Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

After four straight years of decline, fatal pedestrian accidents were on the rise again in the first six months of 2010, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Our Chicago injury attorneys know pedestrian accidents are a serious problem in Chicago and the surrounding area. The Illinois Department of Transportation reports 30 people were killed in Chicago pedestrian accidents in 2009 and another 3,069 were injured. Statewide, pedestrian accidents killed 141 people and injured more than 15,000.

Illinois recorded the 12th-highest number of fatal pedestrian accidents. However, it was among the states to report a reduction in the number of pedestrian accidents in the first half of 2010. A total of 46 fatal Illinois pedestrian accidents were reported, compared to 50 during the first six month of 2009.

The most were recorded in California and Florida -- in fact California, Florida, Texas and New York accounted for nearly half of all fatal pedestrian accidents nationwide. Wyoming and South Dakota recorded the fewest pedestrian accidents.

Nationwide, 1,891 died in pedestrian accidents during the first six month of 2010, compared to 1,884 during the same period of 2009, according to the GHSA report. Twenty-eight state reported a decrease, while 18 reported an increase.

Those ages 45 to 64 were most likely to be killed in a pedestrian accident, followed by those ages 30 to 45, and those over the age of 65.

“Nationally, pedestrian fatalities account for about 12 percent of overall traffic deaths, a small but significant portion," said GHSA Chairman Vernon Betkey Jr. "Given that we have made so much progress in this area, GHSA is concerned to see this reversal."

The organization said an increase in distracted driving may be partly to blame.

"Anyone who travels in a busy city has seen countless pedestrians engrossed in conversation or listening to music while crossing a busy street," Betkey said. "Just as drivers need to focus on driving safely, pedestrians need to focus on walking safely – without distractions.”

A renewed focus on pedestrian safety is warranted and should include prioritization, data analysis, engineering, laws and enforcement and education, according to the GHSA report.

Continue reading " Study finds fewer Chicago pedestrian accidents in 2010 -- fatal accidents increase nationwide " »

A deadly Chicago-area auto accident has resulted in two deaths in the Northwest suburbs, according to WLS 890 AM. The collision occurred Thursday night in Hoffman Estates and the Illinois state police are reporting that a motorist involved fled the scene.

Hoffman Estates Police responded to an accident involving at least two vehicles on Golf Road just after 7:30 PM. At the scene they found one of the automobiles engulfed in flames. One victim, a 62-year-old Hoffman Estates resident, died at the scene. A second victim, age 32 of an unknown address, was pronounced dead less than an hour later at St. Alexis Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

Autopsies on Friday found both victims died of multiple injuries sustained in a car accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Shortly after the accident on Friday evening the Illinois state police issued an alert for a blue four-door Subaru that was involved in a hit and run accident in Hoffman Estates. Anyone with information regarding the accident should immediately call the Hoffman Estates Police Department or the Illinois state police.

The cause of the deadly Chicago-area car accident has not been reported.

The federal government is launching the "5500 campaign," a new public service announcement to coincide with the one-year anniversary of FocusDriven, the first nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for victims of distracted driving accidents.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers frequently report on the dangers of distracted driving. Nationwide, about 5,500 people are killed and 500,000 are injured each year in car accidents caused by distracted driving.

“In our new PSA, we want to remind people that each and every distracted driving fatality is someone’s loved one, and that person’s family is in tremendous pain,” said FocusDriven President Jennifer Smith. “Our new campaign will urge the public to put down the phone and focus on the drive. We cannot wait until others are killed or injured to take action. The statistics show that it’s no longer ‘if’ someone you know will be affected by distracted driving, it’s ‘when.’”

The organization's one-year anniversary was also marked by support from Safeway and the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, which seeks to reduce work accidents in Chicago and elsewhere that are caused by distracted driving. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that about 40 percent of workplace fatalities result from transportation accidents, accounting for 1,682 deaths last year.

“Distracted driving is a deadly epidemic and when it comes to road safety, we will not take a backseat to anyone,” said Secretary Ray LaHood. “That’s why distracted driving will continue to be a major part of DOT’s robust safety agenda. Together with advocates like FocusDriven and NETS, and employers like Safeway, we can put an end to this deadly behavior and save lives.”

