Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

The Illinois Department of Transportation understands the dangers and risks that accompany roadway travel through the holiday season. This year, the Transportation Department is here to share some useful tips to help you and your family to help you to avoid a potentially fatal car accident in Chicago and elsewhere. By following a few simple driving tips, you can help to ensure a safe and happy holiday season for everyone.The National Safety Council (NSC) has also recently released a report illustrating just how dangerous our roadways will be over the holidays. In their latest report, the NSC reveals its predictions for roadway fatalities and injuries over these holidays. Every year, the NSC releases this information in an attempt to reiterate the importance of safe driving habits through congested roadways.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that the NSC has predicted nearly 300 roadways fatalities to occur over the Christmas holiday. This is the holiday period that takes from Friday, December 23rd until Monday, December 26th. In addition to these estimated 300 fatalities, the NSC is predicting another 28,500 injuries over this time period that will require treatment from a medical professional.

The number of Christmas holiday roadway fatalities has decreased significantly since 2007. In 2007 there were about 455 fatalities, in 2008 there were nearly 410 and in 2009 there were less than 250. While it’s promising to have seen a significant reduction in these numbers, they’re still all too high.

The NSC is also offering it’s predictions for the New Year’s holiday period, which is actually more fatal than Christmas. This year, the NSC is predicting that another 300 people will die on our roadways during this time. In addition, the NSC is predicting another 29,500 injuries to require medical attention. In this holiday period, the number of fatalities has actually increased since 2007. In 2007 there were about 390 fatalities, in 2008 there were about 410 and in 2009 there were about 460.

The Illinois Department of Transportation offers these safe driving tips to help you to stay safe on our roadways through the holidays:

-Always wear a seat belt. It’s the law and it could save your life.

-If you don’t feel comfortable driving in the current weather conditions, don’t!

-Your headlights should be on and dim when driving in the rain.

-Your headlights should be on and dim when driving in the fog. Use your fog lights if you have them.

-Stay within the limits of your vision through the weather.

-Make sure your windows are clear of ice and snow. Don’t start moving until your windshield is completely defrosted.

-When weather is poor, drive slower and increase your following distance. This will give you more time to react.

-Keep an eye out for slick spots in shaded areas.

-If the roads are slick, brake slowly and gently.

-If you hydroplane, let off of the brakes and steer into the direction your vehicle is going until you regained traction with the road.

-Be cautious around snowplows. Don’t pass until you’re sure another vehicle isn’t coming.
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A 10-year-old boy was killed and his twin brother was severely injured in a recent intersection car accident in Lake County. Officials believe the driver who hit them ran a red light, causing the accident, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. It was a multi-car accident at that dangerous intersection in Wauconda at Route 12, damaging two other vehicles.”We have no evidence of anyone being under the influence,” Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys learned that one fifth-grader died and his twin brother and the boys’ father were injured. When drivers fail to obey traffic signals, accidents result. There have been numerous studies and preventative measures taken to make intersections safer for everyone. Still, far too many drivers display complete disregard for traffic signals and road signs, and continue to cause serious accidents in our Illinois roadways. All drivers are asked to be courteous and cautious on our roadways during the holiday season. Traffic is expected to increase substantially and so do the risks we face while driving along Illinois’ roadways through the congested holiday travel season.

The truck that may have zipped through the red light was a Ford Super Duty loaded with roofing supplies. The large truck slammed into a smaller Lincoln sedan as it attempted to make a left-hand turn in front of the truck. The Ford didn’t stop for the red light and slammed right into the Lincoln with the father and two boys inside. The Lincoln was thrown off the roadway and the large truck flipped upon collision. Two additional vehicles were caught up in the collision and suffered minor damages.

All of the occupants in the Lincoln were reportedly wearing their seat belts when the accident happened. One was killed and the two survivors were still banged up pretty badly.

Witness reported to authorities that the large truck failed to stop at the red light at the intersection of Old McHenry Road and Route 12. The speed limit on that road is 55 mph. It’s a four-lane divided highway.

The truck driver was treated for injuries, questioned by officers and later released. Currently, there are no charges pending, but officials continue to investigate the accident.

