Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

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.