Chicago Accident Lawyer Blog

A driver of an automobile that blew a stop sign and smashed into another vehicle, killing a mother and her two children had two previous DUI's on her record dating from 2001 and 2002.

Ann Marie Getz is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol when she crashed into a car being driven by Amanda Jahn. The crash caused the Jahn vehicle to roll several times in a field. Amanda Jahn and her two children, Kaitlyn, age 11 months and Ryan, age 3, died in the crash.

Ann Marie Getz, of Streator, Illinois, is charged with four counts of aggravated DUI and is now in Grundy County Jail with a $1 million bond.

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Chicago motorists pulled over for talking on a cell phone will now be able to hang on to their driver's license and avoid traffic court by paying the ticket by mail or contesting the citation at an administrative hearing. The citation will now be treated more like a parking ticket and drivers will be able to avoid the hassle of not having their driver's license and having to drive "on a ticket".

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Two cars crashed at the intersection of North Avenue and Wells Street in Chicago Wednesday morning sending one vehicle into the Starbucks coffee shop on the corner of the intersection.

No one inside the Starbucks was injured but a plate glass window was shattered.

The drivers of both vehicles were taken to Northwestern Hospital in stable condition.

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Car Accidents are the leading cause of death for children in the United States. Nearly 2,000 children ages 14 and under are killed in vehicle crashes and another 280,000 are injured each year.

However, child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% for infants (less than 1 year old), and by 54% for toddlers (1-4 years old).

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A recent State Farm study found that teen auto accidents spike in October. State Farm found that claims for teen drivers go up 20% in October. Larry Williams, a State Farm agent in Chicago, speculates that the auto accidents are a result of the days getting shorter and darkness coming faster. Also he notes that the roads are slicker with weather changing.

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A new study shows that the wide spread use of child safety seats and safety belts and the practice of putting children in the back seat has resulted in an 18 percent reduction in overall fatalities among children ages 0-12 since 1996. The findings were reported in the National Safety Council's Journal of Safety Research.

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Chicago City Council unanimously passed a proposed ban on sending text messages while driving in Chicago. Violators could face a $75 fine. The fine would increase to $200 if the violations occur at the time of a traffic accident.

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An Arlington Heights man was killed today as he walked through a commercial strip near his home. Arthur Tidd was a pedestrian walking across Algonquin road when he was struck by a Jeep Wrangler. The driver stopped after the accident. Rolling Meadows paramedics took Mr. Tidd to Northwest Community Hospital where he died a short time later.

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Posted In: Pedestrian Accidents

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Researchers from the Transport Research Laboratory report that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence of alcohol or cannabis.

Drivers reaction time slowed 35% when they were writing or reading text messages while driving. In comparison, reaction time slowed by 21% for those smoking cannabis and 12% for those at the legal limit of alcohol the study found. The study also found that steering control worsened 91% for texters compared with 35% for cannabis smokers.

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Three pit bulls mauled a 6-year-old boy in Chicago on Friday according to an article written by Tina Fondeles, a staff reporter of Chicago Suntimes. Chicago police officers shot two of the pit bulls but the third one escaped. The child was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition. The dog owner was questioned by Chicago police.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 800,000 Americans seek medical attention for dog bites each year. Half of the victims are children. Of those injured, 386,000 require treatment in an emergency department and about a dozen die. The rate of dog bite-related injuries is highest for children ages 5 to 9 years. Almost two thirds of injuries among children ages four years and younger are to the head or neck region. Injury rates in children are significantly higher for boys than for girl.

CDC has published a study on fatal dog bites, which lists the breeds involved in fatal attacks over 20 years Download file

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Chicago Alderman Edward Burke is proposing a $75.00 fine for texting while driving in the city. Despite the obvious dangers inherent in texting while driving, currently only five states ban it: Alaska, Washington, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey and the District of Columbia.

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A Waukegan woman was attacked by three pit bulls on Thursday afternoon. Kiara Lynn was attacked by the dogs as she walked to a gas station with a friend. The pit bulls ripped part of her ear off and chewed up her arms and legs. Ms. Lynn is recovering from her injuries at Vista Medical Center East.
As of Friday, the dogs have yet to be turned over to Waukegan Animal Control.

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