Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

Alcohol-related car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere kill 6,000 teens every year. That’s more than all illegal drugs combined. To help combat this problem, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is teaming up with the National Football League (NFL) to raise awareness in teen drivers about the dangers, risks and fatal consequences of driving drunk or riding with an intoxicated driver. The partnership is encouraging all teenagers to not drink before they’ve hit the age of 21 and to never get into the car with someone who has been drinking.Teenagers are urged to stand against the dangerous behavior and to sign the MADD Power of You(th) pledge. You can visit the campaign’s facebook page where teens can enter to win some official NFL memorabilia. Participants are asked to draft their friends in the fight.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that although teenage drivers aren’t old enough to legally drink, many are going to anyways. According to Students Against Destructive Decisions, nearly 30 percent of teens have consumed alcohol in the last 30 days. Nearly 20 percent of these young individuals participated in binge drinking in the last month. That’s just the last 30 days. Nearly 75 percent of high school-aged individuals admit to having consumed alcohol at least once by the end of their senior year. Nearly 40 percent of these individuals admitted to doing so by the time they hit 8th grade.

MADD is asking you to join and to take the pledge. Taking the pledge to not drink and drive and to not get into a vehicle with an intoxicated driver enters you to win some pretty cool NFL gear. These prizes are only offered to those who are 13- to 20-years-old. All you have to do is visit the campaign’s facebook page and “share” the link to your page or you can “share” the link to your wall by taking the pledge. As long as you’re displaying the MADD Props badge on your wall, you’re eligible to win the cool gear.

Traffic accidents continue to be the number one killer of teens in America. Drivers age 16 have the highest accident rate among any age group. These young drivers are three times more likely to die in an accident that any other driver. In 2008, there were more than 2,700 drivers between the ages of 15- and 20-years-old who died in a traffic accident.

Alcohol-related accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of the traffic fatalities experienced in this young age group.

With Christmas and New Year’s right around the corner, parents are urged to talk with the teen drivers in their lives. The holidays are a time for family gatherings. Even for adults, many of these gatherings involve alcohol. Remind your young driver about the dangers of driving under the influence. It’s important to encourage them to be honest with you. If they’re at a holiday party where drinking is taking place, have them call you for a safe ride instead of getting in the vehicle with someone who has been drinking. The holiday season already brings about increased risks for an accident. We don’t need to throw a tipsy driver into the equation. Be safe — communicate with your young drivers and Happy Holidays!
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Our Chicago car accident attorneys recently discussed the dangers that teen drivers are expected to face on our roadways through the busy holiday traffic. But our older drivers are also at high risk.The holidays are a time to spend with friends and family and this means our elderly loved ones, too. In many cases, old age comes with deteriorating senses, which can hinder a driver’s ability to navigate our roadways safely. Sadly, we often notice this decline in parents or older loved ones while visiting for the holidays. We ask all families to talk with their elderly relatives about staying safe and avoiding car accidents in Chicago.

Ten signs from the AARP that you may need to have a safe driving talk with your elderly loved ones:

-Have many “close calls” or almost-accidents.

-Finding scrapes, scratches or dents on their vehicles.

-Getting lost frequently on roadways that should be familiar.

-Having a tough time seeing or reacting to pavement markings, road signs or traffic signals.

-A slowed response time.

-Have a delayed response time to driving hazards.

-Having a tough time moving feet or hands on the vehicle’s pedals or wheel.

-Misjudging gaps in traffic.

-Receiving many honks from other drivers.

-Become distracted easily.

-Having a hard time moving to see around the whole car.

-Getting a lot of warnings or tickets from police.

So, now you know how to spot warning signs in your loved ones, but do you know how to approach the subject with them? Every family is different, but regardless of your relationship with the elderly driver it’s important to approach them as if this conversation is about their safety and not looking to rid them of their independence. Reiterate the importance of their safety on our roadways. Consider discussing your concerns with their spouse first. According to a recent study from the MIT AgeLab and the Hartford Financial Services Group, roughly half of married drivers above the age of 50 would rather talk about their driving concerns with their significant others, followed by doctors and then adult children.

