Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog
Police are investigating a trio of hit-and-run Chicago auto accidents, two of which involved police officers, the Breaking News Center reported.
Two officers were injured early Friday near 35th and Halsted streets when a vehicle ran a red light. The officers swerved to avoid a collision, but lost control and struck a parked car. The other car did not stop. Both officers were taken to Stroger Hospital with injuries.
The officers had been responding to a 911 call from an off-duty officer who was in an accident with a vehicle that reportedly failed to yield the right-of-way near 47th and Ashland Avenue. That car also fled the scene.
Meanwhile, police continue to investigate a hit-and-run Chicago car accident that killed a Bellwood man and injured four others on the West Side, the News Center reported.
A 19-year-old passenger was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The accident occurred near the intersection of Keeler Avenue and Jackson Boulevard shortly before midnight. The car he was riding in was struck by another vehicle and crashed into a light pole. Four others, ages 18 to 20, were also injured, according to police.
The other vehicle fled the scene following the crash.
The remaining passengers were taken to Stroger Hospital, including one passenger who was listed in critical condition.
The overnight crashes are the latest in a rash of hit-and-run accidents in Chicago. Police are looking for two other hit-and-run drivers involved in separate Chicago pedestrian accidents on Wednesday, which killed one elderly pedestrian and seriously injured another.
The most common reasons a driver flees the scene include:
-Drunk or impaired driving
-Drivers who are unlicensed or have a suspended or revoked license
-Self Preservation
-Aggressive Driving
As we frequently report, drunk driving is an epidemic blamed for as many as one-third of all traffic fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
But an often overlooked cause is driving without a license, or drivers who are on the road despite having their license suspended or revoked. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s report Unlicensed to Kill, found at least 1 in 5 fatal accidents nationwide involved one or more drivers who did not have a valid license.