As we reported recently on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, LaHood has come under fire for what some safety advocates see as a hyper-focus on distracted driving, which may come at the expense of focusing on other causes of serious and fatal accidents.

As part of the anniversary, the Department of Transportation also released the latest in the "Faces of Distracted Driving series." We reported previously on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog that the series features messages from family members of those killed in distracted driving accidents. One of the most recent features 17-year-old Emily Reynolds. Her older sister Cady was killed in 2007 when a teen texting on her cell phone crashed into Cady's car in Nebraska.

The "Faces of Distracted Driving" series is available here.

Meanwhile, Safeway grocery stores is the latest employer to implement a distracted driving policy; the company now prohibits its 1,525 truckers from using cell phones -- hand-held or hands-free, while driving. Bill Windsor, chairman of the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety said 5,000 public and private organizations, representing more than 20 million U.S. employees, have now enacted distracted driving policies.

“Employers can make a real difference in keeping their associates safe both on and off the job by educating them about the dangers of distracted driving and adopting policies to prevent it,” he said.

Continue reading " Government continues push to reduce distracted driving auto accidents in Chicago, elsewhere " »

An Illinois premises liability accident has resulted in severe head injuries to a toddler that were suffered in a fall down an elevator shaft at a Joliet Hotel, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The boy, who fell approximately 30 feet on Sunday afternoon at a hotel located at 26 W. Clinton St., was airlifted from Joliet’s Silver Cross Hospital to Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago and is expected to survive.

Guests heard the boy crying from the elevator and the desk clerk called the police for help. The elevator was stopped between the first and second floors and was not moving.

Video footage shows the child left his third floor room and went to the elevator, followed by his mother who brought the boy back to the room. A few minutes later, the video shows the boy going to the elevator and pressing the call button. He entered the elevator and began pushing buttons.

A Joliet police officer noted that there was an emergency switch inside the elevator that stops the car as soon as it is pushed. The doors to the elevator car open when the emergency button is triggered but the doors to the outside hallway do not. Authorities believe the two-year-old pushed the emergency button between floors one and two.

An officer noted that there was a 10-inch gap between the elevator and the shaft when the emergency button was used. It is believed that the boy fell approximately 30 feet down this gap to the bottom of the shaft in the basement.

The incident is under investigation but no charges have been brought at this time.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago Tribune and ABC News.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers frequently report on the dangers of distracted driving and the various countermeasures being implemented by state and local governments to combat those dangers.

Last year, Illinois joined a growing number of states that have outlawed text messaging by drivers. Illinois' law also makes it illegal to use hand-held cell phones in school zones and construction sites. Hand-held cell phones have been illegal in Chicago for years. Authorities have pushed the measures as a means of reducing the number of serious and fatal car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois.

Common sense might be on their side. But so far the statistics are not. As we reported previously on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, more motorists died last year statewide (with the texting law in place) than died in 2009 when no statewide law existed. The Illinois Department of Transportation reported 923 motorists were killed on the state's roads in 2010, compared to 911 in 2009.

Of course there is a lot more going on than the state's new texting law -- the struggling economy has been cited as a primary factor in pushing fatal traffic deaths to levels not seen since the 1920s -- the numbers have almost nowhere to go but up.

But, as USA Today recently reported, there is a growing chorus that claims prohibitions against hand-held cell phone use and text messaging are not reducing distracted driving deaths -- that, in fact, those deaths may be increasing. Some believe the primary reason is that hands-free cell phones are no safer than hand-held devices. While others think motorists hiding illegal texting activities below the dash actually increase their risk of an accident as their eyes are taken from the road for a longer period of time.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is the largest organization to have vocalized concerns that the government is getting sidetracked on its quest to push states to adopt strict rules against cell phones and text messaging. IIHS President Adrian Lund said distracted driving "is a growing problem in the sense of our recognition of it, but the fact is, it's always been there."

