Articles Posted in Pedestrian Accident

Drunk drivers pose a real and serious threat to themselves and to all others on the road. This includes not only passengers in their own vehicles but also those in other cars, on motorcycles or bicycles, or even pedestrians who are near the street or crossing in a crosswalk. As alcohol is a depressant, it suppresses the central nervous system and decreases a driver’s ability to react to hazards as they appear, including people in the road.

Drunk drivers are more likely to speed and more likely to ignore traffic control devices, like traffic lights and stop signs, when compared to other drivers. This means that the odds of a drunk driver causing a collision are high and when a crash does occur, it is likely to result in injuries.

The laws in Chicago let accident victims bring a claim for their financial damages against a drunk driver that causes their injuries. In some cases, there may be more than one claim available depending on how the accident occurred and what factors contributed to the crash.

Early reports indicate that a collision occurred between a driver and a pedestrian on Sunday in Chicago and that the pedestrian was crossing the street at the intersection of 78th and Ashland. To make things worse, it appears that the driver may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision and the pedestrian she struck was a uniformed police officer.

Authorities say the female driver, a Chicago resident, failed to yield to the pedestrian, who had the right-of-way, and proceeded into the intersection where the collision occurred. The woman refused several orders from the police officer to step outside of her car. When officers approached the woman, they reported her eyes to be bloodshot and glossy and they noticed a cup from a chain restaurant that appeared to be half full. The cup was reportedly labeled as a margarita cup and police believe it contained an alcoholic beverage at the time of the crash.

The woman has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, contrary to and in violation of local Chicago and state laws. She is currently free on bail.
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Cars are not the only things to use streets and roads to travel but rather must share that space with other vehicles, including motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, and buses. Pedestrians also are allowed to use roadways to travel but generally are restricted in their use to only intersections and in some places, only those intersections with crosswalks available. However when a pedestrian is within a marked crosswalk and has the right-of-way, it is every driver’s duty in Illinois to yield to the pedestrian and to wait until the pedestrian clears the area before proceeding forward. Following this rule should allow pedestrians and motorists to remain safe as they share the intersections.

Yet in some cases, a motorist fails to yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian and places his or her vehicle in the pedestrian’s path, causing a collision that nearly always leaves the pedestrian injured. It is in those cases that a pedestrian may wish to consider legal help from a pedestrian lawyer to learn whether there is a potential claim against the responsible driver. The facts of each case are specific and are what determine whether a claim for damages is available.

Any financial damages sought may be only part of the damage facing an at-fault driver when a pedestrian is injured or killed as the State of Illinois may bring traffic or criminal charges against a driver who causes a crash. Recently, charges for reckless homicide were filed against a 64-year-old Cicero man who hit and killed a pedestrian in September of 2012.

According to police and court records, the defendant was driving a van on West Ogden Avenue when he attempted to turn left. A 64-year-old woman was crossing the intersection and had the right-of-way when the defendant turned, causing the defendant to strike the woman with his van; the victim died of her injuries later that day.

Following the accident, the defendant remained at the scene and reported the incident to police. As the man was on a supervised license following an unrelated driving under the influence charge, tests were conducted to determine if impairment was a factor, but all tests revealed no intoxicating substance in the defendant’s system at the time of the crash. He is currently being held in lieu of $50,000 bond while he awaits trial in this matter.
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Traffic deaths have been mostly decreasing in recent years. Much of this decrease has been attributed to safer vehicles and safer passenger designs, increasing the odds that accident victims will survive in the event of a crash. Yet at least one group of potential victims has not seen such a decrease; instead, the number of pedestrians killed each year by cars has been steadily increasing since 2009. With an increase in pedestrian fatalities and a decrease in other motor vehicle deaths, pedestrians are now comprising a greater proportion of accident-related deaths than they did just four years ago.

This translates to the death of a pedestrian every two hours as the result of a motor vehicle crash. In addition to those walkers who are killed, a pedestrian is injured every eight minutes in an accident nationally, leading to millions of dollars incurred in medical expenses across the nation.

In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that one in five children age 10-15 who are killed in auto accidents are not even in a car during a crash – they are pedestrians. Though the other four out of five survive, almost all of those children are injured and must receive medical treatment.

In an effort to raise awareness and decrease fatalities, the United States Department of Transportation reportedly is allocating some funds to 22 cities with high incidents of pedestrian fatalities so that new safety techniques can be implemented. The amount to be split by these cities is $2 million, meaning that each city will receive just under $91,000, on average. It is unclear whether this amount of money will lead to significant changes but officials are hopeful that increased funding will lead to decreased crashes. There will also be a new public service announcement scheme that will target certain areas to raise awareness of the dangers faced by pedestrians.

Pedestrians or drivers can be at fault for a collision between the two. In some cases, a pedestrian may dart out into oncoming traffic, eliminating a driver’s ability to stop in time to avoid a crash. Yet in other cases, a driver fails to look for or see a pedestrian and causes a collision. Often, pedestrians who are in a crosswalk and who have the right of way become the victims of accidents because drivers are speeding, distracted, or otherwise driving dangerously. Without any protection surrounding a pedestrian, injuries almost always result.
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In what is believed to be the first of its kind, a California cyclist pleaded guilty last Thursday to a felony vehicular manslaughter charge that arose from a bicycle versus pedestrian collision. The presiding judge released the plea and the details on Tuesday.

