Articles Posted in Car Accident

When it comes to talking to your teens about the dangers of being involved in a Chicago car accident, advice cannot come too early or too often.

Our Chicago accident attorneys note the new program being launched by Safe Kids USA, which is aimed at teenagers ages 13 and 14. The Countdown2Drive program aims to arm young teens with safe driving and passenger knowledge so they can protect themselves as they become more independent.”Our goal is to educate young teens, as they begin to transition from passengers to drivers,” said said Safe Kids CEO John Formisano. “Our research shows teen pre-drivers are eager to learn, and they are focused on the freedom a driver’s license and access to a car can provide.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers, both those ages 15 to 20 who are old enough to drive, and those 13 and 14 who are anxiously awaiting the day they can get behind the wheel. Nationwide, nearly 6,000 teen drivers were involved in fatal crashes in 2008. A total of 516 motorists lost their lives in Illinois car accidents involving young drivers that year.

“By preparing them to be good passengers, Countdown2Drive can help decrease the number of crashes and injuries that occur during their first and most dangerous year of driving,” said Formisano. “Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of teens, with driver inexperience and distractions among the main causes of teen crashes.”

Teens are four times more likely to be involved in a crash than other drivers. Those ages 13 and 14 have twice the risk of dying in a car accident than younger children and that risk continues to grow as a teenager gets older. Teens are at risk for all types of poor driving habits — among the most serious is distracted driving and the high number of teenagers who use cell phones or text message while behind the wheel.

“Texting and talking on cell phones may feel like second nature to a tech-savvy generation, but the truth is, no one can talk or text while driving safely,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Driving distracted is a dangerous and deadly practice, which is why we need to reach teens early on – before they get a permit and a license to drive.”
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As our Chicago car accidents lawyers reported last year, we have come a long way since the debut of the “car phone” in a Chrysler K car at Soldier Field in the 1980s. Gone from marketing efforts are any mentions of “car” and “phone” in the same sentence as companies increasingly distance themselves from the liability of driving while using their products.

An effort to form a lobbying group of cell phone makers to push back against anti-texting laws in Congress even failed last year for lack of participation on the part of the phone companies. Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports some 5,000 people are killed each year and another 500,000 are injured in accidents caused by distracted driving. Cell phones and text messaging are high on that list of blame.Text messaging and driving is now illegal in Illinois, as is using a hand-held cell phone in a school zone or construction site. Hand-held cell phone use is illegal everywhere in the City of Chicago. But those laws do not stop thousands of motorists feom endangering themselves and others each day.

At particular risk are teenagers — who are more likely to text message and more likely to drive distracted than any other age group.

AT&T is launching “It Can Wait,” a campaign meant to combat the dangers. The 10-minute documentary features a teen killed the day before her high school graduation and another who killed a bicyclist while texting “lol.”

“This documentary is a raw look at the reality and hazards of texting while driving, and we hope it will make wireless customers think twice before pulling out their cell phones in the driver’s seat,” said AT&T spokeswoman Cathy Coughlin. “As a global telecommunications company, it is our responsibility to bring these risks to light.”

In May, Sprint joined the Oprah Winfrey Show to educate drivers about the risk of distracted driving.

And a Florida company has even developed an app for that. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports the $29.99 PhoneGuard app uses GPS to prevent a cell phone from texting, e-mailing or surfing the web when traveling more than 10 mph.

The device can also alert parents or employers when a vehicle travels more than 65 mph by sending a text with a locator map of the vehicle’s speed and location.

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A Chicago car crash that occurred early Monday morning has left several people injured, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The collision involved two vehicles and occurred on the Northwest Side around 1:40 AM on the Kennedy Expressway.

Police reported that several people were hurt and taken by ambulance to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. The nature and extent of the injuries has not been reported.

The expressway’s left lane was closed following accident, but reopened around 2:20 AM.

A Central Illinois car crash has caused significant injuries to five people on Saturday afternoon in Schuyler County, according to the Quincy Herald Whig. The collision occurred when a 1997 Chevy SUV driven by a 61-year-old resident of Versailles was traveling westbound on Illinois 103 near Sugar Grove Road when he lost control of the vehicle and ran off the road. The vehicle then came back on the highway, crossed the center-line and struck a 2010 Hyundai head-on that was being driven by a 66-year-old man from Beardstown.

