Articles Posted in Car Accident

Illinois has received the third-best rating in the nation for highway safety from an advocacy group focused on drunk driving laws, distracted driving and teen driving safety.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes published dozens of articles in 2009, both here and on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, about the perils of drunk and distracted driving and the challenges teens face in learning good driving habits.

Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety released its 7th annual report card on all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The group’s primary focus is on three areas: banning text messaging, graduated driver licensing and ignition-interlock laws for drunk driving offenders.

“Our intent was to highlight the documented need for more states to adopt these highly effective lifesaving laws aimed at high-risk behavior,” said Judith Lee Stone, president of Advocates.

The group said it’s no accident the report cards were released in time for 2010 state legislative sessions across the country. “Timing is everything, and the times is right to increase the pressure on states,” Vice President Jackie Gillan said.

The group reported an annual average of 5.8 million traffic rashes on the nation’s highways each year, claiming 30,000 lives and injuring more than 2 million. Every day, 102 people are killed and more than 6,000 injured in traffic collisions.

The group graded states in five areas with a maximum of 15 points: Adult Occupant Protection (seat belt and motorcycle helmet laws); Child Passenger Safety (booster seat laws); Teen Driving Graduated Driver Licensing; Impaired Driving (ignition interlock devices, child endangerment laws, mandatory testing laws and open container laws) and Distracted Driving (a ban on text messaging).

States received a Green Rating (good), Yellow Rating (needs improvement) or Red Rating (state dangerously behind).

Illinois received 12.5 of a possible 15 points, leading the nation behind the District of Columbia (13.5) and New Jersey (13).

In addition to Illinois’s Graduated Licensing program, which became law in 2008, Illinois passed a ban on texting while driving, which took effect Jan. 1.

Rounding out the Top 10 states were Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee,
Minnesota and California.

The worst states were South Dakota, Arizona, North Dakota, Wyoming, Virgina, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nebraska.

“These report cards serve as a highway safety GPS for every state that is serious about curbing the never-ending deaths and injuries on our roads,” said Illinois Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago.

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A Chicago car accident in the South Side’s Hamilton Park neighborhood has claimed the life of one man and critically injured two others, according to WBBM News.

Emergency crews found one man dead and two others injured after responding to the crash shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday. The pin-in crash occurred at South Vincennes Avenue and West 73rd Street.

The 49-year-old Spaulding Avenue man was pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m. at Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center. The Cook County medical examiner’s office reported he was the driver of one of the vehicles involved in the Chicago car accident.

The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois Secretary of State and Illinois State Police are reminding motorists of new Illinois traffic laws that take effect Jan. 1 and are aimed at reducing Illinois car accidents.

In August, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed two new laws. The laws make it illegal for motorists to send text messages while driving in Illinois and make it illegal to talk on a cell phone while traveling through a school zone or highway construction zone. The laws also make it illegal to compose, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail on a cell phone or surf the internet while driving. The law does not include GPS or navigation systems but does include personal digital assistants and portable or mobile computers.

“When motorists text and drive, they are putting themselves and others in serious danger,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “We are pleased to be among the 19 states that have outlawed texting and driving and we are confident it will lead to fewer crashes and fatalities in Illinois.”

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Abels & Annes have followed the issue throughout the year, noting recently a New York Times story that pointed out the “car phone” literally made its debut at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Cell phone companies have quit marketing the devices as “car phones” over the years amid evidence of deaths caused by distracted driving, particularly with the advent of text messaging.

Drivers have already been forbidden from using cell phones within the City of Chicago since 2005; but the news laws are expected to bring a new round of enforcement aimed at reducing distracted driving deaths in Illinois.

“With the increased use of technological devices, distracted driving has become a serious problem in our state and in the nation,” said Secretary of State Jesse White. “These new laws are important and will make our roads safer. No driver has any business text messaging while they are driving. Additionally, school zones and construction zones require drivers to slow down and pay special attention to their surroundings and, as a result, they should not be using a cell phone.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction from all sources contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes.

“Every time a driver takes their eyes or their focus off the road – even for just a few seconds – they put their lives and the lives of others in danger,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Regional Administrator Michael Witter. “Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and its consequences can be devastating.”
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