Back in 2009, a motorcyclist was killed at that same intersection after a motor vehicle failed to stop for that red light. The red-light running driver in that accident was later charged and convicted of reckless homicide. Prosecutors determined that the female driver was painting her fingernails at the wheel when the accident happened.

As the holidays approach, our roadways will get more and more congested with residents and visitors off to celebrate the season. Drivers are asked to be extremely cautious at the wheel and to obey all traffic signals to help to avoid a potentially fatal accident.
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According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the 2011 Christmas Day Holiday period is defined as starting on December 23rd at 6:00 p.m. and going until December 26th at 11:59 p.m. Every year, the NSC estimates how many people they believe will be killed in car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere during the busy holiday weekend.

This year, the Council is predicting that there will be nearly 370 fatalities. The NSC further predicts that there will be nearly 29,000 people who will be medically treated for injuries from car crashes over the holiday period.Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that the holidays are a time for residents and visitors to spend away from work and school and to gather with friends and family members. Unfortunately, this is also a time when we see an increase in the number of fatal accidents on our roadways. An increase in motorists equates to an increase in your risks for a traffic crash, which ultimately leads to an increase in roadway deaths and injuries. Drivers are urged to be cautious, alert and to drive defensively on our roadways to avoid a potentially fatal accident during this year’s holidays.

The NSC’s Christmas Day Holiday Period Fatality Estimates/Actual Numbers:

-2005: 443/383
-2006: 415/379
-2007: 497/454
-2008: 432/409
-2009: 317/248
According to recent traffic safety studies, seat belts have been proven to be nearly 50 percent effective in preventing fatalities during an accident. According to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System’s (FARS), more than 100 people may be saved from being killed in a car accident over the Christmas Day holiday period because they were wearing a seat belt. Another 75 people could be saved if everyone were to wear a seat belt.

According to the NSC, the 2011 New Year’s Day Holiday is defined as starting on December 30th at 6:00 p.m. and going on until January 2nd at 11:59 p.m. Every year, the NSC estimates how many people will be killed in car crashes during the busy holiday weekend. This year, the Council is predicting that there will be nearly 300 roadway fatalities. The NSC further predicts that there will be nearly 30,000 people will be medically treated for injuries from car crashes during this time as well.

The NSC’s New Year’s Day Holiday Period Fatality Estimates/Actual Numbers:

-2005: 392/449
-2006: 399/432
-2007: 405/387
-2008: 498/407
-2009: 445/458
The average number of traffic deaths during the six previous New Year’s Day holiday periods was nearly 20 percent greater than similar non-holiday periods. Drivers are urged to be cautious behind the wheel as the traffic heats up during the holiday season. Remember to drive cautiously, to avoid drinking and driving and to obey all road laws to reduce your risks of an accident. Happy Holidays and have a Happy New Year. Please drive safely!
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We recently experienced one of the latest first snowfalls of the season on record. Unfortunately, this late snowfall contributed to a number of spin-out accidents and contributed to at least four fatalities that day. Three of these fatalities happened because of car accidents in the Chicago metro area, according to The Courier-News.According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), law enforcement officers responded to dozens of accidents in the Chicago area. In some of these accidents, vehicles spun out and slammed into walls because of the slick roadways and black ice.

We recently reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog that IDOT is urging motorists to be extremely cautious when traveling through winter weather. As we approach the New Year, these conditions are expected to get much worse. IDOT’s not leaving you alone on your roadways. Transportation officials throughout the state will be hitting our roadways with snow and ice removal vehicles to help make your travels as safe as possible. Still, drivers are urged to be extra careful on our roadways during this time of year to avoid a potentially fatal accident.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the first latest snowfall record was on 1965.

Although the snowfall was late, it still produced slick roads and caused a number of accidents. Two of these accident fatalities occurred on Interstate Highway 80 in Will County.

The first accident took the life of a 29-year-old Chicago woman who was heading west on Interstate 80 near Highway 30. She was killed when her vehicle was hit by a passing semi.

Another accident took the life of a 29-year-old as she was heading westbound on Interstate 80. Her vehicle swerved off the road and slammed into a fixed object.

