Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A fatal car accident occurred in the early morning hours of July 30th in which three women were killed. The accident appears to have only involved one vehicle and occurred when the car seems to have been traveling at excessive speeds and then the driver lost control and crashed into a light pole. The car then caught on fire and all three of the women inside the car died. According to the Examiner, the accident is still under investigation but at this time there is no evidence that another car was involved in the fatal accident. Witnesses and police confirm that the car burst into flames as soon as it hit the light pole and there was nothing that could have been done to save the women involved in the accident. To read more about this tragic Chicago car accident, please click on this hyperlink.

This accident shows how dangerous driving at excessive speeds can be. If a car is traveling very fast and crashes into anything, there is a very high likelihood that the car may catch on fire instantly. Illinois accident attorneys ask all drivers to remember this and to never drive at speeds over the speed limit. Aside from how serious an accident can be when traveling at these speeds, it is also much easier to lose control of your car when going this fast. This appears to have been what happened here and the excessive speed at which the car was traveling is likely what led to the car accident.

Two women were killed in a fatal train accident that occurred on July 23rd when their car went around the crossing gates which were down at the time of the crash, crossed over the train tracks and was struck by a passing train. In addition to the two women that were in the car at the time of the accident, two other people involved in the accident suffered personal injuries as well. Both young women that were killed in the accident were killed by multiple blunt force trauma, and according to the Post-Tribune, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Following the tragic train accident, the train which was involved in the accident was suspended indefinitely. To read more about this train accident, please click on this link.

Illinois injury attorneys remind drivers that they should never try to cross train tracks when the crossing gate are down, even if you think you have time to make it across safely. Often times trains are moving so quickly that even though you may not see it approaching, and therefore believe you have time to cross before it arrives, it is usually moving at high enough speeds that it can approach the crossing much more quickly than you may have imagined. As seen in this accident, it is difficult to judge when the train will arrive at the crossing exactly, and it is always better to be safe than sorry in these types of situation, so please always wait for the train to cross when you come across a train crossing where the gates are down.

A car accident on July 24th on I-80 left a teenager dead. The fatal car crash occurred when the teen's sports utility vehicle blew out a tire and she crashed into a median and flipped over. The teen driver was thrown from the car and her personal injuries were so great that she passed away. According to the Southtown Star, the passenger that was in the same car was injured and taken to a local hospital but is expected to recover from his injuries. The young girl was not wearing her seat belt at the time the accident occurred, and it is likely that the lack of a seat belt is what caused her to be thrown from the car when the crash occurred. To read more about this Illinois car crash, please click on this link.

This accident serves as a reminder of how important seat belts are at all times while driving a car. Even if you think you are a safe driver and that because of that wearing a seat belt is not necessary, remember that unexpected events can occur, such as a tire blowing out or another driver that is not paying attention, that can cause you to lose control of the car regardless of if you are being a cautious driver. Because of situations like this, and the possibility of a car crash, Chicago injury attorneys ask all drivers to always wear their seat belt regardless of how short of a trip you are going on or how safe of a driver you feel that you are. In Illinois the seat belt law requires that all front seat passengers always wear their seat belt, that all passengers of drivers under 18 always wear their seat belt, and that all passengers that are under the age of 16 always wear their seat belt regardless of who is driving and of where they are seated in the car. Given that it is the law in the State of Illinois and that simply wearing a seat belt can make the difference between life and death in many situation, please make sure to always wear your seat belt when you get behind the wheel.

An Illinois teen has admitted to text-messaging at the time that he struck a pedestrian in May of this year. The fatal car accident happened when a pedestrian was crossing the street, not in a crosswalk, and the teen driver failed to see him and struck him with his car, causing him to die as a result of the personal injuries that he sustained in the accident. According to News-Gazette, the teen driver has admitted that he was in fact texting at the time the accident occurred, which is likely a a major part of the reason that he did not see the man crossing the street. Shortly after the accident the teen was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and for texting while driving. At this time it is unknown whether the family of the victim will file a civil lawsuit for wrongful death against the driver or if the State will press criminal charges for vehicular manslaughter. To read more about this tragic pedestrian accident, please click on this link.

If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, in which you believe that another person involved acted negligently, you may have grounds to file a civil lawsuit against that person seeking damages in connection with the accident. If you would like to talk to an attorney about what possible actions you have against a negligent driver, please contact an Illinois injury attorney today. This story further reminds drivers the importance of paying attention to the road at all times while driving and the dangers of taking your eyes off of the road for even one minute.

