A collision between a cab and a pedestrian last week that resulted in the death of the pedestrian has resulted in formal charges being brought against the cab driver, according to local police. The collision occurred last Monday near Midway Airport along the 5200 block of South Cicero Avenue in Chicago.
The cab driver was reportedly speeding down the road just before midnight when he struck and killed a pedestrian from Oklahoma. Another driver behind the cab witnessed the crash and said the cab driver did nothing to check on the pedestrian but instead complained loudly and stated that he did not want to go to jail. The same witness also said the cab driver was traveling south down Cicero and that the pedestrian was already in the road when the driver hit him.
Local police responded to the scene to investigate the incident. They have since charged the cab driver with driving too fast for conditions and striking a pedestrian who was in the roadway since the pedestrian was not within a marked crosswalk at the time of the collision.
The cab driver is a 75-year-old male who lives in Chicago and has been cited numerous times in the last decade for traffic offenses, including speeding. It is unclear whether he had the required license necessary to drive a cab in Chicago at the time of the collision with the pedestrian and if he did not, the driver may also face additional charges related to his licensing.
Chicago cabs operate under a medallion, or a legally recognized and controlled method of identification issued by the city. There are nearly 7,000 taxi medallions in the city right now and many of those cabs operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the use of multiple drivers. This means that at any given time, there are thousands of cabs on the streets, roads, and highways, providing easy transportation for some but presenting a significant risk to others.
Cab drivers travel an unusually large number of miles annually, and this allows them to be involved in a large number of the cities crashes. While they are not responsible for all of the crashes they are involved in, there are many crashes where the blame falls on the cab driver. The nature of their job encourages or even requires them to drive fast at times, making it all too tempting to speed, ignore traffic signals, and engage in other risky behavior. While this type of driving may lead to larger tips from some clients who arrive at their destination on time, it presents an unreasonable risk to all other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians who use the roads.
In addition to the risky behavior exhibited by many cab drivers, the insurance companies involved in these collisions are notoriously difficult to deal with and can be unreasonable even in cases where liability is clear. This makes it very important to deal with a personal injury attorney if you are involved in a collision with a cab that injures you.
If you or a family member have been injured in a collision with a cab, call the Chicago taxi cab accident attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free consultation. We have a lawyer standing by to take your call at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442 and we make ourselves available 24 hours a day.
Prior Blog Entries:
Cyclist Killed by Car in Old Town Was Outspoken on Bicycle Safety, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published June 1, 2013.
$200,000 Settlement Reached for Injured Bicyclist That Was Hit By Driver on Cell Phone, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 30, 2013.
Resources:
Cabdriver cited in fatal accident, by Adam Sege, Chicago Tribune, published May 29, 2013.