Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A recent one-car accident in Chicago injured three and killed a toddler, according to the Chicago Tribune. Illinois state troopers determined that alcohol was a contributing factor in this accident that happened on the Dan Ryan Expressway near 75th Street

Four additional women were also injured in the accident that closed the roadway for nearly 2 hours during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys continue to see too many preventable injuries and deaths resulting from intoxicated driving. The Memorial Day holiday weekend, and other holiday weekends, present an increased risk of drunk driving traffic accidents. One of the only ways to prevent these fatal incidents is to make smart choices and to stay out of your vehicle after consuming alcohol or after consuming any other types of drugs.

The female driver was taken to Stroger Hospital and is now facing DUI charges.

The 11-month-old child was taken to the Cook County medical examiner's office and was pronounced dead later in the evening. According to the examiner's office, the toddler would have turn a year old this month.

The accident occurred as the driver lost control of the vehicle that carried four women and four children. The vehicle struck a guard rail, according to police. Three of the four children were ejected from the vehicle as they were not properly restrained in child safety seats or wearing seat belts, according to authorities.

The three children who survived the accident were taken to the Comer Children's Hospital and were listed in serious to critical condition. One of the adults was taken to the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and was listed in serious to critical condition. Two other adults were transported to the University of Chicago Hospitals and remain in fair to serious condition, reports Fire Department officials.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were nearly 11,000 fatalities because of traffic accidents that involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher in 2009. These accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of total traffic deaths for the entire year. In that same year, Illinois saw nearly 400 fatalities from traffic accidents that involved an intoxicated driver.

Alcohol Problems and Solutions offers you these tips to help keep you and you loved ones safe from jumping behind the wheel after consuming alcohol:

-Volunteer to be a designated driver.

-Take keys away from friends or family members that have been consuming alcohol.

-Coordinate a group cab or a stay at a hotel if you and your friends have been drinking.

-Remember that the consumption of alcohol, of any amount, greatly reduces your driving ability and your ability to react behind the wheel.

-Never instigate or encourage excessive alcohol consumption. Intoxicated behavior is dangerous, not amusing.

Continue reading "Accused Drunk Driver in Illinois Takes the Life of a Toddler" »

The summer months are approaching fast and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) would like to remind parents and those who may be riding in a car with a child to keep in mind the dangers behind leaving children in a vehicle as children can experience hyperthermia in Illinois and elsewhere across the country.

The NHTSA conducted research in which results illustrated the increased risk of serious injury -- or even death -- for children who are left alone in vehicles. Hyperthermia, or heat-stroke, is the leading cause of non-accident car deaths for children who are under the age of 14. The unfortunate statistics reveal that nearly 30 documented deaths are a direct result from children left in vehicles each year.

Our Illinois personal injury lawyers understand that mistakes happen. Parents must exercise every preventable measure to avoid this serious and possibly deadly event from happening to their child. It is also important to speak with your daycare centers, caregivers and school employees about the very serious and possible event. You want to take every precaution possible to ensure that your child will not be left in a hot vehicle. Every year, babysitters and daycare centers are responsible for forgetting children left in vehicles and the results can be tragic.

The NHTSA provides the following tips to help parents protect their child from in-car hyperthermia during these summer months and year around:

-Teach your children that a vehicle is not a play area. Do not let them play in a vehicle unattended.

-Keep something noticeable in their car seat, like a bright, stuffed toy. Once you've buckled the child into the seat, put that object where you will notice it when you leave the vehicle.

-Ask that your child's daycare center notify you if your child doesn’t arrive on time.

-Always lock your car's doors and trunks. Keep keys out of children's reach. If your child is missing, be sure to check the vehicle first, and don't forget to look in the trunk.

- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, not even if the windows are open or if the engine is running and the air conditioner is on.

-Make a habit of looking in the vehicle before locking it and walking away. Be sure that you check both your front and back seats.

-Put your purse, briefcase or something that you’re sure to need in the rear seat so that you’ll be sure to see if a child is left in the vehicle.

-Write yourself a note and put it where you’ll see it when you leave the vehicle. This will serve as a constant reminder to check for children. It may sound silly, but it happens.

These steps may not prevent every case of a child left in a vehicle. When children are in distress because of heat, it is vital to get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible. Warning signs of hyperthermia can include hot, red, moist skin, dry skin or no sweating. They can also experience a strong rapid pulse, a slow weak pulse, nausea or strange behavior. It is important you cool the child rapidly after being pulled from a hot vehicle.

According to the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University, nearly 50 children died because of hyperthermia after they were left in hot vehicles in the United States in 2010. Since 1998, nearly 500 children have died from heat-related issues after being left in hot vehicles. Since 1998, Illinois has experienced 13 child deaths from hyperthermia from children being left in a vehicle.

