Articles Posted in Auto Accident

Chicago reported nearly 4,500 DUI arrests in 2010, according to the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists. Although this illustrates a 15 percent decrease from 2009, DUI’s and drunk driving car accidents in Chicago are still a big problem and take the lives of too many innocent people on our roadways.

Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Devices (BAIIDS) have been placed in the vehicle of every first-time DUI offender since January of 2009. Since the law was first put into effect, the number of “BAIIDS” in Illinois quadrupled to 12,000 a year, according to ABC 7. This program isn’t costing tax payers either, DUI offenders are required to pay for all of the costs to install and operate the BAIID devices. With this device, a convicted driver must blow into the car’s breathalyzer so that it can measure the blood alcohol content before the car can be started.This month, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has placed impaired drivers on its “Most Wanted” list. The most wanted list is part of an awareness campaign that aims to increase the public’s awareness of, and support for, actions that can help prevent these drunk driving car accidents. Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand that drunk driving accidents can be easily prevented. No one has to drink and drive. Stopping these drivers may come down to stricter punishments for those who have already been busted.

That’s exactly what the NTSB proposes. In an attempt to target these dangerous drivers, the NTSB encourages states to create comprehensive solutions for this problem. They recommend that states conduct sobriety checkpoints, especially during popular holiday periods. They also suggest that a state enact administrative license revocation if a driver fails or refuses a sobriety test. It is important for all states to limit plea bargaining. Currently, 16 states have laws that prohibit plea-bargaining DWI cases. Eight of those states limit the ban to specific conditions, such as when the DWI has caused an injury or fatality. The NTSB recommends that these convicted drivers be assessed and treated to prevent them from operating their vehicles while under the influence of alcohol in the future.

To reduce recidivism, the NTSB suggests the use of jail alternatives. These alternatives should include dedicated jail/treatment facilities, intensive supervision probation or home detention with electronic monitoring.

So you don’t think drunk driving is a serious enough offense to deserve these restrictions? Consider this. Every 48 minutes, someone is killed in a traffic accident that involves an alcohol-impaired driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 11,000 people were killed in these types of accidents. These alcohol-impaired-driving deaths accounted for more than 30 percent of the all motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the United States that year. Even though we’ve seen a decrease in the number of highways deaths over the last few years, the number of DUI-related deaths has not decreased in the last 10 years.

Nearly 400 people were killed in Illinois from car accidents that involved an intoxicated driver in 2009. The NHTSA reports that a driver usually makes more than 85 impaired driving trips before finally being caught and arrested by authorities.
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Earlier this week, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a law that will require that all Illinoisans buckle up in the back seat of a motor vehicle. Although Illinois has a 90.3 percent seat belt usage rate and is ranked 12th in the nation for responsible seat belt users, state government believes that we can improve our stats a little more.

Regardless of your viewpoints on government regulation on seat belt usage, you can’t deny that seat belts save lives. Yes, we have all heard the stories of someone surviving an accident because they were NOT wearing their seat belt. And motorists who where their seat belt are too often tragically killed in motor vehicle accidents. The fact remains though, that wearing your seat belt and not driving distracted are two things each motorist can do to help protect themselves from a fatal car accident in Chicago and elsewhere throughout Illinois.Our Chicago personal injury attorneys know motorists are the frequent victims of negligent drivers, whether or not they are wearing their seat belt. Drivers have a civic duty to be cautious behind the wheel. This mean obeying speed limits and traffic laws, exercising respect for other motorists and halting distractions while operating your vehicle.

Starting the first of the year, driver in Illinois can get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt in the back seat of a motor vehicle. The current law states that only motorists who are age 19 and over can ride without a seat belt in the back seat. After the first of the year, Illinois will become the 26th state to require that everyone buckles up in the back seat.

The bill was sponsored by Senate President John Cullerton. He says that the change could save as many as 25 lives a year.

“This is the most important thing we can do,” Cullerton said.

Not everyone agrees with the new law. Some argue that by requiring people to wear seat belts the government is intruding on personal freedom. Hinsdale Republican Sen. Kirk Dillard, was one of those who opposed. He has previously stated that he strongly supports the use of seat belts but had to vote against the plan because he believes that it shouldn’t be the government’s call.

Still, suburban motorists are some of the state’s most responsible seat belt users. According to a recent study, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties all had a 94.2 percent seat belt usage rate of drivers and front-seat passengers.

As of July 2008, our state officers can fine a motorist $55 for not wearing a seat belt.

Seat belts aren’t just an issue in Illinois either. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is urging all motorists around the nation to buckle up, too. He released data that concludes that states that strengthen seat belt laws and increase fines for unbuckled motorists tend to see a significant increase seat belt use.

“For the sake of your loved ones and everyone else on the road, please remember to buckle up and put away your cell phone every time you get behind the wheel,” said Secretary LaHood.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that upgrade
from a secondary to primary seat belt law show estimated seat belt use gains of 12 percent.

