Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Last month the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a traffic advisory for motorists to check their tires during the hot summer months in order to reduce the risk of a tire blow-out which can cause severe injury in an Illinois car accident.

A heat index above normal temperatures can cause all kinds of dangerous situations, from when a child is left alone in the car to when a car breaks down on the road. Our Chicago car accident attorneys want motorists to be aware of these potential dangers in order to avoid serious injury to you or your family.

We posted previously on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog that leaving small children in vehicles in extreme hot temperatures during the summer months can cause a high risk of hyperthermia which often leads to a preventable death.

Failing to inspect your car tires routinely can also be a hazard to you and your family in extreme hot temperatures on long road trips because older tires are susceptible to heat stress and under-inflated tires spinning on hot asphalt can be dangerous. The NHTSA reports from 2005-2009 there were almost 3,400 deaths and another 116,000 injuries in tire-related crashes in the U.S.

Safercar.gov recommends that you inspect your tires at least once a month for worn treads or inflation problems to ensure safety. It is difficult to tell if tires are properly inflated with the human eye so motorists should purchase a tire pressure gauge to determine an accurate reading. Overloading a vehicle with underinflated tires can be extremely dangerous so check your owner's manual for proper measurement of inflation for your vehicle. Approximately 30 percent of light trucks and cars have at least one tire underinflated by 8 psi or more.

There are also common hazards that motorists should look for during the hot summer months while driving reports Readers Digest. The first, is to be on the lookout for wild animals such as deer, rabbits, groundhogs, or small pets. Small animals can dash out in front of your car with very little time to react and cause a serious car accident when you try to avoid them.

A second hazard to be prepared for is the risk of hydroplaning during wet weather. Severe thunderstorms can pop up out of nowhere, making driving conditions dangerous in terms of braking, loss of control from hydroplaning, or visual problems.

Hot weather can cause motorists to become drowsy. If you take a long trip, plan plenty of time for rest breaks or have someone share the drive to avoid becoming drowsy and risk an accident.

A fourth driving hazard during summer months is the number of pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists on the roadways. These commuters can be difficult to see so be aware that they are there to prevent an accident involving a walker or biker on 2 wheels.

Speeding is the fifth hazard that motorists should be mindful of. Summer heat can make drivers irritable and wanting to get to their destination faster. Speeding is dangerous and one of the leading contributors to motor vehicle accidents.

Motorists can beat the heat this summer by slowing down, being well-rested, and routinely checking your vehicle for wear and tear in order to avoid a Chicago car accident.

Continue reading " Rising Heat Index Causes All Kinds of Potential Hazards Leading to Car Accidents in Chicago " »

Illinois car accident attorneys know that much attention has been placed on distracted driving accidents caused by texting or talking on a cell phone the last few years because deaths related to these kinds of accidents are adding up.

Thirty-four states have banned texting for all drivers but most states still allow drivers to hold a cell phone while operating a vehicle unless they are a school bus driver or a novice. According to Governor's Highway Safety Association (GHSA), Illinois is a state that bans the use of handheld cell phones in construction areas or school zones in addition to drivers that are ages 19 and under and school bus drivers. Hand-held cell phone use by drivers has been banned within the City of Chicago for a number of years.

State action and much more research is needed on distracted driving accidents in Chicago and elsewhere in the U.S. according to a recent release by GHSA.

"Despite all that has been written about driver distraction, there is still a lot that we do not know," said GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha. "Much of the research is incomplete or contradictory. Clearly, more studies need to be done addressing both the scope of the problem and how to effectively address it."

This statement follows the release of the comprehensive report, Distracted Driving: What Research Shows and What States Can Do. The report pulled data from over 350 scientific papers between 2000 and 2011 and gives an overview about what distracted driving is, what impact distractions have on driving, how often it occurs, possible solutions and what states can do to reduce the number of deaths related to distracted drivers.

Key findings include:
-Driving performance is most definitely affected by distractions within the vehicle.

-Most drivers are distracted as much as half of the time they spend behind the wheel.

-The riskier a driving situation is the more apt a driver will not allow themselves to get distracted.

-15 to 25 percent of crashes, from minimal property damage to severe injury or fatality are linked to distracted driving.

-Talking on the cell phone is not considered as much of a crash risk as texting.

Possible countermeasures for states to consider in order to reduce distracted driving accidents are:

-Continue to use federal highway funding to mark edge and centerlines with rumble strips which alert drivers they have swayed outside of the driving area.

-Document accidents caused by distracted drivers so that future evaluation can be obtained through reported incidents.

-Existing laws that pertain to hand-held cell phone bans should be monitored before enacting new laws.

-Enact and enforce texting and cell phone bans for all drivers in each state.

GHSA Executive Director Barbara Harsha stressed, "While distracted driving is an emotional issue that raises the ire of many on the road, states must take a research-based approach to addressing the problem. Until more research is conducted, states need to proceed thoughtfully, methodically and objectively."

One easy solution to reduce the number of distracted driving accidents is simply to refrain from texting or talking while driving. Motorists are urged to control their own destiny by eliminating as many distractions within their vehicle as possible.

