Between 1994 to 2008 there have been close to 6,000 traffic fatalities in Cook County according to an analysis done by Scripps Howard News Service. Of these 6,000 fatalities, nearly one-third were linked to drinking.
The same study found that the Cook County portion of I-94, which runs mostly through Chicago, is the 11th most dangerous road in the nation for fatal auto accidents with 304 fatalities between 1994 and 2008.
The law firm of Zneimer & Zneimer agreed to represent an injured bicyclist who was rear-ended on Western Ave. near Lane Tech High School in Chicago. The driver who struck the bicyclist was a student at Lane Tech High School who told police that he was retrieving his cell phone from the floor of his car when he rear-ended the bicyclist. Fortunately, the bicyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
This bicycle accident shows that even if the bicyclist is very careful, the bicyclist is still at the mercy of drivers who are not paying attention. That is why it is so important to wear protective clothing. A bicycle helmet is a must if one plans to ride on busy roads like Western Ave. in Chicago.
A 61 year old man was riding his bicycle in Ford Heights near Chicago when he was hit by a driver and left at the side of the rode. The bicycle rider was taken to St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights and then airlifted to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn where he died, Park Forest news reported. Police gathered evidence at the scene indicating the hit and run vehicle was a 1996 to 2002 Chevy Van.
IDOT has recorded more than 3,810 Illinois bicycle accidents in 2009. In these bicycle accidents, 27 people were fatally injured.
A Pontiac mini van blew a tire on the Dan Ryan in Chicago on Saturday, causing the the vehicle to spin and then crash into the side of a truck. Two children and one adult were ejected from the van. None of the persons who were ejected were wearing seat belts and all three were injured and are now in critical condition at University of Chicago Hospital.
The law firm of Zneimer and Zneimer urges everyone to wear seat belts at all times and to make children in the vehicle wear theirs. Anything can happen while driving.
Luis Valdivia-Segoviano of Chicago Heights, Illinois was struck by a car and killed while he was standing outside his vehicle on IL-394 near Lynwood, Illinois. The motorist who stopped in front of him and to whom he was talking was also stuck and injured by the same vehicle and is in critical condition at Good Samaritan Hospital.
This is the second fatality in less than a week of someone standing outside their car on the highway in the the near Chicago area when they were struck and killed, emphasizing how dangerous it is to exit ones car on the highway.
If you are a bike rider in Chicago and frequently use bike lanes on the street you maybe surprised to learn that it is illegal for cars to drive, stand or park in these bike lanes. I say maybe surprised because from what I observe cars drive in the bike lanes all the time in Chicago. Anyway, the law is on the books (Chicago Municipal Code 9-40-060) and reads: "The driver of a vehicle shall not drive, unless entering or exiting a legal parking space, or stand , or park the vehicle upon any on street path or lane designated by official signs or markings for the use of bicycles, or otherwise drive or place the vehicle in such a manner as to impede bicycle traffic on such path or lane. The driver of a vehicle shall not stand or park the vehicle upon any lane designated by pavement markings for the shared use of motor vehicles and bicycles, or place the vehicle in such a manner as to impede bicycle traffic on such lane."
If you are a bike rider and have been hit by a car while riding in a bike lane and are injured, you have a cause of action for money damages against the driver. The law firm of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. has handled many bicycle injury cases and have obtained good results for our clients.
A Chicago ordinance requires bicycles being ridden at night to have a white head lamp and a rear red reflector. Chicago municipal ordinance 9-52-080 states:
(a) Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a head lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a minimum distance of 500 feet from the front and with a rear red reflector capable of reflecting the head lamp beams of an approaching motor vehicle back to the operator of such vehicle at distances up to 200 feet or a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear.
Chicago Illinois is a major city, and like most large urban areas, tend to have a vast amount of auto accidents. Chicago’s Michigan Ave. seems to be a hot spot for, not just auto accidents, but accidents that involve personal injury.
A recent Chicago Sun-Times article highlights such accidents and injuries:
“Four people were critically injured in an auto accident on Michigan Avenue near Grant Park early Sunday.
At 4:10 a.m., police responded to an auto accident involving at least three vehicles at 450 S. Michigan Ave., according to police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro. Several people were injured, he said, but it was not immediately known how many.
At 4:20 a.m., fire personnel were notified and responded to an auto accident at South Michigan Avenue and East Congress Parkway, according to Fire Media Affairs Chief Kevin MacGregor.
An EMS Plan 1 was called for the accident, he said. Four people were critically injured and several refused treatment.
Two people were taken in critical condition to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County; one was taken in critical to Mount Sinai Hospital; and one was taken in critical to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, MacGregor s”
Driving in a city the size of Chicago, or any city, can be a hazardous activity, but when injuries tend to be common there needs to be some action taken. Whether it be, slow down, stricter traffic laws or compensation for personal injury, some action needs to be taken. When injured in an auto accident reporting such injury and seeking legal counsel is imperative to gaining the compensation deserved.
Accidents will always happen, drive safe, follow all traffic laws, and pay attention to other drivers. When all steps are followed and you have inevitably gotten into an accident, seek legal counsel, know your rights, and follow through with the steps to hold others accountable for their failure to do the same.
The city of Chicago's bike safety ordinance provides for a $150 fine for drivers who endanger Chicago bicyclists in any of the following ways:
1. Driving in a bike lane
2. Parking in a bike lane
3. Turning into a cyclist's path
4. Opening a car door on cyclist
5. Passing within three feet of a cyclist
The fines jump to $500 if the bicyclist is injured. The laws are to encourage drivers to watch out for bicyclists on the road. Bicyclists can also, of course, can make a civil claim for money damages against the negligent driver.
A 22 year old bicyclist was hit by a car and was critically injured in the Chicago neighborhood of Portage Park. The car against bicyclist crash took place at the intersection of Austin and Montrose in Chicago. The motorist was cited for negligent driving for allegedly driving around a stopped vehicle that was faced southbound on Austin and failing to see the bicyclist who was westbound on Montrose. The bicyclist was run over and was admitted to Advocate Masonic Medical Center in critical condition.
Peter Zneimer
Sofia Zneimer
