Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Cook County approved the installation of 30 new red light cameras as area officials continue to expand a program they contend is aimed at reducing serious and fatal Chicago car accidents.

In March, we reported on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog that area police chiefs had voiced strong support for the program. Detractors claim the cameras are little more than a cash cow for government and are being installed without regard for reducing traffic accidents.Nationwide, 1 in every 7 traffic fatalities occurs at an intersection. More than 7,700 motorists were killed at intersection crashes in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During the first eight months of last year, the City of Chicago collected nearly $38 million from more than 200 cameras installed throughout the city.

Other states are struggling with the issue. In Florida, lawmakers passed a law earlier this year allowing motorists to be mailed tickets for violations. Palm Beach County reported an increase in rear-end collisions at intersections, with no noticeable decrease in accidents. The county loosened restrictions on right-turn-on-red violations after the mayor was ticketed. In Arizona, the governor recently announced an end to that state’s program after motorists largely ignored tickets delivered in the mail.

The move by the Cook County Board will put cameras at 30 intersections in suburban Chicago by mid-summer, including one suburb where the cameras were removed last year. Schaumburg got rid of its cameras last year, saying they were too much trouble and unfair to motorists. However, with the county having jurisdiction over many suburban roads, Schaumburg will get six of the cameras whether it wants them or not.

CBS2 reported the cameras will be installed at the following intersections:

-Lake Avenue and Ridge Road, Wilmette

-87th Street and Roberts Road, Hickory Hills/Justice

-Arlington Heights Road and Lake-Cook Road, Arlington Heights/Buffalo Grove

-Schaumburg Road and Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg

-Vollmer Road and Central Road, Matteson

-Euclid Avenue and Roselle Road, Palatine

-Euclid Avenue and Quentin Road, Palatine

-103rd Street and Roberts Road, Palos Hills

-Lake-Cook Road and McHenry Road, Hickory Hills

-Schaumburg Road and Roselle Road, Schaumburg

-Lake-Cook Road and Skokie Boulevard, Northbrook

-Greenwood Road and 154th Street, South Holland/Dolton

-167th Street and Kedzie Avenue, Hazel Crest/Markham

-Sauk Trail and Orchard Drive, Park Forest

-143rd Street and Ridgeland Avenue, Orland Park

-Buffalo Grove Road and Lake-Cook Road, Buffalo Grove

-Meacham Road and Nerge Road, Elk Grove Village

-Central Road and Roselle Road, Schaumburg

-Lake-Cook Road and Waukegan Road, Deerfield

-Hintz Road and Arlington Heights Road, Arlington heights

-Hintz Road and Wolf Road, Wheeling

-County Line Road and Plainfield Road, Hinsdale

-Roselle Road and Wise Road, Schaumburg

-Meacham Road and Biesterfield Road, Elk Grove Village

-Wise Road and Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg

-County Line Road and German Church, Burr Ridge

-171st Street and 80th Avenue, Tinley Park

-Arlington Heights Road and Devon Avenue, Elk Grove Village

-Hintz Road and Buffalo Grove Road, Arlington Heights
-Schaumburg Road and Plum Grove Road, Schaumburg Continue reading

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching a Safe Summer Driving campaign, aimed at urging motorists to practice safe driving habits and reduce the risk of being involved in a serious or fatal car accident.

Our Chicago accident lawyers continue to report on the large number of Illinois car accidents caused by distracted driving, drunk driving, aggressive driving, speeding and other poor driving choices. Sometimes being in an accident is unavoidable. But doing your part and discussing safe driving with your family can go a long way toward ensuring you have a safe and enjoyable summer driving season.Distracted Driving: Each year an estimated 6,000 people are killed and more than 500,000 are seriously injured in traffic accidents caused by distracted driving. Text messaging and talking on the cell phone are two of the most dangerous practices. Other forms of driver distraction include eating, grooming, talking to passengers or using in-car technologies, such as GPS systems or Mp3 players.

Teen Drivers: As we report often, traffic accidents are the number one cause of death among teenagers ages 15 to 20. In fact, they are the number one cause of death for all children over the age of 3. However, teenagers are at high risk because of the freedom and independence that come with summer driving with friends. If you have not shared with your teen the graphic public service video we posted on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, please do so and speak with them about the dangers of distracted driving.

Tire Inflation & Vehicle Maintenance: The hot summer weather and worn or underinflated tires can be a deadly combination. Motorists should have their vehicle serviced and make sure their tires are in good repair. We continue to report cases of motorists being struck and killed on the freeway while attempting to change a tire or walk for help. Visit SafeCar.gov for more information on tire safety.

