Articles Posted in Pedestrian Accident

A new 2011 pedestrian safety report was recently released with updated figures. The statistics aren’t pretty. The Transportation for America report stated that there were nearly 47,000 pedestrians killed, and another 668,000 pedestrians injured on our nation’s streets from 2000 to 2009. A new plan, Dangerous by Design 2011, looks at way to solve this deadly epidemic of pedestrian accidents in Chicago and elsewhere in the United States.This newly released data includes a detailed report and a fact sheet with references to all 50 states. The website provides a detailed and interactive pedestrian map illustrating accidents on your city’s streets and allows you to see just how unsafe your area may be.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers understand just how dangerous it can be to travel our local roads by foot or bicycle. We’ve repeatedly asked that motorists practice caution and common sense behind the wheel. While maps, statistics and safer street construction may help to compliment safer pedestrian travel, it is ultimately up to us as travelers to be cautious and considerate of others on our roadways.

According to this new interactive map, a majority of these pedestrian fatalities happen along “arterial” roadways that are dangerous by city design, nationally speaking. These streets have been engineered solely for speedy traffic with virtually no provision for pedestrians, those in wheelchairs or travelers on bicycles.

Ironically, a lump of our federal tax dollars are meant to be distributed to promote pedestrian safety on our streets. Yet, Congress is currently considering eliminating all funding for these types of projects. Not that they would be eliminating much. Currently. less than 2 percent of federal funds for these types of projects are being used to preserve the safety of pedestrians.

Nearly 70 percent of U.S. roadways are aided by federal funds, and highway-only lobby continue to insist that increasing safety measures on these roads is a local government responsibility. Federal programs just continue to encourage state departments of transportation to keep their focus on speedy traffic roads instead on pedestrians.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were more than 4,000 pedestrian fatalities from traffic accident involvement in 2009 in the United States. Another 59,000 pedestrians suffered injuries from these accidents. This equals an average of a pedestrian killed every nine minutes and one being killed every two hours.

Illinois saw nearly 2,000 pedestiian fatalities between 2000 and 2009. These fatalities cost the state more than $7 million. The rate of pedestrian fatalities in the state ranks 27th our of all 50 states, according to the Dangerous by Design 2011 fact sheet.

The Chicago, Naperville and Joliet areas saw nearly 1,500 pedestrian deaths in this time period and the Champaign-Urbana areas saw nearly 30. These two areas made up more than 20 percent of all of the pedestrian fatalities in the state.
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The Chicago Tribune is reporting that two motorists were hurt in a Chicago car crash early Tuesday morning, with one of the cars striking a Dunkin’ Donuts in the Loop.

This is the second time in a matter of days that a driver has crashed into a Chicago restaurant. As our Illinois auto accident lawyers reported recently, a motorist crashed into Manny’s Deli this past Saturday, leaving a large hole in a restaurant wall.

This crash involved a Toyota SUV and a taxicab. The cause of the accident was not reported.

A Chicago pedestrian accident has reportedly led to a fatal case of road rage on the city’s West Side, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The media is reporting the 20-year-old pedestrian was shot and killed after being struck by a car in the 700 block of South California Avenue, and then arguing with the driver. The victim was found on South Sacramento Avenue shortly before 9 a.m.Police say the victim was struck and knocked to the ground by a passing vehicle. He was not seriously hurt and reportedly began arguing with the driver, who then climbed out of the vehicle and shot him. He was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was pronounced dead.

Police have not released information about the suspect.

There is a big difference between Road Rage, which typically involves a criminal act, and aggressive driving, which we are all guilty of at some point in time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recognizes many forms of aggressive driving, including speeding, driving too fast for conditions, tailgating, not using turn signals and driving too fast for conditions.

As winter wears on, our Chicago personal injury lawyers remind motorists to take a deep breath and relax. Impatience too often leads to accidents and can lead to all sorts of poor driving decisions.

The government offers a number of safety tips for dealing with aggressive drivers, including:

-Don’t force the issue: Get out of an aggressive driver’s way.

-Don’t challenge: Put your pride aside. Don’t attempt to hold your own or otherwise challenge an aggressive driver.

-Keep your eyes on the road: Don’t make eye contact with an aggressive driver. This can sometimes increase the aggression.

-Keep your hands to yourself: Gestures should be ignored and should not be returned.

-Contact authorities: An aggressive driver is just as dangerous as a drunk driver and should be reported to authorities via 911 as soon as it is safe for a driver to pull over and do so.

Chicago aggressive driving safety tips are available here.
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