Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

Pedestrian Detection Technology May Prevent Some Chicago Crashes

December 23, 2015 | By Dave Abels

When it comes to making automobiles, there is a heavy emphasis placed on the designers and engineers of these cars to make them safer in the event that a crash takes place. Until recently, though, this focus on safety has involved only the passengers inside of a car that might get hit – there were not design features to address the safety of others. But recent developments have changed all that with new pedestrian detection technologies making their appearances in several modern American vehicles.

Pedestrian detection works in a similar manner to systems like lane departure warnings and front impact alerts. A series of sensors are placed on the outside of a car, truck, or SUV to monitor the surroundings of a vehicle as it operates. However, unlike similar systems, a pedestrian detection device is designed to monitor slow moving, more subtle movements indicative of a person who is walking. Some manufacturers are using radar as part of their detection systems, some are using cameras, and many are using a combination of technologies.

If a pedestrian is detected in the pathway of an oncoming car that is equipped with this technology, a driver will receive either a visual symbol on the car’s dashboard or will hear an audible warning. In some instances, the car may begin to brake automatically.

Wrong-Way Car Accidents in Chicago Cost Lives

December 21, 2015 | By Dave Abels

There are certain basic rules of driving that even beginners understand to be universal truths in the nation. Among those is the fact that traffic operates on the right in the United States, except in very limited circumstances like one-way roads, construction zones, or at the direction of a police officer. But despite the fact that every single states in the country requires drivers to operate on the right, wrong-way car accidents keep happening and continue to threaten the lives of those involved.

A wrong-way collision is one where an impact happens and it involves a car traveling against the direction of legal traffic in any given lane. It can happen on residential roads, commercial streets, expressways, interstates, on-ramps, off-ramps, and other areas where traffic is intended to travel in one direction only. These impacts garner a lot of media attention and are highly publicized because of the extreme nature of these crashes as well as the severity of injuries that tend to result. Unlike some other forms of car crashes, wrong-way accidents are extremely likely to cause harm, including death, among drivers and passengers involved.

Chicago Loop Link BRT, Bike Lanes Set to Open

December 17, 2015 | By Dave Abels

In recent years, the City of Chicago has taken steps to address traffic issues in the downtown area. As more people choose to ride bicycles, the network of bicycle shared lanes, protected lanes, and pathways has expanded, providing greater safety to those who ride and fewer interactions between cyclists and motorists. Many others choose to get around on one of the CTA’s buses as numerous bus routes crisscross the Loop, allowing users to get to their destinations without the hassle or expense of a personal car.

If you ride a bicycle, use a CTA bus, walk, or even drive in Chicago, chances are that you will notice a significant difference starting today and carrying through this weekend. After a lengthy construction process, the new Loop Link BRT is set to open on Sunday and some new bicycle lanes will be ready for use today.

Getting Help after an Injury at a Friend’s House

December 16, 2015 | By Dave Abels

This time of year, many people are traveling in preparation for the holiday season. They may be spending time with friends and family and may be moving from one gathering to another as the days and weeks pass. Hopefully, these celebrations will be positive and there will be no accidents or incidents related to the safety of those who live in the Chicago area.

But odds are that several people will be hurt in premise liability accidents, or accidents that take place upon the property of another. Typically, this can include things like slipping on an icy driveway, falling on a broken stairway, stumbling on a defective or improperly designed portion of the home, or even becoming injured in an area that was not maintained or repaired properly. The victims of premise liability accidents may suffer from serious, even permanent injuries that may require medical treatment. Some may miss time from work while they recover and nearly all will be forced to endure pain and suffering.

Why Pedestrian Safety is an Issue in Chicago

December 14, 2015 | By Dave Abels

Thinking about the streets of Chicago, people who live in the area might realize that traffic safety can be a big issue. But they may fail to understand exactly how large of a problem pedestrian collisions are or why they happen.

Chicago is not alone in that regard: across the country, pedestrian accidents are happening every hour of every day and enacting devastating tolls to those involved. From the injuries that stem from an accident to the medical treatment needed to get well, to the wages missed while a victim is unable to work to the emotional suffering caused by a crash, it can be difficult to measure the toll of these incidents. Yet no matter how you measure these damages, it is clear that the economic toll enters the billions of dollars and that entire communities are suffering as a result.