The defendant, the cyclist in the collision, will serve 1,000 hours of community service but will avoid jail time as a result of his plea. The crash that led to the charges occurred just over a year ago on March 29, 2012 in San Francisco. The defendant was riding his bicycle in San Francisco’s Castro District when he collided with a 71-year-old pedestrian at the intersection. Witness accounts indicate that the defendant ran a red light and that the pedestrian had the right-of-way to cross and was within a cross walk at the time of the crash. The pedestrian initially survived the accident but died four days later from his injuries.

During their investigation of the crash, police learned that the defendant used a popular model of GPS to track his route and determine how fast he rode. That led police to the realization that the defendant ran two other red lights in addition to a stop sign and was traveling around 30 miles per hour at the time of the impact. Believing this conduct indicated a high degree of negligence, the State of California chose to charge the man with a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

Under California law, if the man had been convicted, he could have served up to six years in prison. Though the plea will let him avoid jail time, he will be on probation with the state for three years.

Recent years have seen California in the news for crashes and clashes between cyclists and pedestrians. A previous crash that resulted in a pedestrian’s death saw the cyclist sentenced for a misdemeanor; this current plea reportedly marks the first time a cyclist have been sentenced related to a felony charge of vehicular homicide.

The accidents between cyclists and pedestrians have produced public scorn by some that admonish the bicyclists that ride on San Francisco’s narrow and winding roads. In response, bicyclists have marched and ridden in large numbers to assert their rights to occupy the roads and to make their presence in the community known.
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Car manufacturers are constantly looking at ways to improve safety in their vehicles. Through the addition of seat belts and air bags, as well as crumple zones reinforced passenger compartments, cars today are much safer than their predecessors. These new safety innovations have been designed to protects occupants within a vehicle in the event of a collision, but until recently, little thought has been directed towards those outside of a car. When a car hits a pedestrian, the results can be catastrophic and often result in the pedestrian losing his or her life. This has been true for decades but if some auto manufacturers have their say, it might not be for long.

Facing a pedestrian death toll of over 4,000 every year, Honda and Volvo have both begun the process of analyzing their vehicles and considering exterior design changes that may help a pedestrian survive a crash. When a standard car strikes a walker, the pedestrian is often thrown up on the hood of the car and then onto the windshield. Most pedestrians are thrown forward again as the car breaks, resulting in the pedestrian striking the ground. Others are thrown to the side of the hood or even over the roof to land on the far side of the car, depending on the speed and type of the vehicle, the position of the pedestrian, and the actions of the driver.

Different companies are experimenting with different safety items. For example, Honda and Acura have been using fenders detached from the car frame on their vehicles since 2008. The engines are likewise separate from the vehicle hoods. The idea is that having these pieces separate may provide some extra cushioning when an accident occurs and that any added cushioning will increase the odds that a pedestrian will survive after being hit. Instead of the impact pitting the pedestrian’s body against the entire frame of the car, which is heavy, large, solid, and can be unyielding, the pedestrian strikes a detached fender which is more willing to bend and distort, absorbing the impact.

Other companies, like General Motors, are including a pocket of space between the engine and the hood. Like the detached components, the idea is that this extra space will provide a cushion so that the impact of the pedestrian’s body will be absorbed by the hood and the hood will have space to bend and distort before reaching the engine. If it works as designed, many pedestrians who would otherwise have struck car engines will be stopped at the hood, increasing the chance for survival.

One of the more interesting and unique ideas being promoted comes from Volvo and is not currently available in the United States. It is an airbag on the windshield that deploys upon impact. The airbag is designed to prevent a pedestrian’s head from striking the solid windshield or windshield wipers and to provide a safe cushion instead. Since one of the major causes of pedestrian deaths are head injuries, if successful, this windshield airbag may drastically increase safety across the globe.
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A 61-year-old man was hit and killed while crossing the street in Romeoville on Thursday, according to local police. The incident happened near the intersection of Weber Road and 135th Street at about 9:35 p.m.

Local police say the pedestrian was crossing Weber Road from the west to the east on the evening of July 4th when a northbound Honda Civic struck the man. The man was transported to Adventist Bolingbrook Hospital but he did not survive his injuries and was pronounced death at the hospital.

The driver of the Civic is a 23-year-old man from Aurora. After police responded to the crash, they arrested the driver on charges of driving without a license and without insurance. It is not clear whether the driver will be charged for any violations related to the collision.

The area where the accident occurred is mostly commercial with several large establishments surrounding the intersection. A lot of vehicles travel the street and turn into one of several parking lots around the establishments but pedestrian traffic is also common. It is not clear whether the pedestrian involved in this crash was within a marked pedestrian area or not but what is clear is that at least one of the parties acted negligently and a man lost his life.

