Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

State targets reduction in Illinois traffic deaths as holidays approach

November 19, 2009 | By Dave Abels

The state of Illinois has launched a new campaign aimed at reducing the number of fatalities on Illinois roadways this year by at least 100.

The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police announced Operation Save 100 began Thursday and will run through the end of 2009, according to the Chicago Tribune.

The Chicago injury lawyers and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes published a report last week at Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog taking a look at the 1,043 fatal Illinois car accidents last year.

That represents a 1.6 percent decrease from the year before, and the lowest fatality rate since 1923, but state officials want to best it by saving at least 100 lives and bringing this year’s total to 943 or less.

While there appears to be a high chance for success — 781 died on Illinois roads through last week compared to 883 during the same period last year — November and December are traditionally two of the deadliest months of the year as holiday travelers, drunk drivers and winter weather converge to increase driving hazards.

Saving 100 lives would also save $100 million — the state estimates each road fatality costs about $1.2 million.

“We continue to put our best efforts forward and work to save more lives every day,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig. “We have a wonderful partnership with Illinois State Police in this effort and we are doing everything possible to keep Illinois drivers safe behind the wheel.”

Operation Save 100 began Thursday Nov. 12 and runs through the end of the year. During the 8-week campaign, more than 400 law enforcement agencies are being asked to enhance operations and provide weekly activity and crash reports.

The campaign will be augmented by television and radio interviews, press releases, news conferences and other community action statewide.

Illinois traffic fatalities have been declining, from 1,248 in 2007 to 1,043 last year. Nationwide, 37,261 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2008, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Last year, Illinois was one of only 10 states to log more than 1,000 traffic deaths, according to government statistics.
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Two killed, 10 injured in separate weekend Chicago car accidents

November 17, 2009 | By Dave Abels

Two people were killed and at least 10 others injured in separate weekend Chicago car accidents.

The fatal accident posted originally posted early Monday on our Chicago Car Accident Lawyers blog has claimed another life and led to criminal charges against the driver.

A 27-year-old driver of an Oldsmobile Alero was killed after being broadsided by a Chevy Malibu at the intersection of 75th and State streets shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday. An 87-year-old passenger in the Malibu also was killed.

Chicago injury lawyers recover $27,500 for bike rider hurt by opening car door

November 15, 2009 | By Dave Abels

The Chicago bicycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have successfully recovered $27,500 in damages from State Farm insurance on behalf of a client who suffered a leg laceration and hand injury in a Chicago bicycle accident.

The case also included $2,445.98 in negotiated reductions of medical bills at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center and a $142.40 reduction in medical bills from Wellington Radiology. After reductions, clients medical bills totaled just under $6,500.

The accident occurred shortly before 8 a.m. on Nov. 29,2007 when 21-year-old client was riding his bike southbound in the bike lane on Clybourn Avenue; a 30-year-old Chicago woman in a 2007 Ford Escape opened her car door into his path.

$10,000 reward offered for driver responsible for hit-and-run Chicago pedestrian accident on Halloween Night

November 13, 2009 | By Dave Abels

A $10,000 reward is being offered for the driver responsible for a north side hit-and-run Chicago car accident on Nov. 1.

The parents of the young waitress who was killed at Lincoln and Cullom avenues announced the reward, according to WGN9News. She was walking home from her nearby bartending job when she was struck by a vehicle that did not stop, according to police.

Surveillance video from Bowman’s Bar and Grill may have captured the vehicle seconds before the accident that killed Rachel Gilliam, WGN9News reported.

Separate Chicago subway incidents leave one dead, one injured

November 11, 2009 | By Dave Abels

Authorities are investigating two Chicago subway accidents recently involving C.T.A. Blue Line trains.

A person died October 25th in the afternoon after being hit by the Blue Line train in the loop, according to WGNtv.

Police were conducting a death investigation shortly after 1 p.m. at the Monroe Street subway station. Northbound and southbound trains temporarily operated on a singled track between Grand Avenue station and the Racine Avenue station, bypassing Monroe.

Middle-aged men most likely to be killed in Chicago bicycle accidents

November 9, 2009 | By Dave Abels

A total of 716 bicyclists were killed in the United States during 2008 and another 52,000 were injured, according to statistics just released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The vast majority of those involved in fatal bicycle accidents were middle-aged men, ages 35-64.

Overall, bicycle fatalities have declined 6 percent in the last decade — 760 cyclists were killed in 1998. However, bicycle deaths increased from the 701 deaths recorded in 2007.

The Chicago bicycle accident lawyers at Abels & Annes are outspoken advocates for the rights of cyclists and experienced Chicago injury lawyers who fight for the rights of cyclists who are injured or killed.

The most bicycle deaths ever recorded was 1,003 in 1975.

