Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A recent five-car accident in Belleville resulted in an elderly woman being sent to the hospital and traffic delays that stretched over four hours. The traffic accident happened at roughly 4 p.m. on Illinois 15, right by 11th Street. Traffic in the westbound lanes was congested as a result of this accident, as Illinois State Police investigated.

The accident happened when the older woman slammed into the back of a tractor-trailer. She was transported to a local hospital with multiple injuries. According to BND, the woman's vehicle sustained significant damage to the front-end. The others involved were lucky to have emerged from the accident with minor injuries.

Our Illinois car accident lawyers understand that traveling our state's roadways with these large tractor-trailers requires caution. Driving near a tractor-trailer isn't the same as traveling next to other passenger vehicles. These large trucks require you to adjust your driving habits to accommodate their presence. Traffic accidents with these large vehicles often produce deadly results. The weight, the size and strength of these vehicles can overpower our passenger vehicles in seconds. Drivers are asked to travel carefully to avoid a serious collision with a semi, tractor-trailer, big rig or an 18-wheeler.

Our Illinois personal injury attorneys are here to offer you a few safe driving tips to help make sure your travel near these large trucks is as safe as it can be. Please review and share them with your loved ones.

Safety Tips for Driving Around Large Trucks:

-Remember that trucks are like sails, meaning they handle wind just like a sail would. They are likely to swerve back and forth when driving at such high speeds. Never travel too closely to these vehicles for this reason.

-Trucks have blind spots virtually everywhere. Remember that the driver of a large truck cannot see directly in front of him, to the side in his blind spots or directly behind him. You want to make sure you can always see the driver when traveling near these large trucks.

-Trucks make very wide turns. Drivers cutting onto the side of a semi or a tractor-trailer as the truck is turning is one of the most common accidents involving trucks. Stay away from these large trucks when they're turning.

-You never want to linger around one of these dangerous vehicles. When passing a large truck, do so swiftly.

-Never cut in front of a large vehicle. Semis and tractor-trailers have a difficult time stopping and take longer to do so than our passenger vehicles.

Crashes with tractor-trailers and other large vehicles can be avoided when you put these safety tips to work on our roadways. Travel safely and travel cautiously!

Continue reading " Five-Car Accident, Including Tractor-Trailer, in Illinois Sends Elderly Woman to Hospital " »

“People should be able to have fun with friends and family without having to worry about being harmed by a drunken driver on the way home,” said Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon.

With Super Bowl Sunday just a few short days away, McMahon's hopes don't always come true. On Super Bowl Sunday alone, Americans are expected to consume more than 325 million gallons of alcohol. Many of them are even expected to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after drinking, too. That's why law enforcement officials with Kane County and elsewhere throughout the state will be exercising the "no-refusal" weekend enforcements, according to the Chicago Tribune. During this time, on Sunday the 5th, officials will be on the lookout for drunk drivers to help reduce the risks of car accidents in Illinois.

Our Chicago drunk driving car accident lawyers understand that Super Bowl Sunday is one of the deadliest times on our roadways. According to McMahon, drivers can help to reduce these stats by planning ahead and making responsive decisions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and other organizations nationwide are also pushing the "Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk" campaign to make sure that we've all got each others' backs on this celebratory day. Kickoff for Super Bowl XLVI is at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday the 5th, when the Patriots will be taking on the Giants.

The "no-refusal" drunk driving crackdown efforts will be joined by a judge and a prosecutor who will help to speed up the time it takes to create warrants to get those suspected of driving under the influence to take a Breathalyzer test or to submit to a blood sample if need be. To speed up the process even more, a phlebotomist will be on site to draw blood. Sobriety checkpoints will be scattered throughout the state.

The "no-refusal" system will be working in the favor of safety. Under this system, one driver got a three-year sentence for refusing to take sobriety tests, and a driver convicted of a second DUI will face a five-year driver's license revocation. Also, a contempt charge will be filed if a driver refuses to take a sobriety tests even after a warrant is issued.

"When the game is over, safety and responsibility are in order. Impaired driving is not an option," said McMahon.

The week leading up to the Super Bowl records some of the largest annuals sales for beer and alcohol. This is one of the main reasons why local enforcement officials choose to set up efforts on this day. The other reason is the accident statistics. Super Bowl is a deadly day on our roadways. With responsible drivers and strict enforcement efforts, we're hoping Illinois roadways will stay safe and accident-free during the big game.

Continue reading " Officials to Up Enforcement Efforts to Bust Drunk Drivers in Illinois on Super Bowl Sunday " »