proper settlement for your uninsured motorist claim. If necessary, your Illinois car accident lawyer can represent you during any dispute that might arise with your insurer.

If the hit and run driver comes forward or Chicago police manage to apprehend him or her, then your Chicago injury attorney can push for financial recovery from the negligent motorist and any other liable parties. Serious injuries from a Chicago car accident can change your life, while losing your loved one died in an Illinois auto accident can be devastating. In either scenario, there will be costs and damages to consider.

Two friends killed by hit-and-run driver in Rogers Park, Chicago Sun-Times, May 5, 2009

2 killed in West Rogers Park hit-and-run, Chicago Breaking News, May 5, 2009

Related Web Resources:
The Tragedy of Fatal Hit and Run Accidents on America's Deadly Roads, Deadly Roads

Uninsured Motorist, Justia

Continue reading "Chicago Hit and Run Accident Claims Lives of Two Pedestrians" »

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently conducted three front-to-front crash tests using a minicar or microcar and a midsize car for each one. 2009 model vehicles were used for each test, with both cars coming from the same auto manufacturer—Honda, Daimler, and Toyota. These tests showed that the smaller cars just don’t hold up against their larger counterparts when it comes to providing vehicle occupants with the proper protection.

Cars used in the IIHS tests:

• Smart Fortwo and the Mercedes Class C
• The Fit and the Honda Accord
• The Yaris and the Toyota Camry

While the smaller cars performed well in the IIHS’s frontal offset barrier test, they performed poorly in the frontal collision tests against the midsize vehicles. The bigger and heavier vehicle was always less impacted from the force of colliding with the smaller, lighter car, which meant that if actual occupants were riding in the smaller vehicles, they would be more at risk of getting seriously hurt.

According to crash statistics, in 2007 the death rate/million for 1-3 year old minis during single-vehicle collisions was 35. The death rate for very big cars was 11/million. Midsized cars have a death rate for single-vehicle crashes that is 17% less than that of minis.

Granted, smaller cars now come with electronic stability control, airbags, better safety belts, and added features. They also cost less and are more economical when it comes to using up gas. But larger vehicles also now have these added safety features in addition to the added protection of weight and size. And even though there are those who claim that smaller cars are easier to drive (which means a motorist can more easily avoid a potential crash scenario), insurance figures show that there are still more damage claims involving mini-4-door vehicles than midsized cars.

Regardless of the size of your motor vehicle, you are likely entitled to Illinois personal injury compensation if you were injured in a Chicago car accident because a motorist or another entity was negligent.

New crash tests demonstrate the influence of vehicle size and weight on safety in crashes; results are relevant to fuel economy policies, IIHS, April 14, 2009

Why small cars won't keep you safe, Forbes.com

Related Web Resources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Continue reading "Chicago Car Crash Law Firm: IIHS Tests Prove that Bigger and Heavier Cars Provide Greater Safety During Auto Collisions" »

US Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood wants car makers to test child safety seats so that they can make recommendations to parents about which products are the best and safest fits for each of their cars. He also wants the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to put together better safety standards for child safety seats so that kids are better protected during side-impact crashes.

The new Consumer Program, which would come out along with the 2011 model vehicles, will make it easier for parents to sift through the many child safety seat options that are available to them. Just because a child safety seat is considered one of the “best” seats available doesn’t mean it is the right one for your car. LaHood, however, was also quick to note that the child safety seats can only protect kids if they are used and used properly. The Department of Transportation says that half of the kids younger than age eight who died in US traffic accidents were not using child safety seats.

If your son or daughter was injured in a Chicago car accident because of a negligent driver or because the car maker or the maker of the child safety seat made a defective product, your child may be entitled to injuries to minor compensation. An experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer can help you determine whether you have grounds to file an Illinois car accident claim or a products liability lawsuit.