Many safety experts contend the data on distracted driving is too new and too unreliable. While there is ample and reliable data on how to prevent serious and fatal injuries from other types of accidents. The USA Today reports that many are unwilling to speak out against Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who has repeatedly bashed the IIHS for tackling the issue last year.

LaHood said last year that the U.S. Department of Transportation is "laser focused on auto safety" and points to a number of initiatives, including a new Five-Star safety rating system and new rules to improve rear visibility in automobiles. Most of the initiatives he mentions were released in a rapid-fire series of public relations moves following IIHS criticism last year.

At the government's prodding, some 38 states have passed laws banning cell-phone use and or text messaging by drivers, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. Eleven of those state enacted laws last year.

Neither the IIHS nor anyone else is contending cell phone use and text messaging make drivers safer behind the wheel. They are just looking for the government's largest transportation watchdog to emphasize something other than distracted driving and defective Toyotas in 2011.

Continue reading " Many causes of Chicago car accidents besides cell phones and text messaging " »

An Illinois work comp attorney at Abels & Annes has agreed to represent a North Side resident who sustained back injuries while working at a large home goods store in July, 2010. The claimant sustaining injuries from lifting heavy objects on a repetitive basis.

After the client got hurt, she underwent treatment with her personal doctor. Over time her pain did not improve, so she also treated with an orthopedic physician in Chicago. An MRI was ordered which showed our client sustained two bulging discs due to the heavy lifting at work.

In a work injury case such as this one, our office will work to ensure that the claimant continues to receive medical treatment as needed, that she receives temporary total disability pay for time off work if warranted, and at the end of the case we will negotiate a bodily injury settlement on her behalf.

If you've been injured on the job in Illinois, contact a Chicago work accident lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free case evaluation. Call 312-924-7575 and ask to speak to a lawyer now.

Illinois personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes have signed on to represent a client who was injured in a taxicab versus pedestrian accident that occurred in downtown Chicago on January 14. Our client was walking across the intersection of Dearborn Street and Wacker Drive within a marked crosswalk and with a green walk sign. At that time, a taxi driver turned right on a red light and failed to yield to our client. The cab ran over the pedestrian's foot causing injuries.

The Chicago Police Department responded to the accident. After an investigation, a police officer determined the cab driver was at fault and issued him a citation for failing to yield to a pedestrian crosswalk. The defendant is scheduled to appear in traffic court at the Daley Center in early February.

Our client was seen after the accident at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital emergency room. X-rays taken were negative for fractures and at this time the extent of her internal foot injuries are still unknown. She is scheduled to see a medical doctor for further care.

If you've been injured in an Illinois pedestrian accident, call the Chicago injury attorneys at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak with an accident attorney today.

Chicago injury lawyers from Abels & Annes, working with co-counsel from the Elman law group, have filed a lawsuit stemming from an accident that occurred in Waukegan, Illinois in February, 2010. The collision took place in a parking lot on Pioneer Street just after 6 PM in the evening. We represent two passengers that were injured in the accident.

The plaintiffs were sitting in a parked Pontiac Bonneville in the lot. At that time the defendant, who was driving a Toyota Solara, quickly backed out of another spot and struck the vehicle our clients were sitting in.

The Waukegan Police Department responded to the scene of the accident. At that time the defendant admitted that when he was backing out he failed to judge the distance correctly and struck the other vehicle.

The complaint at law was filed in the Circuit Court of Lake County and alleges in part that the defendant was negligent in failing to decrease speed, driving too fast for conditions, failing to keep a proper lookout, and failing to take evasive action when collision was imminent. As a result of the crash both of the plaintiffs were injured.

One of our clients sustained neck and left shoulder injuries, and back pain. She was seen shortly after the accident at the Vista Medical Center West emergency room. she also went through follow-up care with an orthopedic physician in Waukegan.

The other plaintiff sustained low back and neck injuries. He was also seen in the emergency room and underwent further treatment with a local physician. The client was prescribed course of physical therapy which he underwent for around a month.

If you have been injured in an Illinois car accident, call the Chicago personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an accident lawyer.

The National Safety Council reports Illinois was one of a number of states to see an increase in the number of fatal accidents last year, in a year where the numbers continued to trend downward.

