Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog

A 35-year-old man from the western suburb of Berwyn faces numerous charges after a Chicago drunk driving accident on Labor Day weekend that sent three children in his vehicle to the hospital following a Sunday crash outside Ford City Mall.

The man faces charges of felony DUI, reckless driving, failure to reduce speed, driving on a revoked license while intoxicated and causing an accident while intoxicated that causes bodily harm, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center.

A 7-year-old suffered a spinal fracture and other broken bones in the crash, according to the Chicago Tribune. The remaining children, ages 9 and 10, were also hurt.

Last month’s 24-year prison sentence for a suburban Chicago woman convicted in a drunk driving car crash highlights a growing concern: The increase in DUI arrests and fatal DUI auto accidents among women.

The 43-year-old woman was convicted of aggravated DUI after running a stop sign last fall and slamming into 27-year-old woman, according to ABC7.

The 27 year old woman was killed in the car accident, along with her 3-year-old son and 11-month-old daughter.

According to an analysis this month by the Associated Press, Women in the U.S. are drinking more, and drunken-driving arrests among women are rising rapidly while falling among men.

Still, men accounted for roughly three times more drunk driving deaths in Illinois than did women, according to 2008 statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

But the study found DUI arrests among women have increased almost 30 percent between 1998 and 2007 while the number of men arrested declined by 7.5 percent.

“Women are picking up some of the dangerously bad habits of men,” said Chuck Hurley, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Of particular concern is the trend’s impact on children riding in cars with impaired drivers.

Nearly 250 youngsters were killed in alcohol-related crashes in the U.S. in 2007, according to the National Highway Safety Administration.

“Drunk drivers often carry their kids with them,” said MADD’s Hurley. “It’s the ultimate form of child abuse.”

The increase in arrests comes as women are drinking more than in the past.

One federal study found that the number of women who reported abusing alcohol (having at least four drinks in a day) rose from 1.5 percent to 2.6 percent over the 10-year period that ended in 2002. For women ages 30 to 44, the number more than doubled, from 1.5 percent to 3.3 percent.

Authorities believe the trend also indicates the tougher stance against drunk driving taken by law enforcement means women are also more likely to be arrested and held accountable than in the past.

The Transportation Department’s annual crackdown on drunken driving, which begins later this month, will focus on women.

“There’s the impression out there that drunk driving is strictly a male issue, and it is certainly not the case,” said Rae Tyson, spokesman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “There are a number of parts of the country where, in fact, the majority of impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes are female.”

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Nighttime is the deadliest time for Chicago drivers and motorists elsewhere in Illinois, according to a new report issued by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Drunk drivers and low seatbelt usage were cited as two primary reasons for the drastic increase in car accidents and fatalities after dark.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes often see drunk driving accidents and other injuries that occur at night for reasons ranging from poor visibility to alcohol and reckless driving.

Motorists should use extra caution, especially when out late at night or on the weekend. In response to the report, authorities promised to make a renewed push to get drunk drivers off the streets at night.

“We are working closely with Illinois State Police and local agencies to make sure that all motorists behind the wheel are driving sober,” said Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “One of our top priorities is to save lives and the data revealed shows that we need to focus our efforts on impaired driving at night.”

Illinois State Police announced increased enforcement through the Labor Day weekend.

“Drinking and driving is inappropriate regardless of the time of day,” said Director Jonathon Monken. “Data tells us the likelihood of being involved in a crash or fatal crash where alcohol is involved increases dramatically at night. Therefore, the Illinois State Police will focus our efforts on DUI and seat belt enforcement during night time details throughout the Labor Day weekend.”

The report found drunk driving a factor in 7 of every 10 Illinois fatalities occurring between midnight and 3 a.m. and less than 3 in 10 were properly seatbelted.

Those statistics are in marked contrast to higher-traffic daytime hours, where less than 2 in 10 crashes involved alcohol and less than half were not properly seatbelted.

According to the report and data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2 of every 3 motor vehicle accidents that occur between midnight and 3 a.m. involved a drinking driver.

And data shows 3 of every 4 drivers who died between midnight and 6 a.m. were not properly restrained.

For more information about impaired driving in Illinois, please visit www.drivesoberillinois.org.

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