New Truck Underride Guards Considered by NHTSA

December 10, 2015 | By Dave Abels

Trucking is an important industry for the country as a whole as it moves product across the nation and employs millions. But trucks are forced to share the same roads as passenger vehicles, a fact that can sometimes lead to conflict when an impact occurs. No matter the cause of a crash, odds are that those in a passenger car, SUV, or pickup truck will bear the majority of the force – these vehicles simply are not constructed to withstand an impact with a large, heavy, and often difficult to maneuver semi-truck.

Decades ago, national regulations were implemented to consider the consequences of passenger safety when a semi-truck accident happens on America’s roads. One provision required the use of underride guards, commonly visible to motorists as the metal crossbar that hangs down from the rear of a semi’s trailer. These underride guards are designed to stop a car that is colliding with the rear of a truck, thereby preventing the car from becoming lodged underneath the trailer. By preventing a car from traveling under a trailer, the odds of serious injuries to those in the car decrease significantly, limiting the harm sustained and the number of fatalities that can be attributed to truck accidents.

State Policies May Influence Injured Workers’ Low Back Treatment

December 8, 2015 | By Dave Abels

Injuries that happen on a job site are an issue in every one of the 50 states in this nation. As such, states, employers, employees, and the public at large have a vested interest in addressing work injuries and preventing them as much as possible.

Once injuries happen, though, public concern should extend to the medical treatment received by victims as it is imperative that these individuals become well once again. Studies routinely reflect the fact that injury victims who obtain prompt, competent medical treatment endure better outcomes in the long run than those who are forced to wait for help or who see physicians not qualified to treat a victim’s specific injuries. Now, a new study is revealing the fact that a state’s policy towards workers’ compensation claims may have an effect on victims who sustain low back injuries while working, meaning that the same injury might spur different results depending on the state in which it occurred.

Avoiding Semi-Truck Blind Spots

December 7, 2015 | By Dave Abels

The average driver believes she is safer than most when on the road. She claims that she drives reasonably, defensively, and appropriately most of the time or at least more often than not. Though studies continue to reveal that Americans pride themselves on their individual skills in a car, they are distrustful of others and consider the majority of motorists to be sub-par. This disconnect means that many see themselves as the measuring rod of driving abilities while in fact, they may fall short of being considered a motorist of even average skill.

Removing complacency from your daily driving habits is an expert-recommended way to sharpen and hone your skills. This means thinking about your actions and the effects that result from them, both for you personally and for others on the road. It also means refreshing your knowledge and continuing to learn about safety programs, tips, and advice that can help keep you safe and prevent a collision.

As semi-truck accidents are a very deadly reality in the Chicago area, it is a good idea to realize why these crashes take place and what can be done to avoid them.

Why Chicago Bicycle Safety Matters, Even If You Don’t Ride

December 3, 2015 | By Dave Abels

In many aspects of life, people often pay attention to the issues that affect them. For example, parents of young children are more concerned about schools in their area than are older adults whose children are grown. Similarly, workers who are employed in high-risk situations might be worried about on-the-job safety while those who work in an office setting may not give those issues a second thought.

It is natural and very common to focus on issues that you encounter on a daily basis, pushing to the side those that will have a lesser impact on your life. In Chicago, this means that many who drive a car or who utilize some form of vehicular transit around the city do not spend much time considering the safety issues that affect those who ride a bicycle: the common belief is that if they do not ride a bike, they do not have to know about the rules and regulations that apply to cyclist.

This thought is not only incorrect but also dangerous as bicycle safety has an affect not only on riders but on others who use the roadways, whether they are motorists or even pedestrians.

Playground Injuries are More Common than Parents Realize

December 1, 2015 | By Dave Abels

Chicago has countless playgrounds spanning the city, allowing children to run and jump with friends and burn off some of their never ending supply of energy. A typical parent sees a playground and does not think twice about sending her child to the swings, slides, or other equipment to have a little fun.

But every year, a number of children in Illinois are injured on playgrounds and in need of medical assistance, leaving their parents to wonder whether these accidents could have been avoided and who is responsible for the harm they caused.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more than 200,000 children ages 14 and under are so injured in playground accidents each year that they seek medical treatment in an emergency room or other urgent medical care setting. Among those victims, approximately 45 percent suffer from either severe fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, or amputations, statistics which reveal that when playground accidents take place, they are likely to cause extreme and potentially even permanent harm.