Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

Imagine riding down the road and your airbags explode for no apparent reason. A woman from Chicago recently experienced this situation firsthand and survived unharmed in what could have been a dangerous chain of events possibly caused by a defective vehicle. The sudden deployment could have caused an SUV rollover accident in Chicago that could have led to serious injury or death.

My Fox Chicago reports that no one was severely harmed after the airbags deployed for no apparent reason. The driver of the SUV is trying to figure out what caused the passenger-side airbags to deploy since she wasn't involved in an accident. She was driving 25 mph and didn't hit anything in the road to cause the explosion.

The GMC Envoy was towed to a dealership but the owner was told there would need to be an investigation since no accident occurred, which could take anywhere from two weeks to two months. In the meantime, the driver has a swollen arm and is getting socked with a $200 a week car-rental invoice, which will only be reimbursed if GM finds they are at fault.

Cook County car accident lawyers know that many consumers choose to drive an SUV because of its size and the fact that they feel safe in a bigger vehicle. No-fault accidents involving defective vehicle parts and the size of the vehicles involved in crashes continue to contribute to serious and fatal injuries. A knowledgeable attorney and proper reconstruction of the facts and circumstances of an accident are important when building a personal injury or wrongful death case.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released a statement that SUVs and pickups are safer than in past generations according to a recent study. These larger vehicle types were more likely to kill occupants in other vehicles than a car or minivan of similar weight involved in a crash.

A recent study involving vehicles 1-4 years old and weighing 3,000-3,499 pounds showed that SUVs were involved in crashes resulting in fatalities at a rate of 16 deaths per million registered vehicles in 2008-09 -- a two-thirds drop from 2000-01 when the rate was 44 deaths per million registered vehicles. Cars and mini-vans with the same weight and age specifications were involved in fatal crashes with other vehicle occupants at a rate of 17 deaths per million in 2008-09.

One thing is certain. The laws of physics continue to play a role in crashes; size and weight do matter. Lightweight and smaller vehicles can't compete against heavier and larger vehicles when a crash occurs between the two. The recent study only helps to provide evidence that vehicle styles can differ but if the weight is similar, each vehicle occupant has similar risks of injury or chances of survival in a crash.

If you suspect your vehicle may have a defective part, has been issued a recall notice, or you want to check the safety rating of a particular car or SUV, visit safercar.gov for helpful information about your vehicle.

Continue reading " Costly Defective Vehicle Damages Requires Experienced Cook County Car Accident Attorney " »

A Buffalo Grove woman has had all traffic tickets dropped to make way for more serious charges following a car accident in Chicago , which she allegedly caused while checking text messages on her cell phone while driving.

The Chicago Tribune reports the woman was cited for improper lane use, driving on the shoulder, and texting while driving after she crashed with a tractor trailer and injured a man who was changing a tire on the side of the road. A month later the man died from those injuries.

Authorities report the young woman admitted to scrolling on her contacts page of her cell phone before hitting the big rig that sent her vehicle off to the shoulder of Highway 53 where the victim was changing a flat tire. Prosecutors have dropped the traffic charges so the defendant can't plead guilty to a lesser charge as more serious charges can be brought against her.

Illinois car accident lawyers know that the young woman is standing by her statement that her cell phone did not contribute to the cause of the accident, but it is clear she was distracted. Being distracted, whether it is from a cell phone, eating or changing a radio dial, is dangerous when you need to be focusing on the road.

It is true that distractions are causing several accidents everyday nationwide. Illinois law prevents drivers from holding a cell phone while they drive in highway construction or school zones, but what about all the other disruptive behaviors that can cause a driver to lose his or her focus?

In the news recently are discussions by Oak Park trustees proposing a ban be placed on all distractions that occur inside the vehicle while driving in the small Chicago-area community. Chicago Tribune reports this puts a real cramp in the daily routines of drivers who spend most of their work day inside their vehicle and don’t get a lunch break. The proposed legislation would ban any personal hygiene, tending to children, eating or holding a pet while driving. Proposing to eliminate distractions while driving has gained ground over the years. Six years ago, Illinois banned a driver from talking without an ear piece while they drive. Then a texting ban was added, and in 2009 bus and rail operators were banned from talking on cell phones while they work.

Communities are trying to take matters into their own hands when it comes to distractions behind the wheel. Several towns (Kenilworth, Evanston, Antioch, Barrington and Highland Park) have implemented distracted-driving ordinances. Highland Park even allows drivers to be cited by law enforcement officers for inattentive behaviors such as eating or reading if they have committed another primary offense while driving. Oak Park would be the first community nationwide to pass a ban on eating. Oak Park trustees are considering banning cell phone use, eating, drinking and applying makeup.

Distractions while driving are common, and for most, they may seem unavoidable because they have become part of the driving routine. Motorists are urged to reduce daily distractions in order to keep you and other motorists out of harm's way.

