Two teenagers were killed in a recent single-vehicle crash on Wilmot Road near northwest suburban Antioch Township. According to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, a 16-year-old Antioch High School junior was headed east in a Chevrolet Trailblazer Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) when he unexpectedly left the roadway and struck a 20-inch maple tree around 7 pm. The force of the impact reportedly uprooted the tree before it landed on top of the SUV. According to an accident witness, it was pouring rain when the traffic wreck occurred. The witness added that both the driver and a 17-year-old passenger were wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. Still, both young adults were purportedly pronounced dead by the Lake County Coroner’s Office at the scene of the crash.
A spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the cause of the fatal incident is currently under investigation. She added that inclement weather likely played a role in the collision. Although toxicology results are pending, authorities stated there was no reason to believe drugs or alcohol were a factor in the deadly accident.
Sadly, motor vehicle crashes like this one are the leading cause of injury and death for teens in Illinois and across the country. Illinois graduated driver’s license laws were implemented in an effort to protect young people and others traveling on the roadway from being injured or killed in a collision. For the first 12 months of driving, Illinois motorists who are under the age of 18 may not operate a vehicle with more than one passenger under the age of 20 who is not an immediate family member in the car. In addition, before obtaining a driver’s license, all teen motorists in Illinois must complete an approved driver education course.
As part of the graduated driver license laws, the hours during which a driver under the age of 18 may operate a motor vehicle on an Illinois roadway are limited. Minor drivers are also prohibited from using a cellular telephone with or without a hands-free device while driving except in case of extreme emergency. Regardless of a driver’s age, texting while driving is always prohibited in Illinois.
Anyone who fails to use reasonable care while operating a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle in our state may be guilty of negligence. An individual who was hurt as a result of another motorist’s negligence may be entitled to receive financial compensation for damages such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and disability. If you were hurt in an unexpected car accident, contact a skilled car accident attorney to help you file your personal injury claim.
If you were injured or a family member was killed in a one-car or other traffic accident in Chicago, you should contact the experienced lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. Our hardworking Chicago car accident attorneys are available 24 hours per day, seven days of the week to answer your questions and help you file your personal injury or wrongful death claim. Our dedicated lawyers have years of experience advocating on behalf of clients who were injured by a negligent motorist throughout the Chicago Metro. To speak with a capable car accident attorney, give the lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. a call at (312) 475-9596.
More Blogs:
One Man Killed, Two Others Critically Hurt When Elderly Driver Loses Control of SUV on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, February 20, 2013
Former Cubs Player Sentenced to Serve Four Months in Jail Following Second DUI Arrest in 15 Months, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, February 16, 2013
Additional Resources:
Classmates shaken by deaths of 2 teens in crash near Antioch, by Lisa Black, Chicago Tribune
2 teens killed in Antioch crash, by Frank Abderholden, Chicago Sun-Times