Infants and toddlers are not as physically strong as adults when it comes to withstanding the force of impact during an auto collision. While choosing the proper child safety seat can minimize injuries or prevent death, sometimes serious injuries can still occur, resulting in spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, internal injuries, and other traumas. The trauma of being in an accident and then having to undergo multiple surgeries can leave lasting scars on a child and his or her family.

We can’t undo what happened to you but we can help you get the financial resources that you need so that your son or daughter can get all the medical care he or she needs to live as normal a life as possible.

U.S. DOT Announces New Consumer Program for Child Safety Seats, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families 2009, American Academy of Pediatrics

Child Passenger Safety, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Law Firm: DOT to Help Parents Choose Child Safety Seats that Fit Autos" »

A Cook County jury has awarded the family of a BMW salesman killed in a Chicago car accident $13.7 million. Roger Czapski died on August 4, 2004 while taking a client for a test drive in a BMW 530i. Inverness resident Christopher Maher was driving the car at a speed of around 90mph- more than twice the 45 mph speed limit for that area of Algonquin Road.

The BMW hit another car before striking a light pole and exploding. Czapski, 22, died in the fiery Illinois motor vehicle accident. Maher and two of his friends who were in the car with them survived the collision.

Maher was given a citation for driving 40 mph over the speed limit when the Chicago auto accident happened. Despite the substantial Illinois wrongful death award, Czapski’s father Mark says the money doesn’t bring back his son and that his own life ended when the 22-year-old was killed.

Speeding in Illinois
In Illinois, the maximum speed limit on rural interstates is 65 mph, 55 mph on interstate highways in or close to major cities and other highways, and 30 mph in urban areas unless otherwise noted. The maximum speed limit outside urban areas for campers, house cars, private living coaches, recreational vehicles, vehicles towing other vehicles, and vehicles that carry a gross weight of 8,001 or greater is 55 mph. Still, drivers are obligated to exercise the reasonable and proper in relation to the road and traffic conditions.

According to the Illinois State Police:
• 32% of deadly crashes involved speeding.
• Often, in speed-related accidents, only one vehicle was involved.

Ways to Avoid Speeding Accidents:
• Follow the posted speed limit
• Drive slower under less ideal road conditions
• Drive along with the flow of traffic
• Lower your speed at night
• Make sure your car is properly maintained
• Allow for sufficient stopping distance between you and the vehicle in front of you
• Don’t drink and drive

$13 million for fatal 90 mph test drive, Chicago Sun TImes, April 22, 2009

Speed Limit Enforcement, Illinois State Police

Related Web Resource:
Speeding, Advocates for Highway Safety

In Adams County, 19-year-old Matthew Ruble has been charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence and two counts of reckless homicide in the deaths of two 18-year-olds. He also was charged with not wearing a seat belt and leaving a deadly crash site. If convicted of all charges related to their Illinois car crash fatalities, he could face up to 50 years in prison.

According to Illinois State Police, at around 2am on Sunday, Ruble was driving his vehicle on the wrong lane on Illinois 104 close to Five Points when his car collided head-on with the vehicle driven by 17-year-old Ashley Graves. Graves sustained serious injuries, while her two passengers, Alissa Zornes and Jordan Schieferdecker, died of their injuries. Graves, Zornes, Schieferdecker, and Ruble are all from Quincy. Ruble sustained facial injuries during the Illinois car accident.

Police say that Ruble tried to flee the crash site but was apprehended. He reportedly admitted to be drunk while driving and was more concerned about his pickup truck. Two witnesses who had also been riding on Ill 104 that night said that a pickup truck had nearly struck the vehicle they were in.

Prior to this deadly Adams County car accident, Ruble was a “person of interest” in an Illinois hit-and-run collision that occurred in Payson when a house was hit by a truck fitting a description matching the one that the 19-year-old was driving. He also had received a number of traffic tickets in Pike County and in 2008 was convicted of misdemeanor consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Not only can negligent Illinois drivers be held liable in criminal court for causing deadly car crashes, but they can be sued for wrongful death.