Our Chicago accident attorneys reported recently on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog that 129 fatal car accidents had occurred within the city at the start of the New Year weekend, compared to 141 during the same period a year ago. But the 916 fatalities reported statewide had surpassed the 911 reported during all of 2009.

2009 reported the fewest number of fatal Illinois traffic accidents in nearly a century of reporting.

The NSC reported 861 fatal accidents in Illinois through the end of November, compared to 847 during the same period in 2009 and 934 in the same period of 2008.

However, the Chicago-based safety organization reports the overall number of nationwide traffic fatalities decreased by 4 percent during the first 11 months of last year, from 33,180 in 2009 to 31,740 in 2010.

We have reported that the downward trending fatality statistics are likely to begin increasing again with the economic recovery. Fewer people working and fewer people traveling has been largely responsible for fewer fatal accidents since the start of the Great Recession.

Besides Illinois, other states that saw an increase in fatalities through November included Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Nationwide, more than 3.1 million people were seriously injured in traffic accidents through the first 11 months of last year. The estimated cost of accidents, including deaths and injuries, was $216.5 billion -- a 12 percent increase over 2009.

Continue reading " Fewer Chicago car accidents last year but Illinois among states to post increase in traffic fatalities " »

Illinois bike accident attorneys at Abels and Annes have signed on to represent a Chicago woman who was recently injured on the North Side. The collision occurred as our client was riding her bike in a Northwest direction on Milwaukee Avenue in a designated bicycle lane. At that time the driver of a Cadillac Deville made a right turn onto Milwaukee Avenue, failed to observe the plaintiff, and struck her.

The Chicago Police Department responded to the accident scene. After interviewing the parties, they placed the Cadillac driver at fault for the accident.

Our client sustained injuries to her face, right arm and right ankle. After the accident she was taken to St. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital's emergency room for treatment. In the days following the accident, her pain did not resolve on its own and she has since sought treatment with an orthopedic physician in Chicago.

Chicago drivers need to remember that bicyclists are still on the road in the winter months. More people than ever are using bikes for transportation all year round, and not just in the warmer weather. Motorists have to keep a lookout for them on the road and use caution.

If you've been injured in a Chicago bike accident, contact the Illinois personal injury lawyers at Abels and Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 speak directly to a lawyer.

The number of Chicago pedestrian accidents ranked the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area 41st most-dangerous in a new study detailing the nation's 52 deadliest areas for pedestrian accidents, which was conducted by Transportation for America.

It was a good showing for the area, where our Chicago injury lawyers frequently discuss the high rates of serious or fatal pedestrian accidents. The fact that 41 areas of the country are more dangerous illustrates the scope of the problem.

Nationwide, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 4,000 people are killed and 69,000 are injured in pedestrian accidents each year. Illinois pedestrian accidents killed 111 people last year and injured more than 5,000. One in 5 fatal pedestrian accidents claimed a victim over the age of 65.

Each year, Chicago pedestrian accidents account for about half of the state's total. In 2008, the Illinois Department of Transportation reports that 52 people were killed and 3,225 were injured in Chicago pedestrian accidents.

Last year's top five most-dangerous areas for walking were Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Jacksonville and Memphis. In the past 15 years, more than 76,000 people have been killed while walking the streets of their communities. In the past decade, more than 43,000 -- including nearly 4,000 children under the age of 16 -- have lost their lives.

The organization recommends reducing pedestrian accidents through a variety of means, including:

-Traffic calming and street design.

-Complete Streets, a program that includes reducing speeds and taking into account the needs of all users, including bicyclists and pedestrians.

-Safe Routes to School programs.

-Walkable neighborhoods.

Continue reading " Chicago fairs well in pedestrian accident study - serious and fatal walking accidents still a danger " »

An Illinois hit-and-run accident has led to a three-year sentence for man from Minooka, according to the Chicago Tribune. The defendant struck an Illinois state trooper who was involved in a traffic stop in April, 2010 on Interstate 80 in Kendall County. After the collision, the defendant fled the scene.

