Articles Posted in Car Accident

At least six people were killed in Thanksgiving Holiday traffic crashes in the Chicago area, according to a preliminary tally by The Sun-Times.

-A man was killed in a Chicago pedestrian accident at about 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day in the 6900 block of Cicero Avenue after a vehicle traveling northbound struck another vehicle and continued on before hitting the 21-year-old Oak Lawn man. As we noted in a separate post at Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the driver faces felony drunk driving charges. The pedestrian had reportedly run out of gas and climbed from his vehicle before being struck by the accused driver.

-Also on Thursday, a motorist struck a wall on I-290; a vehicle was involved in a Chicago bicycle accident in the 5600 block of West Lawrence Avenue; and a man crashed into a house with his pickup truck in the 9300 block of South Chicago Avenue. He was pinned into the vehicle and hospitalized in critical condition.

Women and teenagers were most likely to be seriously injured in Illinois car accidents, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s 2008 Illinois Crash Facts and Statistics report.

The Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes are published a series of blogs taking a look at the comprehensive traffic data here and on our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog. The latest data shows teenagers and women are at increased risk of injury as a result of a traffic accident.

Last year, an average of 1,115 Illinois traffic crashes claimed three lives a day and injured 11 people an hour.

Almost 20 percent of injury crashes injured 16,119 occupants ages 25 to 34, followed by drivers 35 to 44 (13,532 injuries) and 45 to 54 (12,491 injuries).

However, teenagers were at 5 times greater risk of an injury accident after being old enough to drive. Just 2,068 injuries were reported among kids ages 10 to 14 compared to 10,869 injuries in teenagers ages 15 to 19.

Women in every age group were more likely to be injured. Last year in accidents where age was reported, 45,260 women were injured in Illinois car accidents compared to 39,885 men.

Age 15 to 19
Men: 4,845 Women: 6,024
Age 20 to 24
Men: 5,120 Women: 5,811
Age 25 to 34
Men: 7,779 Women: 8,340
Age 35 to 44:
Men: 6,477 Women: 7,055
Age 45 to 54
Men: 5,963 Women: 6,528
Age 55 to 64
Men: 3,677 Women: 4,282
Age 65 to 74
Men: 1,722 Women: 2,045
75 and up
Men: 1,324 Women: 1,729
The holiday driving season is always a good time to brush up on safety. Here are 70 Defensive Driving Rules to live by, as published by Road Trip America. The State of Illinois also publishes a Parent-Teen Driving Guide for discussing safe driving habits with your teenager.
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Thirteen ambulances were dispatched to a five-vehicle Chicago car accident over the weekend on the Dan Ryan Expressway.

The chain-reaction crash occurred in the northbound express lanes of the Dan Ryan shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday in the South Side’s Bridgeport neighborhood, according to the Sun-Times.

The Chicago Tribune reported at least seven vehicles were involved and eight people were transported to area hospitals for treatment.

City council approved a new ordinance last week that will impound the cars of drivers caught behind the wheel with a suspended or revoked license.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have written about several high profile accidents involving unlicensed drivers in recent months, both at Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog and at our sister site, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog.

The measure has gained momentum since a pregnant mother of 5 was struck and killed in a Chicago pedestrian accident caused by an unlicensed driver. The Tribune reported the at-fault driver had been cited more than 12 times for driving without a license.

“We have people whose licenses are suspended or revoked, and they continue to drive on the streets, putting the public at risk,” sponsoring Ald. Tom Allen, 38th, told the Chicago Tribune.

The new law would require drivers to pay $665 to the city to get their vehicles back. The Tribune reported police issued 22,904 citations last year for driving on a suspended license. About one-third of Chicago traffic accidents resulting in serious injury or death involve someone driving with a revoked or suspended license, police estimate.

The new ordinance takes effect Jan. 1.

“You’re not going to eradicate the 22,000-plus cases of people getting pulled over for this,” Allen said. “But if they have to pay this $665 every time, it’s going to give them pause.”
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“Ice and snow … take it slow”

That is the message from the Illinois Department of Transportation as we brace for winter driving.

The Chicago car accident attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage everyone to prepare for winter driving; a properly serviced vehicle, good tires, ice scrapers, jumper cables and an emergency kit that includes blankets, gloves and reflectors or flares to mark a disabled vehicle’s location are all a good idea.

A motorist was killed Saturday afternoon in a Chicago car accident after his vehicle was broadsided by another car in a South Side traffic accident, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

The victim was driving an Oldsmobile Alero when he was broadsided by a Chevy Malibu near State and 75th streets shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday, according to police.

The driver of the Malibu was treated at Provident Hospital of Cook County and reported to be in good condition.