Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog
An elderly motorist has been ticked for an Illinois bicycle accident that claimed the life of a Chicago student and seriously injured two of her classmates on a downstate spring break trip, the Breaking News Center reported.
As reported Saturday on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer blog, the girls were on break from the University of Chicago Lab School when they were struck by a minivan while biking on a rural road about 320 miles south of Chicago.
A 17-year-old student was killed and her two friends, both 18, were seriously injured after the van, driven by an 86-year-old man, crossed the center line and struck the girls on a rural stretch of road near Shawnee National Forest.
The man was only issued one ticket and no criminal charges will be filed, according to Illinois State Police. He was cited for improper lane usage.
One of the surviving students has undergone several surgeries at an Evansville, Ind. hospital and suffered serious injuries, including two broken arms, a broken jaw and other facial injuries.
The other student was transported by helicopter to another hospital in Evansville, where she was treated for a broken collarbone and broken ribs.
The driver reportedly told police he may have fallen asleep at the wheel before the crash occurred. He has a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record.
Under Illinois law, drivers ages 81 to 86 must pass a driving test every two years to maintain their driving privileges and must pass the test every year beginning at age 87.