Matthew Ruble faces up to 50 years in prison after being charged in fatal crash that killed two Quincy teens, Whig.com, April 21, 2009

20-year-old Quincy man faces prison time, Connecttristates.com, April 19, 2009

Related Web Resources:
2009 Rules of the Road, Cyber Drive Illinois

Continue reading "Chicago Car Accident Law Firm: 19-Year-old Quincy, Illinois Man Charged With Drunk Driving Deaths of Two Teenagers" »

The Chicago Police Department has revealed that thirteen of its officers were arrested last year for driving drunk. Five of these cops were involved in Chicago car accidents, with two of the incidents resulting in personal injuries.

Following the arrest of Detective Joseph Frugoli for the deadly drunk driving accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway that claimed the lives of two men, the Chicago Tribune had inquired about any driving under the influence violations involving Chicago police. The veteran Chicago cop’s blood-alcohol content was over triple that of the legal drinking limit following Friday's deadly car accident.

In the last four years, Frugoli was involved in two other Illinois car accidents but he was never given a sobriety test at either of the crash sites because police officers said he did not seem drunk.

Now, Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weiss has revised departmental policy so that any police officer who thinks another cop is drunk must tell the on-duty watch commander who must go to the scene. The alleged intoxication incident must also be reported to internal affairs. Weiss also wants peer counselors in the department to receive advanced training on how to deal with alcohol issues and more steps will be taken to put out messages warning officers about the dangers of drinking too much.

Of the 13 Chicago cops arrested for DUI last year, all of them are still employed by the police department. Eight of those incidents did result in police officers being suspended without pay for a few weeks. In five incidents, officers were placed on leave or on desk duty.

Chicago cops arrested four of their own. Three other Chicago police officers were arrested in the suburbs, while six others were arrested out of state. So far, in 2009, three Chicago police officers have been arrested for DUI. Weiss is quick to point out that statistically, only 1 out of 1,000 Chicago cops was arrested for DUI in 2008. He did admit that it was the job of Chicago police officers to apprehend DUI offenders and not become one.

Alcohol impairs a motorist’s reflexes, decision-making skills, and abilities to stay lucid and respond quickly to changes in the environment. If you were injured by a negligent police officer or another motorist who was driving drunk or engaged in any other kind of negligent behavior, you may be entitled to Chicago personal injury recovery.

Chicago police and drunken driving: 13 officers were arrested in '08 for drunken driving, officials say, Chicago Tribune, April 16, 2009

Cop DUI's: 13 Chicago Police Officers Arrested For Drunk Driving In 2008, The Huffington Post, April 16, 2009

Related Web Resources:
$500,000 bond for cop accused of DUI in double-fatal crash, Chicago Sun Times, April 12, 2009

Impaired Driving, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Continue reading "Chicago Police Department Says 5 of the 13 Cops Arrested For DUI in 2008 Were Involved in Illinois Car Accidents" »

Chicago Police Officer Joseph Frugoli appeared in court today for a preliminary hearing over Illinois drunk driving criminal charges case involving the deaths of two young men, Fausto Manzera, 21, and Andrew Cazares, 23. Frugoli is charged with killing them in a drunk driving accident on early Friday morning while he was off-duty.

The two men had reportedly stopped their vehicle on the side of the road because of car trouble when they were rear-ended from the back by a Lexus SUV driven by Frugoli. The impact of the collision caused their car to explode.

The off-duty Chicago cop, who was injured in the crash, walked away from the accident site but was later apprehended by police. He has been charged with two counts of reckless homicide, one count of leaving the crash scene, and one count of driving under the influence. Prosecutors say that his BAC was reportedly three times above the legal limit. The 41-year-old Chicago cop, an 18-year-old veteran, has been relieved of his duties.

Yesterday, family members of the two Chicago car crash victims expressed dismay after Frugoli was released on $500,000 bail—an amount they consider to be small considering that two men died.

