Three pedestrians were injured over the weekend, along with two passengers in a Chicago taxi cab accident, the Sun-Times reported.
The accident happened about 3:55 a.m. near North Clark and West Division streets on the Near North Side. Police say a car struck two taxis before fleeing the scene. One of the taxis struck a pole and the car struck another taxi before driving away.
Victims were down in the street when emergency vehicles responded. Authorities on the scene were unclear which vehicle or vehicles struck them. Three pedestrians and two passengers in one of the taxis were among the injured, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.
The injured were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Authorities were reviewing evidence and looking for a two-door Toyota convertible believed to be the hit-and-run vehicle.
In 2008, 1,043 people were killed in fatal Illinois traffic accidents. Illinois pedestrian accidents killed 135 and injured more than 5,000, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
As reported last month on Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, Illinois recorded the fewest traffic fatalities in 88 years last year, when 928 motorists were killed.
But 2010 has gotten off to a rough start, IDOT reports 103 people were killed in Illinois traffic accidents during the first six weeks of the year — several more than during the same period last year. Bad weather could be partly to blame.