Chicago Accident Lawyer Blog

August 29, 2009

Illinois Bicycling Safety

On August 20, 2009, a bicyclist was hit by a car on a busy southwest highway at about 3pm. He died later that day at about 8pm. The Chicago cyclist was not wearing a helmet when he was thrown into the windshield of a car and then out onto the pavement. Could this have been avoided?

About 1,000 deaths each year are attributed to bicycle accidents. Three fourths of them are from brain injuries. And besides death, accidents have caused hundreds of brain injuries. One way to prevent this is to wear a helmet. There are lots of lame excuses not to wear one – you’ll get hat head, it’s too sweaty, it doesn’t look cool, etc. – but how lame is it to suffer a permanent brain injury if you don’t wear one? Be sure you get one that has been tested and recommended by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Make sure the helmet fits right. Be sure that when it is on it can’t be moved easily from side to side or back and forth. Be sure it sits level on your head and that when the straps are on it cannot possibly come off your head.

Other things to think about with helmets is to be sure to replace them if the helmet has experienced an impact after a fall, etc. You should also replace it every five years as the foam can become brittle.

August 26, 2009

Nightime Motor Vehicle Fatalities in Illinois

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Data released by the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety shows that more people are killed in motor vehicle accidents that occur between midnight and 3 a.m. than any other time of the day. Illinois law enforcement officials blame drinking drivers and drivers who don’t buckle up their safety belts. Data for the years 2005-2008 shows that 73 percent of drivers who died in late-night motor vehicle accidents were not using their seat belts.

Illinois law enforcement is mounting a campaign to crackdown on alcohol impaired drivers, and drivers who are not using their seat belts. These efforts will be ongoing through Labor Day. Illinois State Police will be joined by over 300 local law enforcement agencies in conducting 200 roadside safety checks. Law enforcement agencies will be conducting alcohol impaired driving saturation patrols and night safety belt patrols. Illinois motorists should be aware that impaired driving or not wearing their seat belts could lead to an arrest or a traffic ticket.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) estimates that 13,250 lives were saved in 2008 because people in passenger vehicles were using their seat belts. Across the nation, over 75,000 lives were saved during the 5-year period from 2004 to 2008. According to NHTSA estimates, 391 lives were saved in Illinois in 2008 by proper seat belt usage.

August 23, 2009

Illinois Trucking Accidents

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

In April of 2008 a semitruck was speeding when it crashed into a Chicago train station. The accident killed two people and injured 21 more. Eleven people were critically wounded. Witnesses say the truck came off the freeway and hit a bus stop before slamming under a train overpass and then crashing up several steps of the train platform escalator.

While trucking accidents only account for one out of every nine traffic accidents as a whole, because of their size and weight, they account for 5,350 fatalities and 133,000 injuries (statistics from 2001). 94% of occupants of the cars and trucks in these accidents are either injured or killed. So as shown by the example of this accident a traffic accident involving a commercial truck can be much more dangerous than a car accident. Today there are over two million more trucks on the road than a decade ago which increases the likelihood of an accident.

There are many reasons why trucking accidents happen and why they are so much worse than the average traffic accident. Their freight can be one reason they are so dangerous. They may be carrying very heavy freight or it could be toxic/hazardous in some way. Truckers also work on deadlines. Like most people on a deadline they work faster to be sure they arrive on time which could result in an accident. Also truckers can get very tired from driving long periods of time. They get stressed and don’t pay enough attention to the road. Also large trucks have blind spots behind and to the sides of them so they can’t see other cars. The truck could also be overloaded. Plus there all the usual reasons for an accident like bad weather or mechanical failure.

August 19, 2009

Bicycle Safety in Chicago

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

A recent article in the Chicago Sun-Times: ” Chicago’s Lakefront Trail: A path to danger” has pointed out the need for bicyclists to exercise caution when riding on bikepaths and multi-use recreational trails. Statistics show that bicycle collisions happen almost three times as often on paths as on streets. Chicago’s Lakefront Trail is one of the busiest multi-use trails in the United States. The trail is used by bicyclists, runners, beach-goers, in-line skaters, sightseers and even Segway riders. The crowded trail can be hazardous to bicyclists.

Other dangers on the Lakefront Trail that bicyclists need to be aware of include intersections where motorists who are entering lakefront parks fail to yield to trail riders, narrow sections of the trail that can become choke points, sharp turns, some of which are difficult to see around, and sand, ice, or snow on the trail. Riders should slow down if they encounter any of these situations.

Bicyclists should wear a helmet every time they ride. Seventy-five percent of all bicycle-related injuries and deaths involve the head, In a crash, helmets can cut the risk of head injury by up to eighty-five percent.

August 17, 2009

Boating and Alcohol in Illinois

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

On August 15th two boats on the Nippersink Lake near the village of Fox Lake crashed and threw three boaters into the water. One had injuries that brought them to the hospital that Saturday night. Police suspect that both boat operators had been drinking. Lake County sheriff’s Sgt. Ed Harris said that a preliminary investigation has shown that the alcohol use by both driver’s played a factor in the collision. The boating accident is still under investigation.

This year alone there have been three deaths and over 1,000 tickets for operating a boat under the influence have been written over the past five years. Illinois’ current law states that anyone with .08 blood alcohol content is considered under the influence. This includes minors. Some states, including Wisconsin, have legislation that requires minor boaters to be completely sober to operate any recreational vehicles. Violations of this law leave the operator with a fine and that’s all. Illinois’ lakes and rivers seem to be getting out of control.