According to records, this is not the first Illinois auto accident that Frugoli has been involved in. In a January 2005 Chicago car accident also on the Dan Ryan, he reportedly rear-ended another vehicle. Recently, a Cook County judge ordered him to pay over $7,000 for an Illinois civil lawsuit related to the accident that was filed against him.

In January 2008, Frugoli reportedly hit a police vehicle and was cited for ignoring a stop sign (that ticket was dismissed). In 1990, he received a citation for driving 80 mph in a 50 mph zone. That ticket was also dismissed.

DUI cop back in court, Chicago Sun-Times, April 13, 2009

Dan Ryan crash: Off-duty cop held in collision that killed, Chicago Tribune, April 11, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Penalties for a DUI Conviction, Cyberdrive Illinois

Illinois State Police

Continue reading "Chicago Cop Charged with DUI Deaths of Two Men is Released on $500,000 Bail" »

According to Illinois state officials, there were 62 less teen driver deaths in 2008 than the year before—a 40% decrease. This decline is being attributed to a group of laws focused on keeping teenagers safe when they get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.The state’s graduated driving laws mandate that teenagers earn their full driving privileges. .

Some of Illinois's Teen Driving Laws:

• Drivers, age 15, must obtain the consent of a parent or a guardian to get their instruction permit.
• They have to take a driver education course and pass written and vision tests.
• Permit must be used for at least 9 months.
• No driving convictions must occur during this time.
• A minimum 50 hours of drive practice time is required while under the supervision of an adult (age 21 or older).
• 10 of these hours must take place at night.
• Driving while using a cell phone is prohibited.

Drivers, ages 16 to 17
• This is called the initial licensing phase.
• The consent of a parent or guardian is necessary to get a driver’s license.
• The teen driver must not have any driving convictions for six months until turning 18.

For a complete list of Illinois teen driving laws, click on the related resource link below.

While Illinois teen driver deaths were at 155 in 2007, the number of teen motorist fatalities went down to 93 deaths in 2008. So far, in 2009 (through March 15), 16 teen drivers died in Illinois car accidents—compared to the 20 teen deaths that occurred during the same time period last year.

If you or someone you love was injured in an Illinois car crash because another driver was negligent, it is important that you speak with an experienced Chicago personal injury law firm so you can consider your options for financial recovery.

Teen driving deaths: 40% fewer teen deaths reported last year than 2007, Chicago Tribune, April 8, 2009

Related Web Resources:
CyberDriveIllinois.com

Teen Drivers: Fact Sheet, CDC

Continue reading "Number of Teen Driver Deaths in Illinois Motor Vehicle Crashes Went Down by 40% in 2008" »

A mother and her 7-year-old daughter are dead following an Illinois multi-vehicle collision in Barrington Hills on Saturday. Five other people, including the woman’s other daughter, were also injured in the Cook County car crash.

The deadly traffic accident occurred on Route 62 at around 9:22 in the morning. Two small cars and a van were involved. According to investigators, a Ford Focus, driven by 30-year-old Barbara Page, crossed the double lane lines, striking a 1997 Nissan Sentra. The Focus then struck a 1996 GMC head-on.

Page was pronounced dead at the crash site. Her two daughters, Madison, 6, and Angelina, 7, were rushed to hospitals. Angelina was later pronounced dead, while Page's younger daughter, Madison is alive but sustained head trauma, chest injuries, and lower abdominal injuries.

There were four passengers riding in the van at the time of the Illinois auto crash. They were all hospitalized for their injuries.

The Cook County medical examiner's Office, Barrington Hills Police Department, and the Lake County Major Crash Assistance Team are investigating the deadly Illinois multi-car crash.