A car accident occurred on July 21st in which a Chicago cab crashed into a Chicago Loop 7-11 convenience store, resulting in seven injuries. The car accident occurred when a car sped through a red light, forcing a cab to broadside the car and then crash into the front of the 7-11 store. Luckily, the cab did not strike anyone that was inside the store at the time of the crash, but unfortunately several pedestrians involved did get injuries and four people in total had to be taken to local hospitals. According to the Chicago Sun Times, police do not suspect that the driver of the passenger car that caused the accident by running the light was under the influence of alcohol; however he was cited with disobeying traffic signals as well as driving without proper insurance. Later in the evening following the crash, the taxi cab was still lodged in the 7-11 and the store was a mess after a water pipe had burst from the cab accident. Additionally, glass from the storefront was all over the street where the accident occurred and was still being cleaned up well into the night. To read more about this Chicago cab crash, please click on this link.

This accident shows the importance of always obeying traffic lights and never trying to make it through a light that is changing to red. Even if you think you have time to make the light, you may not see another car approaching and an accident while traveling at highs speeds can cause seriously damage and destruction to the surrounding area, as well as seriously injury people that are in the area. Illinois injury attorneys remind you to always err on the side of caution and slow down for yellows and stop fully if the light will change red before you can safely cross through the intersection.

Bicycle riders need to make sure that they are aware of and follow all of the appropriate laws that are in place to protect both bike riders and other drivers on the road. Similarly, drivers need to be aware of the laws regarding bike riders to also help ensure the safety of all those that are on the road together. One important rule for bikers to always remember and always follow is that bicyclists must travel in the same direction as vehicle traffic and whenever it is safely possible should travel directly to the right of cars, and this is so that everyone is traveling in the same direction which hopefully makes it less likely that a bike and car will get into a collision.

Chicago accident attorneys remind drivers of vehicles to remember a few simple rules regarding bikers so they can do their part to keep the streets safe for everyone. First off, drivers need to make sure to always keep a safe distance and to allow about three feet of passing space between their car and a biker, and make sure to always give them this adequate room in order to keep them safe in the event of a sudden stop. Additionally, when making a turn make sure to check to make sure a bicyclist is not passing on the right or the left before you make your turn, and always use a turn signal to allow the biker to know of your plan to turn, in order to help prevent accidents. Lastly, make sure after parking your car to look out for bikers before possibly opening your door into their pathway. To read more about simple tips to help avoid a bike accident, please click on this link. These few simple safety measures taken by bikers and drivers could make all the difference in preventing biking accidents !

Recent studies have shown that deaths resulting from car accidents in the Chicagoland area have declined. Over the last decade certain safety measures, as well as newer vehicles designs, have lead to a decrease of about 200 fatalities a year. Over the course of a three-year span (from 2005 to 2008) traffic accidents in the seven-county region studied decreased over 30% and the overall injury rate decreased 18% in that same time period. There are several factors that the study, conducted by the Illinois Department of Transportation, cited as reasons for the reduction of crashes in the Chicagoland area. One of these factors is an overall improvement in road conditions, making the roads safer for travelers. These safety features range from adding additional and clearer lane-striping which helps cars stay in the appropriate section of the road, adding cable median barriers which are designed to stop cars in which the driver has lost control of the vehicle and keep out-of-control cars from flipping into traffic that is traveling in the other direction, and better lighting to make late-night driving safer. Another key factor, according to Chicago Breaking News, is the recent influx of safer vehicles that are designed to withstand crash damage better and are able to protect the passengers better in the event of a crash. A third factor that the study showed as a contributing factor is stricter seat belt laws being imposed in Illinois, as well as roadside checks, which often result in stopping drivers that are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Stopping these motorists before they have a chance to get into a crash, that may injure themselves or others, is very helpful in reducing the number of fatal accidents each year.

While these safety measures have led to a reduction in accidents, there is still much more to be done. There are still around 300,000 accidents in the Chicago area each year and a fatal accident occurs as frequently as once a day. The study cites certain factors that need to be worked on in order to better improve the crash statistics, such as finding a way to reduce vehicle and pedestrian accidents in downtown Chicago and finding a way to reduce late night driving accidents. In downtown Chicago about a quarter of the traffic deaths occurred in pedestrian accidents. This number is very high and requires some type of safety measure to ensure that this number goes down. At this point no new measures are in place to make pedestrians safer, but this is an area that the Illinois Department of Transportation has seen needs work and will hopefully find new measures to help reduce the number of these fatal accidents in downtown Chicago. Additionally, the study shows that the number of late-night accidents is significant, accounting for over 35% of all fatal crashes in the area. Certain factors such as impaired drivers, tired drivers, slower reaction time at night, and faster speeds traveled due to the lack of traffic at night, are believed to be the reasons that this statistic is so high. While the hope is that more seat belt laws and road checks will (and as the study shows are) cutting down on some of these late-night accidents, more work still needs to be done. Additionally, while certain areas are better lit and help improve the safety in these areas, many areas still need better lighting to help reduce the number of late-night accidents. Luckily, the Illinois Department of Transportation seems to recognize what needs work to help improve the safety of our roads and will continue to work hard to reduce the number of traffic accidents that occur each year in the Chicagoland area. To read more about this traffic accident study and the plans to further improve the statistics, please click on this link.