Black ice is something that drivers need to be careful of as we enter the heart of the winter season. Black ice, clear ice or glare ice is used to reference the thin coating of ice on the road’s surface. Black ice isn’t even black at all. It just reflects the black asphalt of the roadway, giving it a black appearance. Drivers need to exercise extreme cautious around snowy and icy roadways.

Safe driving tips if you’re involved in an accident because of black ice, from the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago:

-Drivers should never get out of the vehicle when traveling near black ice. If you’re stuck, don’t try to get out as you risk developing frostbite and/or hypothermia. Not to mention falling and suffering serious injury.

-If you get stuck, hang a brightly colored cloth out of your window or on the vehicle’s antenna to draw attention and for rescuers to see.

-Start up your vehicle and turn on the heat for about 10 minutes each hour. Make sure you vehicle’s exhaust pipe is clear so that fumes won’t back up in the vehicle.

-As you sit and wait for help, keep your legs and arms moving to help blood to circulate and to keep yourself warm.

-Keep one of your vehicle’s windows cracked; the one that’s not facing oncoming wind, to allow fresh air to get it.

-Keep a dome light on so that you can be more easily seen by motorists.
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A recently study concluded that the lives of approximately 2,000 people could be saved every year if every state were to push a comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. According to USA TODAY, supporters across the nation are urging lawmakers to enact GDL programs like the one in the state of Illinois.

Effective GDL programs help to thoroughly educate these drivers and can significantly reduce the risks of fatal car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere.”We knew that when states pass good laws, lives are saved and a lot of money is saved. We’d just never done the analysis,” says John Ulczycki from the National Safety Council (NSC).

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that it takes a lot of time and practice for our young driver to master the tools to become a good, safe driver. Our state has been an example for many GDL programs in the country. In the state of Illinois, teens must practice at least 50 hours of supervised driving with a licensed adult over the age of 21 before receiving a full driver’s license. In addition to these requirements, our GDL program places a number of restrictions on these young drivers to make sure they master all driving skills thoroughly before they can obtain an unrestricted license.

In Illinois, nearly 40 lives are believed saved every year because of our effective GDP program.

This new report comes as Congress looks to consider a new transit and highway-spending bill. Those who support the GDL program are looking to get their hands on roughly $25 million a year to use as incentives to get states to buff up their GDL programs.

Car accidents continue to be the number one killer of teens in the county. Drivers ages 16- to 19-years-old are four times more likely to get into a serious accident than any other age group of drivers.

Each state has its own version of a GDL program, which bestows drivers with more driving privileges as they gain experience behind the wheel.

Ulczycki and says there are seven key points to an effective GDL program:

-A minimum age of 16-years-old to get a learner’s permit.

-At least 30 hours of supervised driving during the learner’s license stage.

-Six months of supervised driving before being able to drive with no supervision.

-A minimum age of 16 1/2 for intermediate driving.

-Placing a curfew of 10:00 p.m. for intermediate drivers.

-Allowing no more than one passenger (non-family) during the intermediate license stage.

-A minimum age of 17 for a restricted license.

Regardless of what the current GDL program requirements are, parents are urged to stay involved in their teens driving career long after they’ve been granted unsupervised driving privileges. Parents may be some of the most influential individuals in their young driver’s lives.
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As Chicago recently witnessed its first measurable amount snow fall, drivers are already suffering those dangerous side effects of the slick and icy roadways. The snowfall caused a number of Chicago car accidents, including quite a few spinouts on expressways, two fatal accidents in Will County and another fatal accident on the Eisenhower, according to the Chicago Tribune.Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that the recent snowfall ties the 1949 record for the fifth-latest date for us to see the season’s first measurable snow. The first place date for the latest first snowfall of the season record remains on December 16th of 1965. As we start to see the snow, drivers are urged to be cautious on our roadways. It’s best to avoid driving when snow and icy covers the roads, but if you have to, you’re urged to alter your driving habits to accommodate the winter weather conditions.

By 6:00 a.m., there was more than a half inch measured at the O’Hare International Airport, which serves as the official reporting station for Chicago.