The 37-year-old motorist hit the trooper at the Ridge Road exit ramp getting off Interstate 80 traveling at an excessive speed, according to a representative from the Kendall County States Attorney's Office.

After the accident, the defendant did not report the incident to authorities and days later he relocated the car to a parking lot on the west side of Chicago. During the crash investigation, police learned the make and model of the vehicle from debris left at the site. They were then somehow able to identify a passenger in the vehicle, who then identified the Minooka resident as the driver.

When questioned by police, the motorist initially denied he was involved but later changed his story and took police to his vehicle.

The Illinois state trooper sustained multiple fractures due to the collision. On the date of sentencing, the hit-and-run driver apologized to the officer in court. Several other troopers were at the sentencing as well.

The article does not state whether the trooper was a pedestrian or inside his squad car at the time of the accident. It was also not reported if a Chicago injury lawyer is involved in the case and/or a civil lawsuit has been filed against the hit-and-run driver.

Click here to read the story as reported by the Chicago breaking news center.

Chicago pedestrian accidents at railway crossing and Illinois train accidents both increased last year, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The Illinois Department of Transportation also reports the number of fatal Illinois traffic accidents increased, although there were fewer Chicago car accidents. There were 128 fatal accidents in Chicago last year, compared to 141 in 2009. Statewide figures have not yet been released, but 916 motorists were killed through Dec. 29 last year, compared to 911 who lost their lives in 2009.

The Illinois Commerce Commission reports 17 fatalities occurred at railroad crossings from January to November last year and 10 pedestrians were killed after being hit by trains. Those numbers reverse a recent decline in accidents involving trains in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois.

Fifteen motorists were killed by trains in 2008, compared to 16 in 2007 and 18 in 2006. The 10 pedestrian fatalities is the most since 12 were killed in 2007.

Injury accidents involving trains also increased last year. Seventy-six were reported in the first nine months of the year, compared to 80 in all of 2009. More than 125 were reported in both 2007 and 2008.

In response, officials launched a public service announcement this week entitled "Where's the Best Man," which depicts a member of a wedding party who is killed trying to beat a train across the tracks.

Our Chicago injury lawyers reported earlier this year that Illinois is under federal mandate to improve railroad crossing safety. Between 2006 and 2008 a total of 98 people were killed in Chicago railroad crossing accidents -- 588 were killed across Illinois.

The state is one of 10 states that must submit a plan by August to address railroad crossing safety.

Continue reading " Chicago pedestrian accidents, car accidents, increase at railroad crossings in 2010 " »

An Illinois workers' compensation attorney at Abels & Annes has reached a settlement on behalf of of an employee that was injured in January 2010. The claimant was working in an auto parts store in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago when he sustained back injuries while lifting heavy brake parts.

Shortly after the work injury was sustained, our client was seen at the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital emergency room for medical treatment.

Over the next several days, the claimant's pain increased. Soon he sought further medical care with an orthopedic physician in Chicago. After limited improvement in therapy, his doctor ordered an MRI scan which detected a protruding disc.

The case settled for just over $11,000, plus we recovered over $6,500 in disability pay for our client while he was off work. Further, the respondent paid for all of the claimant's medical care related to the work injury.

If you've been injured in an Illinois accident on the job, contact the Chicago work comp attorneys at Abels and Annes for a free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an injury lawyer now.

In an effort to reduce Chicago auto accidents and injuries, Allstate insurance is launching a voluntary program to reward and closely monitor safe drivers, according to the Star Tribune. They will be placing devices in cars that monitor speed, braking and mileage, and are further offering savings of up to 30 percent on insurance premiums.

The insurance company, based in Northbrook, Illinois, is calling the program "Drive Wise" and they plan on expanding the program into other states this year.

The device they are placing in cars is wireless and about the size of a pack of cigarettes. It gets plugged into the vehicle's on-board computer.

Allstate drivers also get a 10% discount just for role enrolling. In the future, the motorist will receive a performance rating where the driver could receive a bigger discount based on his or her performance on the road. Other auto insurance companies such as Progressive and State Farm have also begun using similar devices.