If you’d like to start off the conversation, consider discussing factors that everyone can relate to, like the increase is vehicular traffic or the difficulty seeing road signs on such busy roadways. Maybe you could talk about the difficulty you have driving in specific weather conditions. Whichever way you choose, ease into it.

To avoid making them feel helpless and forced to give up driving, consider limiting their driving first. See if your elderly loved ones have a harder time behind the wheel and ask if they’d be comfortable not driving at night. Be accommodating and help them to transition into the change smoothly.

This isn’t done to be mean or as a punishment. Aging senses are a part of life and in the spirit of the holidays it’s our responsibility to look out for one another. Do your part to keep your loved ones safe on and off our roadways this year and have that conversation.
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Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is celebrating its 5th anniversary of the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. In celebration, MADD has released a new report of state rankings. This report ranks each state on its effort towards reducing drunk driving accidents, The nation, as a whole, received a three-star rating on a five-star scale. Also on this report are updated numbers illustrating the costs of these accidents — more than $130 billion a year.”The ratings earned by each state show that there is still much work to be done,” said Jan Withers, MADD National President.

Our Chicago injury attorneys and MADD understand that drunk driving accidents increase significantly during the holiday season. This is an excellent time to push this type of campaign and to raise awareness about the dangers on our roadways through the remainder of the year. We would also like to congratulate Illinois for being one of the states that received a five-staring rating. Only five states received five-star ratings, including Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, and Arizona, too. These rankings were determined by each state’s use of ignition interlock devices, sobriety checkpoints, drunk driving penalties, “no-refusal” activities and license revocation sentences.

Among the states that received one-star ratings were South Dakota, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Montana. These ratings were based on drunk-driving prevention programs and not on accident numbers.

Every year, MADD asks states to consider enacting tougher drunk driving laws and countermeasures that have been proven to reduce the number of drunk driving accidents.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says that drunk driving is still the deadliest epidemic on our country’s roadways. Although we’ve all made significant strides in the last 30 years to help prevent these accident, we’re still experiencing far too many each year.

Drunk driving accidents cost more than $130 billion every year:

-More than $60 billion in monetary costs.

-More than $70 billion in quality-of-life losses.

-The federal covered nearly $5 billion.

-State government covered more than $3 billion.

-Employers covered nearly $11 billion, which includes the near $4 million that were work-related car accidents and roughly $7 billion in off-the-job accidents involving employees and benefit-eligible dependents.

Although Illinois was recognized in this report with five stars, the large decrease in drunk driving accident-related deaths isn’t enough considering the state has such a high fatality rate to begin with. The report did however point out that Illinois’ high-visibility enforcement efforts and the ignition-interlock law helped the state to achieve such a large decrease. We’re not there yet, though.

MADD President Withers adds that there is no debate on the effectiveness of ignition interlocks for those who have been convicted of drunk driving. The proof is in the numbers. He believes that all states should mandate the devices as part of a sentence for a DUI conviction. This measure coupled with high-visibility law enforcement efforts and the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) program can help the entire nation to significantly reduce the number of these preventable accidents.
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A teenager from Chicago may be facing charges after a recent five-car accident in Illinois, according to the Times. The young Chicago driver could face charges of leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and fleeing and eluding.When local officers tried to pull the young driver over, he hit four vehicles near the intersection of Michigan City Road and Burnham Avenue. After the accident, the teen jumped out of his vehicle and took off on foot. Officers were able to apprehend him a short while after the incident.

Our Chicago accident attorneys understand that teenage drivers may be overwhelmed with the holiday traffic we see on our roadways during the last couple months of the year. For this reason, parents are urged to talk with the teens in your life about safe driving habits. Millions and millions of residents are expected to make their way to their holiday destination via motor vehicle this year. With the significant increase comes a significant increase in their risks for an accident. Parents should discuss the risks, dangers and consequences of poor driving habits behind the wheel, especially during the holiday season.

Traffic accidents continue to be the number one cause of death for teens in the United States. These accidents account for one out of every three deaths in this young age group. Roughly eight teens died every day in 2009 because of car accidents. Per mile driven, they’re at the highest risk for a fatal accident compared to any other age group — four times more to be exact.