Before sunrise, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) warned of slick roadways on all of the expressways in the Chicago area. By that time, there had already been several spinout accidents. The Transportation Department already deployed snowplows to handle the mess. Drivers were urged to drive carefully.

According to the Illinois State Police (ISP), there was a fatal accident at Cicero Avenue and Eisenhower at roughly 7:00 a.m. In this accident, a pickup truck and a box truck collided. A passenger of the pickup truck was killed in the accident.

Two more accidents happened on Interstate 80 in Will County because of the winter weather. ISP reported that the roadways were covered with snow and ice.

The first accident happened as a motorist crashed his passenger vehicle into a semi as they were both heading west on Interstate 80 by U.S. Route 30. The driver of the passenger-vehicle was taken to Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet, where he was later pronounced dead.

The second accident happened when a female driver swerved from the roadway, flipper her vehicle and ran into a fixed object.

As we recently reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, officials from the Illinois Tollway, the ISP and the IDOT urge drivers throughout the state to be cautious and to prepare for the upcoming snow fall.

As we get into the heart of the winter season, driving conditions become much more dangerous. Drivers are asked to stay off of the roadways when they’re icy and snowy, whenever possible. But when you must venture out, please do so cautiously and be on the lookout for snowplows and other snow removal vehicles. Always driver slowly, cautiously and alertly when driving through the snowy weather. Alter your driving habits to accommodate the weather and to avoid a potentially fatal accident.
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In the state of Illinois, drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using a cell phone at the wheel. In Chicago, all drivers are prohibited from using a hand held cell phone behind the wheel. In the state, all drivers are prohibited from texting, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.Although teenagers may not be allowed to text at the wheel in the state, it doesn’t mean they’re all listening. Teenage drivers are more likely that any other age group to send and receive texts while driving. For this reason, among many others, car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere are the number one cause of death for teens in the U.S. To help raise awareness about the danger and risks associated with texting while driving, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has launched its “OMG” public service announcement campaign.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that teenagers already face increased risks for a traffic accident. But adding in the distraction of a text messaging devices makes these risks even higher. The USDOT launched its new campaign to reach these drivers and to urge them to put down the phones while they’re behind the wheel. In 2010, there were nearly 3,100 fatalities resulting from distraction-related car accidents.

“Teen drivers are particularly vulnerable to distracted driving, which is why we are making an extra effort to ensure they understand the dangers,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

There are two PSAs for this campaign. They will be airing on 12,000 gas station pump-top screens, at more than 525 Regal Cinema theaters on more than 6,500 movie screens and on Distraction.gov through December.

The campaign uses some of the shorthand texting lingo that these young drivers use everyday, like “L8R” and “LOL.”

Nathan Gill at Outcast’s PumpTop TV says that airing these PSAs at gas stations is a good way to spread the word to this on-the-go age group. Those five minutes that these teens spend at the gas pumps watching these PSAs can help to save lives.

Currently, there are 35 states, Guam and the District of Columbia that have prohibited text messaging by drivers. Another nine states have made it illegal drivers to talk on a hand-held cell phone behind the wheel.

It’s no secret than teens want to stay connected with their buddies. When schools let out for winter break, teenagers will be hitting the roads in route to holiday gatherings with friends and family members. Before setting out, parents are asked to talk with their teens about the dangers, risks and consequences of distracted driving. Let’s keep our teens driving safely through the holidays and well beyond.
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Red light cameras. Speed Cameras. Now a system that prevents other traffic from going when a vehicle is running a red light at an intersection could be the next technology deployed in an effort to save lives.

A new measure that’s leading the way for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s red-light speeding cameras was recently approved by a state House committee and later approved by the full House. This measure was already approved by the state Senate. Now, all the measure needs is the signature of Gov. Quinn, according to the Huff Post.Intersection cameras to catch speeders and red-light runners have been a hot topic of debate in the area for quite some time now. Some say these cameras are effective in helping to reduce the risks of intersection car accidents in Chicago, while others find them to be nothing more than a revenue generator.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys note Arizona is deploying yet another system — this one prevents lights from changing when a red-light runner is passing through an intersection. Previously, drivers complained about an increase in rear-ending accidents and debatable citations issued by such intersection technologies. This latest technology was recently introduced by Redflex Traffic Systems in Chandler, Arizona. It claims to be able to read traffic flow and can detect when a driver is about to run a red light. To help stop accidents, it adjusts the other lights to hold off traffic for the light-running driver, according to AZ Central.