Senator Chris Lauzen and Representative Kevin Joyce have already pushed a bill through the Senate to help crack down on drinking and driving boats. This new legislation would tie DUI’s from boating and other recreational vehicles to the operators driver’s license. Police have been concerned that people who have been using alcohol and boating get into their cars and then drive home drunk. Officer Al Frank has found that many of the people he cites for violating boating laws also have active DUI’s on their record for driving.

August 15, 2009

Illinois Promotes Motorcycle Safety

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

The Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT/DTS) is offering free driver training classes for motorcycle operators. The Cycle Rider Safety Training Program (CRSTP) was initiated in 1976 in an effort to reduce injuries and deaths in accidents involving motorcyclists.

The training program is free to any Illinois resident 16 years of age or older who holds a valid automobile or motorcycle driver’s license or permit. The program is designed to help motorcyclists increase their skills and learn how to avoid crashes. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, research shows that over 90% of motorcycle riders involved in crashes were self-taught or learned from family or friends. In addition, the number of licensed motorcyle riders in Illinois continues to increase. This means there are more inexperienced riders on the highways, and these riders may lack the skills and judgment to avoid crashes.

The Illinois Cycle Rider Safety Training Program (CRSTP) offers courses for beginner, intermediate and experienced riders. If you are a new motorcyclist or want to brush up on your motorcycle riding skills, please consider enrolling in one of these courses.

August 12, 2009

Immigration Efforts in Illinois

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

According to Chicago Public Radio, Illinois democrats are pushing Obama for a new comprehensive immigration bill this year. Obama promised this in June and now seven Illinois congressmen are putting pressure on the president to follow through. These seven democrats are trying to lay a path to citizenship for the nation’s 12 million undocumented immigrants.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), states that one out of every eight Americans is an immigrant and that nearly one of every seven Illinoisans is an immigrant. In Chicago alone immigrants make up one in five residents. Mexico accounts for 40.9% of all Illinois immigrants while Poland ranks second with 10% of immigrants.

The immigrant population in the U.S. has doubled from 1990 to 2006 while the foreign-born population in Illinois alone is up 86% from 1990 to 2006. Also many recent immigrants are now moving directly to the suburbs rather than into the city of Chicago. Estimates say that 550,000 undocumented immigrants live in Illinois. This number is up 110,000 from the year 2000.

August 8, 2009

Illinois Bans Texting While Driving

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill into law that bans motorists from sending text messages while driving. Attending the bill singing ceremony at Northeastern Illinois University were Chuck and Gloria Wilhelm, parents of Matt Wilhelm, who died after he was struck by a woman downloading ring tones to her cell phone. Governor Quinn stated that the new law will “save lives and make the roads safer for our loved ones. We want everyone to know that distracted driving will not be tolerated in Illinois.”

The new measures will make it illegal to compose, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail on a cell phone or surf the internet while driving. The ban also includes personal digital assistants (PDAS) and portable or mobile computers. The ban does not cover the use of global positioning systems (GPS) or navigation systems.The governor also signed House Bill 72, which will make it illegal to use a cell phone while driving through a school speed zone or in a highway construction zone unless it is a hands-free device. The new legislation will go into effect on January 1, 2010.

Illinois joins a growing number of states and municipalities that have adopted bans on texting while driving. Driving while distracted is a serious problem: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 25 percent to 30 percent of reported crashes involve drivers not paying attention. This means that distracted driving is a factor in over 1.2 million vehicle crashes a year in the United States. Studies show that the risk of a crash or near-accident is 23 times higher for motorists who are text-messaging while driving. People using cell phones are much more likely to be in a crash involving personal injury.

August 4, 2009

Illinois Highway Work Zone Safety

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

According to statistics released by the Illinois Department of Transportation, there are over 7000 work zone motor vehicle crashes a year in Illinois resulting in 2600 injuries and 33 fatalities, including an average of 2 worker fatalities. Motorists account for eighty five percent of work zone fatalities. Motorists are urged to Please Slow Down! in work zones so that they can arrive at their destinations safely.

Safe driving tips that motorists should follow in work zones include watching for signs posted a minimum of one-half mile in advance of construction zones. Reduce your speed to the posted speed limit,generally 45 m.p.h. Work zone speed limits are to be obeyed at all times of the day. Workers do not have to be present to receive a speeding ticket in a work zone. Fines for speeding in a work zone are a minimum of $375 for the first offense and a minimum of $1000 for the second offense. Mandatory court appearance is required for all work zone speeding violations. Don’t tailgate! Rear-end collisions caused by tailgaters are one of the most common crashes in work zones. Stay alert and minimize distractions. Don’t talk on cell phones. Watch for workers. Keep an eye out for the orange and lime-green that workers wear when on the job. Finally, expect the unexpected: traffic patterns may change in construction zones; sudden stops also may be required.

The Illinois Department of Tranportation stresses that slowing down in work zones will only add seconds to the overall length of a trip, so when you see the orange work zone signs, Please Slow Down!

August 3, 2009

Illinois Cracks Down on Scott’s Law

by Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.

Police all over Illinois are cracking down on Scott’s Law violators while those in Lake County in particular are becoming more aggressive.

“Scott’s Law” requires drivers to slow down and move over when they are passing emergency vehicles including fire and police cars and trucks, tow trucks, and highway maintenance vehicles. This law took effect in 2002 and the number of tickets being written each year is climbing. The law was written after Lt. Scott Gillen, a Chicago firefighter, was struck and killed while working at a traffic accident in 2000. There have been other incidents of death and injuries at these types of accidents since. According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund 18 people were killed last year and 14 the year before.

Drivers who get caught violating Scott’s Law can receive a ticket of up to $200 plus traffic school and supervision. Violating the law twice can lead to a discretionary suspension of the driver’s license. In either case if there is property damage or personal injuries penalties can increase up to a $10,000 fine and a three year loss of license.