The Tribune article raises an issue interesting issue, which is whether a Chicago car accident attorney could subpoena or request in discovery the information collected from the electronic device for use in a personal injury lawsuit. In Illinois, I believe the answer would be yes, if the device allows you to determine speed and braking for a particular date and time. I do not believe the information collected would be unlimited in scope, allowing attorneys to argue whether a particular plaintiff or defendant had good or bad overall driving habits.

If you've been injured in a Chicago area car accident, contact an Illinois personal injury lawyer at Abels & Annes for free consultation. Call 312-924-7575 to speak directly to an attorney now.

This blog article is in no way intended to endorse Allstate insurance and is not meant to give an opinion as to whether the insurance carrier is better or worse than any of its competitors (although I do like the actor in the Allstate mayhem commercials).

Click here to read the story as reported by Chicago Breaking Business.

A deadly Illinois pedestrian accident has left one person dead and police searching for the driver that fled the scene, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The accident occurred Saturday morning in Gage Park, according to police.

Chicago Police were called to the 5200 block of S. Western Ave. just after 3:30 AM. There they found the pedestrian victim, a 21-year-old resident of the 6300 block of S. Kostner Avenue, lying on the ground. Police believe he been struck by a car behind the collision threw him into the air, landing on a parked car and then coming to rest on the ground.

The victim was rushed to Cook County Hospital and was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Chicago police are looking for a green vehicle with possible headlight damage. The vehicle may also have damage on the front and right side, according to a police spokesperson.

The Chicago Police Department's major accidents investigation unit is handling the investigation. Anyone with information should immediately contact the team at 312-745-4521.

In a case like this, our condolences go out to the victim and his family. As far as a civil case is concerned, the chances of catching the driver and that driver having valid insurance is very remote. Typically, once a Chicago personal injury lawyer gets involved in the case, they will explore the option of setting up a hit and run / uninsured motorist claim against the pedestrian victim's own auto insurance policy. Click here to read more about Chicago hit-and-run claims and Illinois uninsured motorist cases.

Want to make a resolution in 2011 that could safe your life, the life of a loved one or the life of a total stranger: Vow to watch your speed and reduce your risk of a serious or fatal Chicago car accident.

Speed or the pace in which we do things seems to be of growing importance in our society each and every day. We race at home in the morning so that we can then rush to work. Then once we have occupied 8-10 hours of our day at work we rush to run errands, pick up or transport kids to activities, and race home to do chores before we hit the pillow at night. At this pace, it’s no wonder that, as Chicago accident attorneys, we see so many accidents caused by speeding.

The 2008 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that we have not slowed down in the last 10 years. Alarmingly, nationwide from 1998-2008, we have not gone below 10,000 fatal crashes involving speed.

The NHTSA offered the following speeding statistics from 2008:

-1/3 of all fatal crashes involved speeding.

-Speed-related costs in the United States total $44,193 a minute.

-A monthly average of just under 1,000 people died in speeding accidents.

-16% of property only damage was the result of speeding.

-Males had a tendency to speed more than females.

-A correlation seemed to exist for males as their driving age increases, their chance of being in a fatal speeding crash decreased over time.

- Male drivers between the ages of 15-24 reported almost 40% of fatalities due to speeding.

According to the NHTSA, 31% of all fatal crashes in 2008 involved speeding nationwide. Unfortunately, Illinois is a state that bumps up this average as the recorded fatalities involving speeding crashes was slightly higher at 37%.

Speeding decreases a driver’s reaction time to an incident. Speeding increases your stopping distance. If the driver in front of you suddenly stops; you will need more distance to stop, especially if you are going faster than the driver in front of you. Speeding pushes the limits of your vehicle and roadway safety system. Barriers that can stop a vehicle at 55 mph might not be effective at 100 mph.

And the laws of physics make each mile an hour that much more deadly in the event of an accident. So the probability of death, disfigurement or debilitating injury doubles for every 10 miles per hour over 50 mph that a vehicle travels.

So do yourself a favor in 2011, and slow down.

Continue reading " Resolve to slow down in 2011 and reduce your risk of a Chicago car accident " »