An examination of the statistics above found the following:

-More than 50 percent of these children were "forgotten" in a car by a caregiver.

-30 percent of the hyperthermia deaths occurred when a child was playing in an unattended vehicle.

-Nearly 20 percent of the children were left in the vehicle intentionally by an adult.

-Approximately 1 percent of deaths reported unknown circumstances.

Continue reading "Summer Months Increase Risks for Child Deaths Caused by Hyperthermia in Illinois and Elsewhere" »

Despite the fact that teens can be stubborn and think they know everything, this holiday season is a good time to talk to your teen driver about the dangers of driving this time of year. It's possible that lack of experience and thoughts of being indestructible are reasons teens have a higher crash rate than other age groups.

OurChicago automobile accident attorneys urge parents to spend the time discussing the dangers of driving with teens in order to reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries this holiday season.

In October, Illinois launched a new website addressing teen driver safety. The website can be used as a tool to help teens and their parents get the right information about driving safety and the laws that apply in the state of Illinois. This site comes at a good time because in January, a study that grades states on safety and highway improvements rated Illinois sub-par when it came to teen driving.

Recently the National Safety Council announced they are joining forces with the Allstate Foundation to push to make roadways safer in an effort to save lives of our young drivers. The Allstate Foundation will fund the new teen safe driving program for 10 states, Illinois being one of them.

Alarmingly in 2009, 3,500 teens were fatally injured in car crashes so the premise behind the program is to educate and advocate for teen safety when driving on roadways. The NSC will form groups in each of the ten states consisting of state and local police, health practitioners, hospital employees, teens, parents, and survivors of teen crash sufferers. Each group will study teen crash data and use numerous resources to then go out and speak to the public on teens driving safer.

Chicago has taken teen driving safety one step further. In an effort to help parents track their teens, Youth Driving Safe has invented a GPS tracking mechanism to install in your teens vehicle. The GPS will report back to the parent if the teen is speeding, altering from the driven route normally taken, and monitor pre-set driving habits. More importantly there is a contract that is designed for the teen and parent to mutually agree on specific driving habits and how alerts will be set-up. The contract provides an open line of communication and expectations between the teen driver and parent.

Keeping your teen safe on the roadways is physically out of your control but what you can do is set a good example by trying to educate them on the dangers involved.

Continue reading "Chicago teen driver awareness key this holiday season" »

Before hitting the road to enjoy the long holiday weekend, the Illinois State Police is urging families to re-check that child safety seats are properly installed and to remind all passengers to buckle-up.

“Better road trips begin with safety,” said Illinois State Toll Authority Executive Director Kristi Lafleur said. “Seat belts and safety seats for children save countless lives each year. … we are committed to enforcing seat belt laws and working to educate the public on how to properly secure their children to make every trip a safe trip.”

Chicago car accident attorneys with VanPopering Law Offices know that a properly installed car seat and using safety restraints saves lives. Our attorneys have a solid reputation successfully handling claims arising from auto accident cases and are available for a consultation if you or someone you love has been injured or killed in a Chicago car accident.

In 2008, 454 children under age 7 were killed in car accidents nationwide. Of those killed, 152 were unrestrained. Children aged 13-15, who were most likely to not wear a seat belt, saw the highest number of car accident fatalities. Out of 342 fatalities reported, 238 – or 70 percent – were unrestrained. "Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children 3-14 years old", the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.

Telling a child to buckle their seat belt takes only a second and buckling up yourself every time you get behind the wheel sets the best example. For more information about child safety seat guidelines, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

Continue reading "State Police remind Illinois drivers to check child safety seats and buckle-up before Labor Day weekend travel " »

On April 28, six students from Plainfield North High School in West Chicago were injured in a crash that involved two school buses and an automobile. The injured children were treated at Central DuPage Hospital for what were described as minor injuries. At the time of the accident, approximately 90 students were riding on the two school buses, on their way to watch a play.

A study published in the November 2006 issue of Pediatrics (the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics) concluded that the number of injuries to children riding in school buses had previously been significantly under-reported. According to the study, approximately 17,000 school bus-related injuries were treated in emergency rooms in the United States each year between 2001 and 2003. In older children, most of the injuries were to their lower extremities; however, in children younger than 10, more than half of the injuries treated were head injuries. Older children were far less likely to suffer a head injury. The conclusions of the study underscore the need for proper safety measures for children, especially young children, who travel on school buses.

If you or your child have been injured in a car accident and are concerned about your ability to be compensated for medical expenses, pain and suffering, or lost wages associated with the injury, you should consider a consultation with an experienced Chicago car accident attorney who would be able to evaluate the legal issues related to your circumstances.

Continue reading "School Bus Crash Causes Injuries in Chicago" »