A woman in Skokie hit the gas instead of the brake and it caused her to run into the front of a building that houses a cleaners, according to local authorities. Fortunately no one was killed but a baby that was in the store was injured and needed medical attention. Two other people were also hurt.
The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in Skokie. The cleaners is located in the 4000 block of Golf Road, just west of the intersection with Crawford Avenue. The cleaners is part of a strip mall with one row of parking out front. Authorities have not said if the driver was parked before the crash but they have stated that no charges have been filed related to this incident.
It appears that the woman drove into a section of the front of the store that contained a glass entry door and a large glass window. The building, which is made of brick, reportedly sustained some damage. At the time of the crash, several people were inside the cleaners, including the owner, the owner’s father, the owner’s stepmother, and a baby. The baby was being held by the owner’s stepmother when the car came crashing in. The impact of the collision pushed the baby from the woman’s arms and caused the baby to fall underneath the car. The father of the baby was not in the cleaners at the time but responded to the collision. He backed up the car to free the baby and it appeared that the child was not hit by any of the car’s tires. The baby was, however, face down in the wreckage of what used to be the glass window and door. The baby was taken to an area hospital where doctors stated the baby suffered only minor injuries but would observe the baby for some time. Reports indicate that two other people suffered injuries. It is not clear whether one of those injured was the driver of the car.
It is not yet clear what caused the woman to press the gas pedal instead of the brake. Authorities have chosen not to release the age of the driver, allowing some in the area to speculate that she may be elderly. But accidents of this type are caused by drivers of all ages, not just the elderly. Being distracted while behind the wheel can increase the risk of accidentally traveling in an unintended direction as can simple negligence. Some of the biggest forms of distraction faced by Illinois drivers include cell phones, texting, eating or drinking, conversations with passengers, children and pets in the car, and even daydreaming. Whatever the cause, if a driver is not completely focused on the road, the driver is distracted and the chances of causing a collision increase significantly.
If you have been hurt in an accident where a driver was distracted or not paying attention, call the Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a no obligation telephone consultation. We can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (312) 924-7575 and the call is free. Let us help you get a recovery you deserve for your injuries.
Prior Blog Entries:
Pace Van Causes Crash in Roseland, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published June 30, 2013.
Actor Chris Brown Charged in Hit-And-Run Crash, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published June 29, 2013.
Resources:
Woman Crashes Into Skokie Cleaners, Injures Baby, CBS Chicago/Chicago Sun-Times, published June 26, 2013.