Continue reading " Driving Distractions Caused by Cell Phones Create a High Risk for Chicago Car Accidents " »

An Amtrak train headed from Chicago to Emeryville, CA recently collided with a tractor trailer in Nevada causing the death of six people and injuring several others. According to the Chicago Tribune, the truck driver who was killed in the accident had several violations and driving citations in the last few years.

Chicago personal injury lawyers are baffled how the driver even got hired considering the number of federal regulations placed on trucking companies to hire responsible, safe drivers. It is alleged that driver distraction caused the accident which is a common factor in many Illinois trucking accidents.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating all aspects of the accident, including John Davis Trucking Company, the truck driver's health and driving records, the cell phone that is believed to be the driver's, the engine data recorder from the train, and the railroad crossing's mechanical equipment. They have ruled out any malfunctions causing the safety measures to fail at the crossing. The lights, signs and pavement markings, cantilevers and crossing gates were all working to code at the time of the accident.

The highway speed limit in the area of the crossing is 70 mph. The Amtrak train set off the crossing signal approximately 25 seconds prior to the train arriving at the intersection which is visible from roughly a half mile away. Witnesses claim the truck driver was going full speed ahead and didn't attempt to stop at the crossing gates.

John Davis Trucking Company has been cited for 19 previous violations, along with a fatal single-vehicle crash in May. The deceased truck driver in this accident has a laundry list of traffic violations including speeding in a commercial vehicle in July 2008, not wearing a seat belt in August 2008, speeding and driving with a cell phone in two separate incidents in September 2008, speeding in May 2009 and speeding in September 2009.

Last year, the federal government ordered Illinois to develop a plan to reduce the number of railroad crossing accidents according to an article in the Chicago Tribune. The Federal Railroad Administration reported 588 crossing accidents (98 fatalities) in Illinois since 2006 involving vehicles and or pedestrians and trains.

Texas is the only other state that has more reported rail-crossing accidents during this period. The ruling went into effect last August in which the state has one year to come up with a plan to reduce accidents and five years to put the plan in motion or risk losing federal funding. Four crossings in Chicago are deemed deadly, with multiple accidents occurring at each location since 2005. Nationwide, there have been over 7,000 railroad crossing accidents from 2007-2009 which resulted in almost 900 fatalities.

Motorists are reminded to obey all crossing signals and use extra caution when approaching a railroad that intersects with the roadway being traveled. Sitting at a crossing and waiting for a locomotive to pass is a much safer approach than trying to race the train to crossing area in order to avoid waiting the time it takes to pass.

Continue reading " Illinois is Second in Nation in Railroad Crossing Deaths and Accidents " »

With the Fourth of July weekend upon us, it's time for people to relax a little, spend time with family and friends and enjoy the warm conditions outside in Chicago.

Whether it's catching a Cubs or White Sox game this weekend, going to a barbecue or spending time on Lake Michigan, the area will be busy with travelers, many of whom will be visiting from out of town.

But what should be noted is the opportunity for Chicago car accidents this time of year. Chicago Personal Injury Lawyers want you and your family to be safe, so make sure you take extra care if traveling this holiday weekend.

According to the national travel group AAA, 39 million Americans are estimated to hit the roads this Independence Day weekend, driving 50 miles or more from their homes, USA Today reports. That's actually a drop from last year, when about 40 million people traveled. The estimated drop is attributed to rising gas prices, which are about $1 higher than they were this time last year.

But despite a predicted dip in travelers, 39 million is a huge number and represents the possibility of vehicle accidents. And because Chicago is a destination for many, the roads very well may be clogged this weekend.

If you will be driving long distances this weekend, please adhere to these common sense driving safety tips:

Always keep your headlights on
Keep a safe distance between you and other vehicles
Don't speed
Use proper turn signals
Wear your seatbelt
Make sure you're well rested
Clear your vehicle of vision obstructions
Don't drink and drive

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there have already been 343 fatal crashes in Illinois this year where 382 people were killed. Of the 343 fatal crashes, 61 involved alcohol.
In 2010, there were 858 fatal crashes on the roads in which 927 people were killed. Nearly 1/3 of those accidents involved alcohol.

And when people have additional time off from work and are celebrating, they tend to drink. So, if you are out with friends and family and see that someone has had too much to drink and is attempting to drive, stop them. Offer to drive or call a cab. Drunk driving accidents in Chicago are tragic because they're so avoidable. The negligence and poor choices of one person can affect a family forever. So, use common sense this weekend and do the right thing.

And if your teen is going to hop in the car and pick up friends, make sure you have a long talk with them about how they drive. Teen driving accidents in Illinois are tragic because many times a young life is stopped too short or permanent injuries can affect them for the rest of their lives. Distracted driving, such as texting and driving, using a cell phone and driving, messing with the radio or being careless in the car can turn badly quickly. So, make sure your kids are safe as they travel.

Continue reading " Avoid Illinois Car Accidents This Fourth of July Weekend " »