Head-On Car Crashes
• About 5,200 people die each year in head-on collisions.
• 1 in 5 deadly non-intersection accidents involve two motor vehicles in a head-on crash.
• 1/3rd of head-on crashes happen when a car is negotiating a curve.
• The remaining head-on collisions that occur involve vehicles that were “going straight.”
• Head-on collisions cause serious injuries and death; the force of impact from these types of auto crashes tend to be stronger because the cars involved are approaching each other from opposite directions.
• These types of collisions can cause serious injuries because the driver and front seat occupant are struck by other vehicle head on.

Barrington Hills crash: 2 dead, 5 injured in head-on collision, Chicago Tribune, April 5, 2009

Mother, daughter dead in Barrington Hills crash, Chicago-Sun Times, April 4, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Head-On Crashes Kill 5,200 Every Year

Safety.Transportation.org

Continue reading "Wonder Lake Mother and Daughter Killed in Cook County, Illinois Car Crash" »

In an 89-27 vote, the Illinois House passed a measure that would make it illegal for people to send and receive text messages when operating a motor vehicle. The bill, HB71, now goes to the Illinois Senate.

If the bill becomes law, it would go into effect beginning July 1, 2009. Illinois police officers would then be allowed to stop a texting motorist and issue a ticket to him or her. Text messaging would be treated as a traffic violation. This means that a ticket for text messaging would count toward the three violations that could result in driver's license revocation and even time in jail.

Critics of the bill have expressed concern that time in jail is too harsh a penalty for text messaging while driving—especially if there was no accident and no one was hurt. They also wonder how a police officer will know the whether someone is pressing buttons on a cell phone to make a call or to compose a text message. Supporters of the measure, however, are quick to point out that 120 people die every week in motor vehicle accidents because they were driving and texting or talking on their cell phones at the same time.

Currently, Illinois lets localities determine the laws regarding cell phone usage. Throughout the state, however, drivers younger than 19 and school bus drivers are barred from any kind of cell phone use when operating their vehicles.

Text Messaging While Driving
Text messaging on a phone or a PDA device while operating a motor vehicle is now on the list of distracted driving activities that can lead to deadly traffic accidents. Talking on a cell phone, applying make up, reading, bending down to pick up a fallen object, and reading are other examples of distracted driving.

The National Roads and Motorists Association says drivers who text message spend 400% more time looking at their phone instead of watching the road. Studies also indicate that drivers who text message while operating their motor vehicles are six times more likely to get involved in a motor vehicle crash. It doesn’t help that texting may sometimes require the motorist to take both hands off the wheel.

No texting while driving in bill passed by Ill. House, SLTToday.com, April 1, 2009

Ill. House votes to ban texting while driving, Chicago Tribune, April 1, 2009

Dangers of texting and driving, Fox 16, November 12, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Cell Phone Driving Laws, Governors Highway Safety Association

Illinois Driving and Cell-Phone Legislation, DrivingLaws.org

Continue reading "Illinois House Passes Measure to Ban Text Messaging While Driving" »

This month, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety presented consumers with a new rating system for ranking the strength of sport utility vehicles roofs. This will hopefully make it easier for buyers to pick safer cars when making SUV purchases, as well as compel auto manufacturers to make motor vehicles with stronger roofs so as to decrease the number of injuries and deaths that occur during rollover accidents.

The IIHS reports that over 10,000 people a year die in rollover accidents. This most often occurs when the roof of the vehicle gets crushed, ground, or deformed while rolling over. This is why it is so important for auto manufacturers to design SUV’s and other vehicles with strong roofs. Not only are stronger roofs less prone to getting crushed, but they decrease the chances that vehicle occupants will get hurt when they make contact with the roof.

Out of the 12 SUV’s tested (2008 to 2009 models), only four of them earned a “good rating:” The Jeep Patriot, the Honda Element, the Subaru Forester, and the Tiguan, which was rated as having the strongest roof. The Kia Sportage was rated as having the weakest roof, and received a “poor” rating. The Ford Escape and the Honda CR-V received “marginal” marks, and the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Suzuki Grand Vitara, the Nissan Rogue, the Chevrolet Equinox, and the Toyota Rav 4 received an “acceptable” rating for the strength of their roofs.