When thinking of an automobile accident, the common image that comes to mind may be of two cars colliding. But that is not the only type of accident that happens in Illinois. Unfortunately pedestrians are hit every year and in 2011, 35 pedestrians in Illinois were killed in accidents with cars. Another 4,911 pedestrians were injured.

Accidents between cars and pedestrians can happen in any number of ways but often, the initial cause is that the driver of a car fails to notice or see a pedestrian on the road, at a crosswalk, or on a sidewalk. Drivers sometimes forget that in addition to watching other cars, they must remain alert for those who might be walking. This is particularly true at intersections where a driver wants to turn right. If the light is red and a driver brings a vehicle to a stop, intending to turn right, it is easy to look to the left to make sure traffic is clear before beginning a turn. However it is critical that a driver also look to the right to make sure no pedestrians are crossing the intersection. Noticing a crossing pedestrian will cause a driver to wait to make a turn and prevent the driver from causing an accident.
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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.
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According to a Chicago Tribune report, about 1,700 Chicago children between the ages of five and 18 were hit by a motor vehicle within one block of a school between 2007 and 2011. Such collisions accounted for about 10 percent of all pedestrian accidents that occurred during the five years examined. In addition, approximately 22 percent of the 16,500 pedestrian accidents throughout Chicago between 2007 and 2011 reportedly left a child injured.

According to Chicago Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein, the city has not yet successfully reduced its rate of fatal pedestrian accidents despite new measures designed to increase pedestrian safety. Klein stated Chicago officials have created a new pedestrian safety program, increased the enforcement of traffic laws, and introduced measures designed to calm traffic. He added that it could take several years before quantifiable pedestrian safety increases are achieved.

Illinois Department of Transportation data shows that Chicago enjoyed a 17-year low for pedestrian traffic deaths in 2010. During that year, only 32 people traveling on foot were killed by a motor vehicle. Still, one-fourth of pedestrian fatalities in 2010 were children. Preliminary data from the Chicago Police Department claims that 48 pedestrians died in Chicago in 2012. Overall pedestrian crash rates in Chicago have reportedly remained steady at around 3,000 incidents for several years.

A study released by the Chicago Department of Transportation in 2011 found that about 80 percent of severe or deadly pedestrian accidents in the city happened at or near a crosswalk. In addition, children are allegedly more likely to be struck by a vehicle on the West and South sides of Chicago. The most frequent cause of pedestrian accidents is purportedly motorists who simply fail to yield.

Annually, almost 6,000 pedestrians are hit by a motorist throughout the State of Illinois. Despite that a pedestrian may be struck by a car anywhere, most crashes occur in urban areas like Chicago. Unfortunately, most pedestrian collisions result in a severe injury or tragic death. In 2011, over 100 pedestrians in Illinois died in an accident with a car, truck, or other vehicle. If you were struck by a Chicago motorist while crossing the street, you may be compensated for any injuries you suffered. Pedestrian accident victims may be entitled to collect damages for their medical expenses, lost benefits and wages, pain and suffering, and more. A skilled pedestrian accident attorney can explain your options for recovery in more detail.
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Last year, 48 pedestrians and eight bicyclists were reportedly killed by motorists in Chicago. According to the Chicago Police Department, the number of pedestrians killed in 2012 was the highest in four years. Additionally, the number of fatal bicycle wrecks in Chicago allegedly rose by 38 percent between 2001 and 2011. Sadly, 23 of the 48 pedestrians and one of the eight bicyclists killed in 2012 reportedly died in a hit-and-run accident. Police said August was the most dangerous month for individuals traveling by foot in Chicago.

Some believe the increase in fatal Chicago pedestrian accidents was the result of milder temperatures. Others reportedly feel that drivers across the metro are more distracted than ever. Regardless, 2012 Chicago pedestrian accident statistics allegedly coincided with a nationwide increase in all types of fatal traffic wrecks. Data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that traffic deaths during the first nine months of the year were up 7.1 percent over the same time period in 2011. This was purportedly the largest spike in more than 35 years.

Chicago Department of Transportation Spokesperson Pete Scales said the high number of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths throughout the city last year was unacceptable. He added that the city unveiled a new pedestrian plan designed to increase the safety of those traveling on foot and by bicycle in 2012. New safety initiatives reportedly include increasing the number of protected bicycle lanes, implementing automated speed limit enforcement technology, and increasing the police presence at locations where crashes frequently occur.

Each year, nearly 6,000 pedestrians are involved in an accident with a motorist throughout the State of Illinois. Although a pedestrian may be struck by a vehicle anywhere, the bulk of such accidents occur on city streets. Regrettably, most pedestrian accidents result in some type of injury. In 2011, more than 100 pedestrians were killed in an accident with a motor vehicle throughout Illinois.

There is normally a lot of pedestrian traffic in the City of Chicago. Commuters, taxi drivers, and tourists often share the city’s intersections with individuals who are walking to public transit or other destinations. If you were hit by a Chicago driver while crossing the street, you may be entitled to receive compensation for any injuries you suffered. Pedestrian accident victims may be eligible to recover for their medical costs, lost wages and benefits, pain and suffering, and other damages. A skilled pedestrian accident lawyer can discuss your options for recovery with you in more detail.
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