In 2009, there were roughly 3,000 teens who died on our roadways. Another 350,000 were injured. Although individuals between the ages of 14- and 25-years-old only account for less that 15 percent of the U.S. population, they cost the country nearly $30 billion for motor vehicle injuries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these safety tips for parents to share with their teen drivers as we head into the holiday driving season:

-Supervise your teen’s driving as often as possible. Provide them with positive feedback to boost their skills.

-Limit the number of passenger. More passengers can mean more distractions and can mean greater risks for a serious accident.

-Set a curfew. Teen car accidents are more likely to happen at night.

-Learn the state’s teen driving laws.

-Lead by example. Always exercise your own driving rules when your teen is riding in the vehicle with you.

-Discuss the importance and the reasoning for speed limits, traffic lights, other road laws and why all drivers need to abide by these rules.

-Encourage your teen driver to leave with plenty of time to get to their destination. This will avoid rushing, speeding and aggression.

-Keep an eye on current weather reports and avoid driving in poor weather conditions.
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Drivers are warned, be careful on our roadways over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, roadway travel is expected to increase by nearly 5 percent this year. In 2010, there were about 40 million Americans who traveled during the holiday period, according to the American Automobile Association. Roughly 43 million are expected to travel during the holiday weekend this year, despite the higher gas prices. The increase in travel will be increasing your risks for a serious car accident in Chicago and elsewhere.In 2010, the average gas price during this time was $2.88 per gallon. This year’s holiday average is $3.39 per gallon — but that’s not stopping travelers. Officials say that many Americans celebrated the Labor Day and Independence Day holidays at home because of the struggling economy. The travel on Memorial Day weekend remained the same from 2010 to 2011. According to Bill Sutherland, the vice president of AAA Travel Services, drivers have been staying home for recent holidays but are ready to throw their financial concerns to the wind for Turkey Day.

Chicago car accident attorneys at our office know that residents use the holiday season to venture out to visit friends and family. Unfortunately, since most residents have the same idea, our roads get crowded and risks for accidents increase significantly. Without taking the proper precautions, drivers can find themselves at greater risk. It’s important for you to plan out every step of your trip to avoid any mishaps or accidents and to be alert and cautious on our roadways.

“Driving AAA’s projected increase in the number of Thanksgiving travelers is pent-up demand from Americans who may have foregone holiday travel the last three years,” said Sutherland.

There’s no question that most travelers will be driving over the holiday weekend, but forecasts for air travel are questionable. AAA predicts that air travel will increase by nearly 2 percent from 2010. But the Air Transport Association of America says there’s going to be a 2 percent decrease.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), the Thanksgiving Day holiday period will start on Wednesday the 23rd at 6:00 p.m. and will end on Sunday the 27th at 11:59 p.m. The NSC estimates that this 4.25 day holiday period will produce more than 430 traffic fatalities — the estimated range is from 370 to about 510 deaths. The Council also estimated about 43,500 injuries in which a medical professional was consulted during this same time.

This year’s fatality count is nearly 20 percent lower than the average of the last six year’s actual fatalities.

Recent year’s estimates and fatality number over the Thanksgiving Day holiday period:

-2004: 556 estimate. 556 actual.

-2005: 610 estimate. 605 actual.

-2006: 555 estimate. 623 actual.

-2007: 564 estimate. 542 actual.

-2008: 479 estimate. 484 actual.

-2009: 447 estimate. 401 actual.

Seat belts are 45 percent effective in preventing death among front-seat occupants. From this information, the NSC estimates that more than 150 lives can be saved over the holiday weekend if everyone wears a seat belt.

The average death rate for this holiday period in comparison to similar non-holiday weekends is more than 10 percent higher. Drivers are asked to travel safely and cautiously.
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The Faces if Distracted Driving campaign is going strong through the holiday season to help remind drivers about the dangers, risks and consequences of distracted driving-related car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere.

According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, this campaign is used to remind drivers that real people around the country are seriously affected every day by distracted drivers. These accidents took the lives of nearly 5,500 people in 2009. Nearly half a million more were injured.The Faces of Distracted Driving campaign is a compilation of the stories of victims through the country. These public service announcements (PSA) have been viewed more than 100,000 times since being launched back in November of 2010.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that traffic is expected to increase significantly over the next few weeks. During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, nearly 40 million people are expected to travel at least 50 miles from their home. About 90 percent of these travelers will be using our roadways to get to their destination. The increase in traffic volume greatly increases your risks for an accident. You’re asked to be cautious and drive with full awareness over the Thanksgiving weekend and throughout the rest of the holiday season.