SUV Rollover Accident Facts
Rollover accidents can lead to serious injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, crushed bones, spinal cord injuries, and death. Many times, a rollover injury will occur because an occupant is ejected from a vehicle, smashes into the auto’s front or side windows, or strikes his or her head against the roof.

If you or someone you love was injured in an Illinois auto accident because a driver was negligent or because the vehicle you were riding in was poorly made or defectively designed, please contact our Chicago car accident law firm to discuss your case.

Auto manufacturers are supposed to make sure that their vehicles are properly made and all safety precautions are in place to prevent injuries and deaths from occurring unnecessarily. At the same time, drivers are supposed to be careful and make sure that they don’t drive negligently and cause an auto accident.

Roof strength is focus of new rating system; 4 of 12 small SUVs evaluated earn top marks, IIHS.org, March 24, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Rollover: The Hidden History of the SUV, PBS

SUV Rollover Accident and Death Statistics, Georgia.gov

Roof Strength and Injury Risk in Rollover Crashes of Passenger Cars and SUV's (PDF)

Continue reading "With IIHS’ New Auto Safety Rating System Ranking SUV’s According to Roof Strength, Motorists Will Hopefully Buy Autos Less Likely to Cause Injuries and Deaths During Rollover Accidents " »

In the Illinois House, representatives have passed a bill known as “Bachman’s Law.” The legislation mandates that police officers activates their sirens and lights any time they are driving faster than the legal speed limit when they are on the job.

The bill was proposed following a deadly Illinois car crash involving a speeding police officer that claimed the lives of 21-year-old Aaron Bachman and 15-year-old DJ Bachman. The two brothers died in 2006 when the vehicle they were riding in was struck by a police car that was headed to a domestic disturbance call.

Prosecutors say Winnebago Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Boomer was driving at over 100 mph. Boomer admitted during his testimony at his criminal trial that he did not have his sirens or lights activated. The jury found Boomer not guilty.

Motor Vehicle Accidents Caused by Speeding Police Cars
Even when a police officer is rushing to an emergency call or engaged in a high speed police chase, he or she must still drive responsibly and safely so that a motor vehicle crash doesn’t occur.

In 2006, the city of Chicago spent seven million dollars to settle Illinois car accident lawsuits filed by people injured in police car accidents. Six million of these dollars went to two cases alone for police pursuits in 2001 and 2003 that led to injuries.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about one person a day dies in US police pursuits. About 1 in 3 police pursuits results in a motor vehicle crashes, and thousands of people (motorists, pedestrians, other bystanders, and suspects) end up getting hurt.

House passes law inspired by deadly crash involving police, WREX, March 25, 2009

City spends millions on cop car accidents, Medill Reports, June 5, 2007

Related Web Resource:
Bachman's Law, WIFR.com, August 8, 2008

Continue reading "Illinois House Passes Bachman’s Law Requiring Police to Activate Sirens and Lights When Speeding to Prevent Car Accidents" »

In Chicago, a 30-year-old man has been charged with one count of aggravated DUI, possession of a stolen medical transport vehicle, aggravated battery of a peace officer, resisting a peace officer, driving without a license, and reckless driving. Alberto Bustamante is accused of stealing an ambulance and causing a six-auto collision while speeding through Evanston on Tuesday afternoon. He also has been cited for failing to decrease the speed of the vehicle to prevent a traffic accident and disobeying a traffic control device. Several people were injured in the Illinois motor vehicle crash.

According to a preliminary probe, Bustamante allegedly stole the ambulance from a Chicago nursing home and drove it up Chicago Avenue into Evanston where he hit a parked vehicle off of Washington. He reportedly failed to stop at the crash site and kept driving the private ambulance at a fast speed until he drove through a red light and allegedly caused the vehicle pileup at Dempster where he struck three cars, totaling two of them, before attempting to flee the crash site o