In Illinois, 27 people were killed in bicycle accidents, the sixth-highest in the nation.

The five states with the most bicycle fatalities were Florida (125), California (109), Texas (53), New York (42) and North Carolina (32).

One in seven bicycle fatalities in 2008 were between the ages of 5 and 15.

The average age of cyclists injured or killed has been increasing along with the popularity of cycling among older adults. The average age of cyclists killed increased from 32 in 1998 to 41 last year. The average age of bicycle injuries increased from 24 in 1998 to 31 last year.

Cycling fatalities occur primarily among men, with 87 percent of fatalities and 79 percent of injuries involving males.

Men ages 45-54 were involved in the most fatal accidents (161) followed by men ages 55-64 (103) and men ages 35-44 (77).

For more information about the work of Chicago bicycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes, visit the Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog or the firm’s summer safe cyclist blog.
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One drunk driving death every 45 minutes — Illinois drunk driving accidents a continuing problem

November 7, 2009 | By Dave Abels

A total of 11,773 of the nation’s 37,261 traffic fatalities were caused by drunk drivers, according to a comprehensive look at drunk driving released in time for the holiday driving season by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Chicago drunk driving accident lawyers and the personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at Abels & Annes encourage everyone to do their part in preventing drunk driving accidents as we head into the heart of the holiday season.

In Illinois, of the 1,043 people killed in traffic accidents, one in three (362) were legally drunk and one in four (252) had a blood alcohol level of almost twice the legal limit (.15) or higher.

While drunk driving deaths decreased nearly 10 percent from the 13,041 deaths recorded in 2007, the new statistics are startling confirmation that one-third of all traffic deaths are the direct result of drunk driving.

The statistics represent an average of one drunk driving death every 45 minutes.

Included in the deaths were 692 non-occupant fatalities, which usually means a bicyclist or pedestrian death.

Over 70 percent of drunk driving fatalities occurred at night and 55 percent occurred during the weekend.

One in every 7 drivers killed in a drunk driving accident were under the age of 21 (and thus not even old enough to drink). One-third of drivers ages 25 to 34 who were killed in fatal accidents were intoxicated. One in four drivers 35 to 44 who were killed were intoxicated.

In recent months, the Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog at Abels & Annes has reported on the dangers of nighttime driving, the increasing number of women arrested for DUI, and a report that found 1 in 7 weekend nighttime drivers tested positive for alcohol or drugs.
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Chicago train accident traps stroller in door, throws toddler onto tracks

November 5, 2009 | By Dave Abels

Authorities are investigating what caused a CTA train to take off with a baby stroller lodged in a door; the stroller was dragged along the platform until the little girl was flung onto the ground along the tracks.

The child’s adult caregiver told police the train took off with the stroller caught in its doors, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Some Chicago train accidents have nothing to do with crashing trains. But, like in this instance, involve people who are injury embarking or disembarking, fall in a stairwell or on a platform or are injured in a Chicago car accident at a railroad crossing.

Chicago car accident seriously injures motorists reportedly trying to avoid police chase

November 3, 2009 | By Dave Abels

A driver, reportedly attempting to get out of the way of an early Monday morning police chase, was involved in a Chicago car accident that sent both the driver and the passenger to the hospital with serious injuries.

The high-speed police chase began about 1:45 a.m. when police heard gunshots and gave chase to a fleeing vehicle, according to The Chicago Breaking News Center.

A vehicle trying to get out of the way of the chase crashed into a viaduct at 5100 S. Princeton Avenue. While police called the crash an unrelated incident, an officer on the scene said the crash was connected to the chase, according to the media report.

Traffic accidents leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14

October 30, 2009 | By Dave Abels

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for children ages 3 to 14 years old, according to 2008 crash statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Some of the most tragic and difficult cases handled by the Chicago car accident attorneys and the personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes involve the serious injury or death of a child in a car accident.

In 2008, 1,347 young passengers were killed in traffic accidents nationwide and 193,000 were injured. Every day, an average of 4 children under the age of 14 are killed and 529 injured in traffic accidents.

Illinois ranked 6th in the nation for the highest number of children killed in automobile accidents. Texas (154), California (142), Florida (73), Georgia (65) and North Carolina (45) were the five deadliest states.

Nationwide, alcohol was involved in 16 percent of the fatal crashes — about half of those occurred when a child passenger of a drunk driver was killed.

A total of 270 children were killed in pedestrian accidents and another 13,000 were injured. About half of these child pedestrian fatalities occurred between 4 and 8 p.m.

Eighty-one children were killed in bicycle accidents and another 52,000 were injured.

The report concluded that child-safety seats reduced the risk of fatal injury to infants by 71 percent and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars.
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