According to various accounts, which include a journalist as an eyewitness, an accident that occurred earlier this month caused quite a disruption in the Woodlawn, South Side area of Chicago.Several people, including children and adults, were injured when their vehicles collided outside of a fire station on the 1400 block of East 67th Street. Witnesses reported that the sound of metal crashing could be heard from at least a mile away. According to one witness, a white van failed to stop at a stop sign, and hit a sedan, causing another van to crash into the white van. A nearby shopkeeper who had witnessed the scene expressed her concern that the sedan would have been headed for her business if it hadn’t been able to correct its trajectory.
Seven individuals were sent to local hospitals for treatment. Three adults were in fair to serious condition, while four children were determined to be in good condition.
Based on what has been reported so far, this is at least the second accident in recent weeks that was caused by a driver failing to stop at a stop sign.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a study of five busy intersections over a period of several months found that, on average, a driver ran a red light every 20 minutes at each intersection. Furthermore, during peak travel times, red light running was even more frequent. An analysis of red light violation data from 19 intersections in four states found that 1,775 violations occurred over 554 hours, which resulted in an overall violation rate of 3.2 per hour, per intersection. While stoplight running is somewhat different than running a stop sign, logically the failure to yield to the traffic signals, as well as the potential for causing devastating car accidents, is the same.
Another IIHS study, this time regarding urban crashes, found that those involving drivers who ran red lights, stop signs and other traffic controls were actually the most common reason for this type of crash in 22% of cases. Regarding car accidents where drivers disobeyed traffic controls, such as the one in this report, injuries resulted 39% of the time.
The driver who initially failed to stop is most likely liable for all of the damages that his action cost. This includes the damage to the two other vehicles reported in the crash, as well as the medical expenses of the seven individuals that were injured. Furthermore, even the passengers in the car of the driver who ran the stop sign may have potential claims against the driver for putting them into harms way, and any potential injuries they may have suffered. Financial recovery is not limited solely to the medical expenses incurred in the emergency room or ambulance following treatment. Additional possible recoveries include the cost of any resulting physical or other therapy, lost wages or disability incurred at work, and in some cases pain and suffering. A qualified car accident attorney can further inform you regarding your legal rights and potential claims against a negligent driver.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident that resulted in injury, or if a family member was killed because another driver disobeyed a traffic signal, please contact the Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. in order to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation regarding your case. If you have been harmed, you have legal rights and should contact an attorney to discuss them in detail. We can be reached 24 hours a day at (855) 529-2442 or (312) 924-7575 and also through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Lawsuit Filed Over Fatal Megabus Crash in Illinois, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published April 26, 2013
Illinois Senate Votes to Increase Highway Speed Limit to 70, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published April 25, 2013