They’ve also concluded that states that increase fines for seat belt use violations show gains of nearly 5 percentage points in belt use.

“Seat belts are the single most protective safety device ever invented for use in vehicles, saving thousands of lives each year. Now our research proves that when states step up sanctions, they’re rewarded with huge improvements in belt use,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.
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Cars acquire more and more technology every day. Some of this technology proves to help save the lives of pedestrians, like the rear-view cameras, while others many do nothing more than help you to check your Facebook while driving. Either way, these technological advancements are in high demand by consumers nationwide and our vehicles come with more distractions with each passing year.David Strickland, the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, says enough is enough. He says these unnecessary and unsafe technology do nothing more than increase your risks of being involved in a car accident in Illinois or elsewhere in the United States. He recently voiced his opinion on these new technologies at Telematics Detroit 2011. This probably wasn’t the best choice of audience to speak to about this topic as the attendees of this conference only look to enhance the use of such products inside the vehicle. Strickland wants to halt the progression of motor vehicles into rolling infotainment centers.

Our Chicago personal injury attorneys understand the argument. But we also understand the argument of Telematics Detroit 2011. Some of these devices that have been recently introduced to motor vehicles do help to safely navigate on our roadways , like Global Positioning System navigation, automated emergency notification and internal diagnostics. However, there are a number of other new features that many safe driving advocates would argue only take driver attention away from the road, like a number of on-board systems for entertainment and social media.

“I’m just putting everyone on notice,” Strickland said, choosing his words carefully and ironically, “A car is not a mobile device.”

Safe driving advocates refer to the Chevy Cruze ad when speaking about these unsafe technologies now being added to vehicles. This was a commercial that debuted during the Super Bowl. It showed a guy, driving in his car, receiving his Facebook updates. Even though the built in app read them to him while driving, many still believe that the hands-free device is potentially distracting.

The Telematics Conference preaches the exact opposite message, stating that these features make driving easier and safer because people are going to engage in these acts while driving anyways. As a matter of fact, their website title reads, “Telematics is Here to Stay! Take Note of Consumer Demands As the Car Becomes the Ultimate Mobile Device.”

“I’m not in the business of helping people tweet better,” said Strickland. “I’m not in the business of helping people post on Facebook better.”

Most of the new gadgets that are being installed in these cars are indeed hands-free, which is one of their main selling points. Manufacturers claim that they’re only making driving safer because hands-free is a whole lot better than thumbing through your smart-phone while trying to drive.

According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety studies, hands-free devices may eliminate some of the physical distraction, but not they do nothing to eliminate cognitive distraction. For this reason, the Institute says that drivers on the phone, whether hands-free or not, are still at an increased risk for a motor-vehicle accident.
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It’s no longer a secret that a number of drivers in Illinois have no idea what they’re doing behind the wheel of a car. According to the 2011 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, our state ranked 41st out of all 50 states. Our state’s average was a 75.8 percent, meaning that roughly one in four drivers on our roadways would not score well on a written driver’s exam if they were to take it today. Drivers with poor knowledge and awareness increase the risk that you will be involved in a car accident in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois.”The GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test has become the benchmark for America’s driving IQ,” said Scott Eckman, chief marketing officer, GMAC Insurance. “All Americans need a refresher course when it comes to rules of the road and it begins with education. We’re hoping this year’s GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test results will inspire drivers to arm themselves with the knowledge they need to stay safe.”

Our Chicago car accident attorneys believe that our state’s drivers can do much better this year with a little studying and practice. Our state scored below the nation’s average by 2.1 percent. These dangerous driving habits of ours can be reversed with the right mindset. Drivers are urged to familiarize themselves with the current road rules and regulations in attempt to reduce the risks of a serious or fatal car accident.

Nationwide, the test scores revealed that approximately 20 percent of the tested drivers would be unable to pass a written drivers exam if they were to take it today. They were unable to meet the minimum requirements to get a driver’s license in their state. This 20 percent equates nearly 37 million licensed American drivers on our roadways.

While our country’s score did increase from a 76.2 percent in 2010 to a 77.9 percent for this year’s average, the failing population still accounts for far too many drivers. After this year’s test results were released, it was concluded that nearly 90 percent of drivers were unable to identify what the proper action would be when pulling up to a steady yellow light. Another 25 percent of drivers were unable to identify what a proper following distance was.

Once again, Kansas took first place with an average state score of 82.9 percent. New York was bumped from last place, after 3 consecutive last place rankings, by Washington D.C. with an average score of 71.8 percent.

GMAC Insurance uses the National Drivers Test to remind all drivers that it may be time for them to re-up their driving skills as many of us “forget” what may be expected of us on our roadways.

The GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test concluded the following:

-Older drivers, or those ages 60- to 65-years-old, are some of the most knowledgeable on our roadways as nationally they averaged the highest test scores at 80.3 percent.

-Men tested better than women. Women only returned an average test score of 74.1 percent while men averaged at an 80.2 percent.