Continue reading " Texting While Driving Can Lead to Fatal Chicago Car Accidents " »

Distracted driving behaviors are the cause of approximately 8,000 car accidents in Illinois and throughout the country daily. This is why for the third straight year, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has claimed the week of October 2-8 as Heads-Up Driving Week.

Car accident attorneys in Cook County, Will County and Kane County know that even some of the littlest things can cause a distraction while we drive. For example, swatting at a fly that is annoyingly buzzing around your head while you drive can cause a motorist to take their hand, eyes and mind all off the road at the same time. This type of slight behavior and lapse in focus is what causes so many deaths and injuries in car crashes hourly on our nation's roadways.

One of the crucial problems related to distracted driving is the urge that motorists have to multi-task while driving. Most see downtime while driving as an opportunity to make or cancel appointments, check your Facebook page, check in with your family, make a to-do list for the week or get updated on current events or sports scores.

Unfortunately, these behaviors all force drivers to take their focus off the most important task, which is driving. Studies have shown recently that drivers spend more than 50 percent of their time distracted behind the wheel. A recent study by the University of Utah has actually confirmed that our brains don't really have the capacity to multi-task. Researchers have found that performance level goes down as we attempt to direct our attention to different facets.

Another crucial problem is driver attitude. Safety advocates must feel like they are talking to a brick wall sometimes when it comes to conveying the dangers of distractions behind the wheel. Most motorists understand the dangers, but studies have shown that at any given daylight hour, more than 10 percent of cell phone users are operating a vehicle.

Sadly, 94 percent of those surveyed in the 2011 Traffic Safety Culture Index admit that texting or emailing is dangerous and yet a third confess to practicing the dangerous behavior while operating a vehicle in the last month. Many adult drivers incorporate a "do as I say, not as I do" attitude which makes teaching driving safety to young drivers all that more difficult. Until drivers start practicing what they preach, roadways will continue to be a danger to all motorists when it comes to distracted, drunk or drowsy driving accidents.

For the week of October 2-8, AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is asking drivers to eliminate all the distractions inside your vehicle and focus only on the road. Not only can you personally make the pledge to drive distraction-free but talk to co-workers, friends and family members about doing the same. Trying it for a week could just be enough to get you jump-started to driving safely for a month, year or forever.

Continue reading " Pledging to Drive Distraction-Free Can Reduce the Risk of Car Accidents in Cook County, Elsewhere " »

Driving can be a complex task and requires full attention every time a motorist gets behind the wheel. Our Chicago car accident lawyers know that young drivers tend to get distracted with fiddling with the radio or reading an incoming text message while they drive, which is why safety advocates and national organizations play such a vital role in creating awareness about teen driver safety.

The National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) will be hosting the 2011 Distracted Driving Summit held in Washington D.C. on October 17th. Funding for the event is provided through a grant from AT&T. NOYS embraces teen-led and teen-informed programs as a method to reach the young age group of beginner drivers. By gathering together to train and empower young leaders, the issue of distracted driving can hopefully begin to be put to rest through the powerful force of peer pressure.

Teen car accidents in Illinois and elsewhere in the country is the number one cause of death for young people. NOYS reports that almost 3,000 teens between the ages of 15 to 19 were killed in our nation in 2009 as a result of a traffic accident. It is also estimated that another 350,000 teenagers were injured nationwide in 2009 after being involved in a car crash.

Teens can look forward to the following at the 2011 Distracted Driving Summit later this month:
-Keynote speakers from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide a presentation.
-The 2011-2012 NOYS Teen Distracted Driving Prevention Team (TDDPT) which is comprised of 10 advisors and 40 teens will be announced for the first time.
-Traffic safety experts, companies and organizations will perform workshops and pre-training sessions for TDDPT.
-Attendees will be given the opportunity to showcase programs, products and other resources, as well as, sponsorship to address the dangers of distracted driving to the teen age group.

Even though the 100 Deadliest Days (May through August) have passed for teen drivers this year, there is no time like the present for teachers, guardians or parents to initiate conversations with young drivers about the dangers of distracted driving. Parents and other adults can have just as important of an impact on the beliefs of a young driver as fellow teens can have.

Possible discussion topics may include:
-If your teen attends a party that is serving alcohol, how best do they see fit to handle the situation?
-If your teen is working until 10 p.m. and they feel drowsy, what steps can be taken to get them home safely?
-What should your teen do if they ride to school every day with another young driver who is constantly talking on their cell phone while they drive?
-If your teen needs to drive in severe weather or their car breaks down while driving, what safe behaviors should be utilized to prevent injury from a potential accident?

Helping the teens in our lives to understand the importance of safe driving behaviors and the dangers of getting distracted behind the wheel can not only help keep our loved ones safe but also keeps the roadways safer for others.

Continue reading " 2011 Distracted Driving Summit Geared Towards Reducing Teen Distracted Driving Accidents Illinois " »