There were three passengers traveling in the Hyundai, two of which were children ages eight and four. All parties involved in the accident were taken by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. The specific injuries sustained have not been reported.

The Illinois State Police are handling the investigation, which is ongoing. It is not been reported what caused the motorist to lose control and cross the center-line.

The holidays are generally about gift giving and making resolutions so this year should be no different. Health and safety are two common things that I think we can all ask for this year. If everyone were to make their New Year’s resolution to be safer on the roadways in 2011, it’s possible that Chicago car accidents would decline thus leading to less fatalities next year.

Though there are many variables that can lead to increased holiday traffic fatalities such as increased volume of traffic, inclement weather, driving under the influence and distracted driving, the most common causes of accidents are as deadly throughout the year as they are during the holidays.Drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving account for the vast majority of all serious and fatal car accidents in Illinois and elsewhere in the United States.

We all tend to view holidays as a special time of year. Traffic is at a high volume due to the holiday shoppers, holiday parties, and family gatherings that take place this time of year. Drivers tend to get distracted during the holidays because they have so much on their mind and so little time to get everything accomplished successfully by their own standards.

The chances you will be faced with a drinking-and-driving decision are much greater due to the number of holiday parties and family gatherings that we are attending during the holiday season. But the truth is that the holidays mostly exacerbate our poor driving habits. If we drive while talking on the phone, we do it more during the holidays. If we are prone to stopping for happy hour and driving home, we do it more during the holidays. If we speed, tailgate or drive aggressively, we do it more during the holidays.

Stay safe by adding the following possible New Year’s Resolutions for 2011:

-Make notes and plan your schedule far in advance so that you are sure to allow plenty of time to accomplish everything on your to-do list.

-Don’t drive if you have had something alcoholic to drink. You always have other options so resolve to do the right thing.

-Set aside time each week for reflection and relaxation. A little deep breathing never hurt anyone.

-Set a goal to pick up holiday gifts throughout the year by having 80% of your shopping done by Labor Day weekend rather than wait until the last minute. This can help save money with sale purchases as well as provide an opportunity to feel less stressed during the holidays.

-Recognize the dangers of speeding, aggressive driving and distracted driving and vow to do something about your part in contributing to those risks in 2011.
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More people will die in Illinois car accidents this year than last year, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation, which is pushing for safe driving through the upcoming New Year’s holiday.

While it appears to be a safe bet that fewer fatal Chicago car accidents will be recorded — 129 were recorded through Wednesday, compared to 141 during the same period a year ago — the number of motorists killed in accidents statewide has already surpassed last year’s all-time low.Our Chicago injury lawyers wish each of you a safe and enjoyable New Year’s holiday and encourage you to stay safe and don’t drink and drive.

Last year, 911 people were killed in Illinois traffic accidents — the fewest in almost a century of reporting. With the rebounding economy comes an increased risk of car accidents. So far this year, 916 motorists have been killed. The state is putting a positive spin on the increase by noting that it will likely be only the second time since the early 20th century that fewer than 1,000 traffic fatalities have been recorded in Illinois during any given year.

The New Year’s weekend will see a continuation of the statewide “Click it or Ticket” and “You Drink & Drive. You Lose” campaigns. Hundreds of late-night roadside safety checks, safety belt enforcement zones and saturation patrols are also planned.

“IDOT continuously partners with state and local police to ensure motorists who choose to drive impaired are caught, arrested and removed from Illinois roadways,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “Unfortunately, New Year’s Eve can be one of the deadliest and most dangerous times on Illinois roads due to an increase in impaired driving and fewer people buckling up. We advise motorists to please make the right decision every time by designating a sober driver before celebrating and always buckling up.”

Particular emphasis will be put on increased enforcement during the deadly evening and nighttime hours.

“The Illinois State Police is fully committed to using every resource possible to make Illinois roads safer,” said Acting Illinois State Police Director Jonathon Monken. “Although the loss of even one life is one too many … we are optimistic our holiday enforcement efforts will help Illinois conclude its second straight year with fewer than 1,000 fatalities.”

Last year, six people were killed on Illinois’ roads during the four-day New Year’s Holiday and nearly 500 were seriously injured.

IDOT offers the following safety tips:

-Plan ahead.

-Designate a sober driver.

-Use community programs designed to get you home safely.

-Report impaired drivers.

-Buckle Up.
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