DUI Category Archives — Page 10 of 10 — Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog Published by Chicago, Illinois Injury & Accident Attorneys

Man faces multiple charges in fatal Chicago drunk driving accident

September 22, 2009 | By Dave Abels

A 35-year-old man faces numerous charges after a fatal weekend Chicago DUI accident.

The accused driver faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless homicide, leaving the scene of an accident, driving without insurance and failure to stop at a red light, according to the Chicago Tribune.

ABC7 reported the victim, a 30 year old man from Chicago, died as a result of his injuries after his vehicle was struck by the defendant’s truck at about 2:30 a.m. The crash happened at West Cermak Road and South Damen Avenue on the city’s Southwest Side.

Binge drinking research – DUI drivers too often endanger Illinois residents

September 16, 2009 | By Dave Abels

An alarming new federal report shows the battle against drunk driving is far from over: 1 in 10 binge drinkers got behind the wheel of an automobile the last time they drank heavily, driving away from a bar, restaurant or nightclub after downing five or more drinks and putting everyone in their path in danger.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and drunk driving accident attorneys at Abels & Annes have blogged this year –both here and on our sister site www.chicagocaraccidentlawyersblog.com –about the increase in drunk driving cases against women, the high rate of night and weekend car accidents caused by drunk drivers, and the overall dangers of drunk driving.

One out of every three fatal crashes in 2008 was alcohol related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In this latest study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 percent of 14,000 binge drinkers surveyed admitted to driving after their last bout of heavy drinking.

All had five or more drinks; half admitted to having seven or more drinks; 1 in 4 admitted to consuming at least 10 drinks before driving. The report highlighted the need to do a better job of preventing bars and restaurants from serving intoxicated patrons.

Illinois’ Dram Shop laws permit injured parties to attempt to recover damages from restaurants or bars who serve intoxicated patrons who cause serious injury or death to an innocent party. in other words, Chicago car accident victims who are injured by a drunk driver can sometimes make a claim, not only against the at-fault driver, but against the establishment that severed the alcohol.

Dr. Timothy Naimi, of the CDC’s alcohol program, attributes binge drinking to more than 11,000 deaths a year. He called Dram Shop laws “among the most disregarded laws in the country.”

“The drinking location is really important,” Naimi said. “We’re trusting these licensed establishments to serve responsibly, and more than half of the intoxicated people who drive have been drinking in these places.”
Continue reading

Illinois announces crackdown on drunk drivers through Labor Day weekend

August 21, 2009 | By Dave Abels

Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes often represent Illinois residents who have been injured by DUI drivers. One car accident case we are currently working on involves the death of two minor children.

The State of Illinois has announced a crackdown on drunk drivers that launches this week and runs through the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Robert Brasky, Illinois Traffic Safety Leaders president, announced officers from all departments will be out in force beginning Aug. 21 and cited motorcycle riders as being at particularly high risk through the holiday weekend.

The Chicago car accident lawyers and motorcycle accident attorneys at Abels & Annes blogged recently about the increase in motorcycle fatalities.

Police will join thousands of other law enforcement and highway safety agencies throughout the nation as they take part in the “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest” crackdown on impaired driving.

In 2007, nearly 13,000 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. About 1 in 3 road fatalities involves drunk driving.

For motorcycle riders, 2007 statistics show a higher percentage (27 percent) had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher than any other type of motor vehicle driver.

The Chicago Sun-Times recently reported Illinois motorcycle accidents are up 22 percent, from 2,180 in 2007 to 2,663 last year.

“Make no mistake. Our message is simple. No matter what you drive-a passenger car, pickup, sport utility vehicle or motorcycle-if police catch you driving impaired, we will arrest you. No exceptions. No excuses,” said Brasky. “Driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. Yet we continue to see far a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving. This careless disregard for human life must stop. To help ensure that happens, police are dedicated to arresting impaired drivers wherever and whenever they find them.”

The national “Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” program is organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and focuses on combining high-visibility enforcement with heightened public awareness and publicity.

For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.
Continue reading

Chicago DUI Car Accident – 9 Year Old Child Injured

June 14, 2009 | By Dave Abels

On the South Side of Chicago a single car accident has resulted in a nine-year-old’s head being thrown into a windshield, and the child’s mother being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, according to ABC News. The mother, Cheryl Ranae Reynolds, hit a viaduct Saturday night near East 83rd and South Jeffery after she allegedly reached down to pick up a bottle alcohol she dropped on the floor.

The mother has been charged with aggravated DUI and not wearing a seat belt. The Chicago Police Department is handling the investigation. The extent of the child’s injuries have not yet been reported.

While the mother caused the accident, that fact does not bar an injury claim by the minor child against her mother and mother’s auto insurance carrier. If the mother had valid auto insurance, the child will be able to pursue a claim.