-The Northeast region of the county has some of the worst drivers, or at least the worst test average. They submitted an average test score of 74.9 percent.

-The Midwest region of the country had some of the highest test scores as they averaged a score of 77.5 percent.

-After three years in last place, New York moved to 45th place in the country. Last place is now held by Washington D.C.

-Wyoming had the lowest percentage of failures. Only one in twenty tested failed.

Try taking the National Drivers Test for yourself and see where you score stands up against the country’s average.
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A new video, “Faces of Distracted Driving,” was recently released by the U.S. Department of Transportation in an attempt to reduce the number of car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere throughout the country that are caused by drivers that aren’t paying attention behind the wheel.The new PSA features Charlene Sligting-Doud, who is a National Safety Council victim advocate. She became a safety advocate for the group back in 2007 after his father, John Sligting, was killed in a motorcycle accident. The cause of the accident? A distracted driver. His father’s motorcycle was cut off by a teen driver who, when using a cell phone behind the wheel, ran his vehicle straight through a stop sign. The safety advocate is using this video to urge drivers to make a vow to be cell phone free behind the wheel in celebration of the upcoming Father’s Day and in honor of all of the victims of distracted driving accidents.

Our Illinois personal injury lawyers understand that distracted driving is a common, and deadly, habit that creates serious risks for everyone on the road. Distraction.gov reports, nearly 5,500 people were killed in motor-vehicle accidents involving distracted driving in the United Stated in 2009. Another 448,000 people were injured on our roadways because of inattentive driving.

“My father was a hero to many,” said Sligting-Doud. “He served in the military, he was a firefighter and he was an amazing father. Losing him devastated my family. People need to put their cell phones down and focus on the task of driving. Don’t spend Father’s Day sharing memories – spend Father’s Day making memories.”

According to the National Safety Council, those who text while driving are at particularly high risk. More than 100,000 accidents happen each year because of the cell phone texts. An additional 1.2 million crashes involved a cell phone as the form of distraction for an accident.

“John Sligting was a beloved father and grandfather whose life was cut short because of distracted driving,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “I applaud Charlene for all of the work she is doing to raise awareness about this deadly epidemic, and I hope that everyone who hears about the loss of her father will remember to keep their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their focus on driving this Father’s Day weekend.”

Charlene Sligting-Doud also manages the HEARTS Network at the National Safety Council. Honoring Everyone Affected, Rallying the Survivors, or HEARTS, discusses real-life stories from victims who have all had their lives changed by traffic accidents that involved a teen driver.

Facts illustrating the dangers of distracted driving:

-Out of all the deaths resulting from distracted driving accidents, nearly 1,000 of these incidents reported a cell phone as the driver distraction. This counted for nearly 20 percent of all of the distraction-related accidents.

-Drivers that are using a hand-held device while driving a motor-vehicle are four times more likely to get into an accident serious enough to injure themselves.

-Roughly 20 percent of all the injury accidents that were reported in 2009 involved a distracted driver.

-The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that drivers under the age of 20 have the greatest proportion of distracted drivers that were involved in fatal accidents.

-Using a cell phone behind the wheel gives a driver the same reaction time as someone who is driving while legally drunk.
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The fatal Memorial Day weekend Chicago car accident being blamed on drunk driving is a tragic reminder of the consequences of drinking and driving as the summer travel season begins.

The Chicago Tribune reports the crash killed an infant whose first birthday was a week away and closed the Dan Ryan Expressway for hours over the holiday weekend.The crash injured seven people — the 1993 green two-door Oldsmobile was apparently overloaded as it traveled I-90/94. The 47-year-old driver reportedly lost control and struck a guardrail. Four women and four children were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash — three of the four children were ejected.

While we often think of victim’s in another vehicle when we think of car accidents, it is equally possible to file a claim against the driver of the vehicle you are riding in when a serious or fatal accident occurs. Speaking with a Chicago injury attorney as soon as possible after the crash is the best course of action for protecting your rights.

The accused driver is due in court to face charges of aggravated DUI for an accident causing death and reckless homicide.

ABC7 reports the crash occurred near 75th Street and backed up the outbound Dan Ryan for hours during Monday evening’s busy holiday rush.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports one-third of the nation’s fatal accidents involve alcohol, claiming nearly 11,000 lives in 2009.

Illinois car accidents involving alcohol claimed 381 lives that year — 42 percent of the 911 motorists killed on the road. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is among the most dangerous times on the road.

Those ages 25 to 44 accounted for about half of all traffic fatalities involving alcohol in 2009. However, the 21- to 24-year-old age group had the highest percentage of drivers with alcohol in their system at the time of the crash — 35 percent.

Not surprisingly, motorists at night were about three times more likely to be involved in a crash with a drunk driver. Weekend nights were most dangerous.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving ranks Illinois a dismal 37th when it comes to drunk driving safety. The organization reports the state has nearly 50,000 three-time DUI offenders.
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