Top Summer Safety Tips:

-Never leave a child unattended in or near a vehicle. Temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly and quickly approach lethal levels. Adults should also pay close attention to children when moving or backing a vehicle.

-Always utilize the proper child restraints for children. For more information visit www.safecar.gov.

-Buckle up. It’s the law.

-Don’t drink and drive.

-Avoid fatigue and reduce stress. Drivers should get plenty of rest and leave in plenty of time to reach their destination.

-Keep your vehicle properly maintained. Make sure windshield wipers, lights and other equipment are functioning properly.
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It’s official: Chicago car accidents and accidents elsewhere in Illinois are one again on pace to hit record lows, the Illinois Department of Transportation reported.

As our Chicago injury attorneys have reported both here and on our sister site, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, the numbers of fatal traffic crashes are at record lows across the region. And the 928 fatal Illinois crashes in 2009 were already the fewest in nearly a century of reporting.

IDOT reports the overall number of Illinois traffic fatalities is down by 16.8 percent for the first six months of the year, from 434 in 2009 to 361 in 2010. Safety advocates point to increases in seat belt use and enhanced safety measures, including the state’s new law against text messaging while driving.

However, as we have reported both here and on our sister site, Chicago Car Accidents Lawyers Blog, many experts cite the economic downturn as the main reason for fewer traffic accidents being reported nationwide.

“We are extremely proud of the dedication, hard work and diligence shown by IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety, our partners, and Illinois motorists whose positive efforts have made this historic achievement possible,” said IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig.

The state reports a dramatic improvement in seat-belt usage rates since 2003, from 76.2 percent to 92.6 percent. Only 16 states report seat-belt compliance rates that are as good or better than Illinois’.

Meanwhile, the number of fatal Illinois traffic accidents has steadily declined.

2003: 1,454 2004: 1,355 2005: 1, 363 2006: 1,254 2007: 1,248 2008: 1,043 2009: 928 Continue reading

While the number of fatal car accidents continues to decline, you may be at increased risk of a Chicago car accident caused by distracted driving, according to a new report by the Governor’s Highway Safety Association.

Through July 13, a total of 431 traffic fatalities have been reported in Illinois, 50 fewer than the 481 reported during the same period of 2009, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. And, as we reported on our Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog in January, the 928 Illinois traffic fatalities recorded in 2009 were the fewest in a century of reporting.But the new report by the Governor’s Association highlights the increase in accidents blamed on distracted driving. The total number of traffic fatalities has declined nationwide, from 42,836 in 2004 to 37,261 in 2008. However, the number of fatal accidents blamed on distracted driving has increased by about 25 percent, from 4,978 in 2004 to 5,870 in 2008.

“Distracted driving is an emerging problem but a significant highway safety issue,” said Vernon F. Betkey Jr., chairman of the Governor’s Association. “Certainly most of the attention has been on texting and driving but there are a host of other distractions including cell phone calls (both handheld and hands-free) as well as more traditional ones such as eating, adjusting the radio, using the CD player or talking to passengers. Drivers need to be reminded to manage these distractions safely.”

Among the studies findings:

-The advent of Blackberry’s, Smart Phones, GPS devices and electronic notebooks has led to more potential driver distractions than ever before and such devices continue to be invented at a pace difficult to match by lawmakers and safety advocates.

-The number of drivers using cell phones at any given point has increased by 50 percent in the last six years (from 1 in 25 to 3 in 50).

-Only 34 states collect specific information on cell phone use at crash sites.

-About half of states do not provide information on distracted driving to teenagers.

-28 states (including Illinois) now ban text messaging by drivers.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 6,000 motorists are killed each year and more than 500,000 are injured in accidents caused by distracted driving. The Governor’s Association notes the actual number is probably much higher because of the lack of mandated data collection regarding distracted driving.

“We need to develop a traffic safety culture that does not condone driving while distracted much like we have done with drunk driving,” Betkey said.
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A suburban Chicago car accident killed an 81-year-old man near Wheaton on Sunday night, the Daily Herald reported.

Authorities report that a 2004 Dodge Dakota was heading east on Butterfield Road near Arrowhead Drive at about 8:40 p.m. Sunday when the victim’s Mercury Grand Marquis tried to turn out of the golf course to travel west. The truck struck the driver’s side front end of the Mercury.

The victim was taken to Central DuPage Hospital in Windfield, where he was pronounced dead at 1:49 a.m. The 23-year-old driver of the truck was treated for minor injuries and released.