A recent story on the Faces of Distracted Driving campaign comes straight out of Illinois. The story is from the family of 56-year-old John Sligting. John was killed in an accident back in 2007 when a teen driver sped through a stop sign and right into his motorcycle. The teen driver was using a cell phone during the time of the accident, taking much of their attention off the roadway.

“I thank all of the families of distracted driving victims who have bravely chosen to share their stories of loss with the world,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

LaHood says main message of this campaign is that talking while driving is not worth the risks.

We invite you to check out the campaign and to share it with your friends. Drivers are four times more likely to be in an accident when using a hand-held phone device. Phones, whether they’re hand-held or hands-free, give a driver the same reaction abilities as a drunk driver and we all know who dangerous that is.

In 2009, it’s estimated that about 20 percent of car accidents in the U.S. involved a distracted driver. Of the 5,500 fatal distracted driving-related accidents during that year, nearly 1,000 of them reported the use of a cell phone as the type of distraction. Although drivers under the age of 20 are most likely to be in a distracted driving accident, drivers of all ages are surely affected by this dangerous habit.

In the state of Illinois, drivers are prohibited from using a hand-held phone in a construction zone or in a school zone. All bus drivers and drivers under the age of 19 are banned from ever using a cell phone behind the wheel, except in emergency situations. The City of Chicago has banned all drivers from using a cell phone behind the wheel.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, all drivers in Illinois are prohibited from texting while driving.
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The use of speed cameras was recently approved by state lawmakers to help reduce the risks of car accidents in Chicago near parks and city schools. The 64-50 Illinois House vote approved the proposal from Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The measure has already been approved by the Senate and will now be passed on to Governor Pat Quinn, according to CBS Chicago.Mayor Emanuel has campaigning for speed cameras for some time now. He believes that they should be used to catch drivers who speed within an eighth of a mile of any Chicago park or school. The cameras would cite and ticket any driver who exceeds the speed limit by at least 5 mph in these areas.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that the city would have to do a month-long education campaign before using the cameras. Intersections that will be using these cameras will be required to have signs alerting drivers that there are speed cameras present.

“The goal is to change people’s behavior. You have education, engineering and enforcement and if you don’t have the enforcement, the other two aren’t as effective,” said the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Commissioner Gabe Klein.

The mayor insisted that these cameras were not going to be used to generate cash for the city, but for a part of its plan to keep child pedestrians safe. He says if you follow the law, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. If you’re one of the law breakers, then there’s going to be a problem. He’s just asking motorists to slow their speed in these areas with young pedestrians.

The mayor cited recent statistics in the city that proved that the number of pedestrian deaths decreased by about 70 percent in areas that has these cameras installed.

The Chicago Department of Transportation conducted a before and after study of more than 100 speed light cameras. Conclusions indicated that there nearly 30 pedestrian fatalities in these areas before the cameras were installed and just six fatalities after they went in.

Not everyone’s on board with the camera idea though. A recent study from “The Expired Meter” website illustrated that these speed light cameras could produce even more money for the city than the red-light cameras.

A trial run of seven red-light cameras concluded that more than $100 million could be made if speeding cameras were used in place. The study concluded that speeders are nearly 60 times more common than red-light runners. The $100 million was estimated off of only seven cameras. If Quinn approved the measure, the number of cameras in the area could increase drastically.

Right now, the city has red-light cameras in nearly 80 locations. Emanuel wants to upgrade these cameras to catch speeders, too.

Currently, only 3 percent of the city is covered by intersection cameras. If the bill passes, then nearly 50 percent would be covered.

A speeding motorist caught by one of these cameras would get a ticket in the mail. Photos would only be snapped of the vehicle and not of the driver therefor the vehicle’s owner would receive a ticket in the mail. A speeding ticket would cost about $100. Five unpaid tickets could wind up with the revocation of your driver’s license.
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