“If it is what it appears to be, it is going to save lives,” said Chandler Police Lt. Richard Speer, commander of the traffic bureau. “We are hoping Chandler will be one of its test areas.”

Intersection car accidents are among the nation’s deadliest. Data concludes that roughly 40 percent of the near 6,000,000 accidents that happened in the U.S. in 2008 were accidents that happened in intersections.

A lot of these intersection accidents happened when a car that’s making a left turn collides with one that’s coming from another direction. These lights could potentially hold other cars from proceeding through the light and thus save lives.

Red-light cameras were first used in Chicago in 2003. As of April of 2011, there are nearly 200 intersections with red-light cameras. Although these cameras only photograph and ticket drivers who run through a red light, the new technology could make its way to Chicago and could potentially alter traffic flow.

The Chicago Department of Transportation handles the installation and maintenance of these cameras, while the Chicago Department of Revenue handles all of the citations.

Chicago Intersections with Red-Light Cameras

Regardless of what technology is deployed at intersections, residents and officials may never be able to agree on what is best for the city. What we all can agree on is that nothing beats driver awareness when it comes to preventing accidents. Please be safe on our roadways and be courteous to other drivers.
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The number of car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere throughout the state has increased from 2009 to 2010. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released new statistics that conclude that 2010 was another positive trend in the overall reduction in fatal traffic accidents — fewer deadly accidents were reported in the United States than at any time since 1949.”While we have more work to do to continue to protect American motorists, these numbers show we’re making historic progress when it comes to improving safety on our nation’s roadways,” said Secretary LaHood.

Chicago car accident attorneys know that a lot of traffic accident scenarios did in fact decrease from 2009 to 2010. But the truth of the matter is that a number of accident scenarios did in fact increase, including those in Illinois. Fatalities among motorcycle riders, large truck occupants and pedestrians also increased during 2010.

Included in the newly released report from the NHTSA is a new feature that measures the number of distraction-related accidents. In 2010, there were nearly 3,100 fatalities resulting from these types of accidents. There were more than 1,500,000 injury accidents. Distraction-related accidents include drivers that weren’t paying attention because they were eating, smoking, playing with the radio, talking on the phone, sending a text message, reading, applying makeup, reading a map, surfing the web, etc.

In 2010, the total number of traffic accident fatalities in the United States reached 33,000. During the year, more than 30 percent of the fatalities were the result of alcohol-related accidents. These types of accidents continue to be alarmingly high despite all of the drunk driving prevention programs throughout the nation.

Although more accidents happened in rural areas in the U.S., the number of these accidents actually decreased from 2009 to 2010. The number of urban accidents experienced an increase.

Throughout the year, a majority of the fatal accidents took place at nighttime, or from 6:00 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.

As we stated before, the number of motorcyclist fatalities increased. Fatalities among riders over the age of 50 increase be nearly 120 while the number of fatalities for those under the age of 50 decreased by more than 80.

Illinois wasn’t lucky enough to be one of the states that experienced a decrease in the number of traffic fatalities from 2009 to 2010. In 2009, we experienced approximately 910 fatalities, while in 2010 we experienced nearly 930 accident fatalities. This is an increase of more than 5 percent.

As technology advances, transportation officials are learning how to better track distraction-related accidents. Still, the most common accident-causing distraction was drivers engaging in conversation with other passengers, followed by playing with the radio. With cell phones, GPS devices, palm pilots and smart phones, government officials have a whole new genre of distractions to worry about; the search for effective ways to reduce these accidents continues.

While yes, some types of accidents did in fact decrease, we think it’s important to point out that many others experienced an increase and the number of fatalities in our state increased. Drivers are urged to keep fighting for safe roadways. Keep attention on the road and follow driving laws. Driver attention is the one of the ways we can help to decrease these numbers.
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