An elderly man died on July 12th following a car crash in Wheaton. The accident occurred when the elderly man attempted to make a turn and another car hit the driver's side of the elderly man's car. The victim was immediately taken to a local hospital but unfortunately was unable to recover from his personal injuries. At this point in the investigation, which is still underway, the DuPage County police has not arrested anyone or issued any citations in connection with the fatal car crash. According to My Suburban Life, the portion of the road where the crash occurred was closed for about three hours while the scene was being investigated. To read more about this tragic Wheaton accident, please click on this link.

While it is still unknown what caused this tragic accident, many times in accidents that involve elderly drivers the drivers may be unable to react as quickly as they once could which may place them in serious danger in driving situations where they must act quickly so as not to be struck by another vehicle. Illinois accident attorneys remind elderly drivers to always make sure that you have a vision and hearing test regularly and never drive with an expired license. Additionally, if as an elderly driver you ever feel, in any sense, that you are no longer comfortable on the road or that you may not be able to handle certain driving conditions, please make sure to ask for a ride and never drive in a situation that makes you feel unsafe.

A fatal car accident that occurred on July 5th and left a teenage girl dead has been found to be caused by texting while driving. The teenage driver was killed after she got into an accident and her car rolled over and she was ejected from the vehicle. The police investigators found the victim's cell phone next to her body and upon opening it discovered an unfinished text message time-stamped at close to the same exact time of the crash. The victim was also not wearing her seat belt at the time the accident occurred. To read more about this teenage car crash, please click on this link.

This accident is just one of so many accidents that are caused by texting while driving. Studies have shown that text messaging while driving can be as dangerous and impairing as driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While many drivers think that they can just quickly read or send out a message without getting too distracted from the road, this is unfortunately often not the actual case and so many people get into accidents as a result of text messaging while driving. Illinois injury attorneys remind drivers that it is illegal to send or read text messages in Illinois while driving, and that if you are driving anywhere it is never a good idea because of the inherent dangers it creates. Hopefully the anti-texting laws will create change and people will stop doing something so dangerous and that places themselves and others in such great danger.

A South-side Chicago car accident occurred on June 10th in which 6 people, 2 of which were children, suffered personal injuries. The accident occurred when a car and a sports utility vehicle crashed into each other near the West Elsdon area of Chicago. The four injured adults are at a local hospital and luckily all are either in good or fair condition. According to Chicago Breaking News, the two children suffered more serious injuries, however they do not at this time time appear to be life-threatening. At this time little information is known about the accident, but please click here to read the full article about this Chicago traffic accident.

Although, it is unknown if the children in the car were wearing seat belts, the fact that the children suffered more serious injuries than the adults demonstrates how important it is for children to always wear their seat belts, being that they are more susceptible to injury due to their size. While the general seat law in Illinois requires only that front seat passengers have to be belted, the Illinois law for children under sixteen requires that seat belts must be worn regardless of where they are seated in the car. Chicago accident attorneys remind readers that children that are small are more likely to get thrown in the event of an accident and that seat belts are what often time mean the difference between life and death in a crash. Additionally, while Illinois law allows adults traveling in the back seat to decide whether or not they want to wear a seat belt, the law acknowledges that children may not always choose to and therefore makes it a requirement that all children always wear a seat belt given the huge safety precaution that seat belts create.

Legislation was signed in Illinois on July 5th in which Governor Quinn promised to offer more protection to bicyclists that ride their bikes in Illinois. The goal of the bill is keep both bicyclists and motorists safe on Chicago roads and lead to a decrease in the number of injuries and accidents that occur each year involving bicycles. One of the main steps that will be taken to increase safety is the creation of new penalties to punish motorists that are caught driving either recklessly or too close to bikers. According to Chicago Breaking News, the hope is that creating penalties will create a deterrence to drivers to engage in this type of risky and unsafe behavior, in turn resulting in less bike-related accidents. Another change that will be made under this new piece of legislation is the creation of special "Share the Road" license plates that show the driver's support of bike safety and of which the money generated from the purchase of these plates will be used to pay for biker and driver safety educational programs. To read more about this recently signed bill that is aimed at reducing bike accidents, please click on this link.

Illinois accident attorneys remind all drivers how important it is to watch out for bikers, anytime you are driving in the city. Given the often heavy congestion of the streets in the city of Chicago, as well as the prevalence of bikers in the city, bike accidents occur far too often. While legislation of this sort is definitely a step in a positive direction in helping to ensure that both drivers and bikers remain safe, one of the best steps both drivers and bikers can take is to be alert and aware of their surroundings and not let distractions take your focus off of the road.

Illinois is one of the states that does not have a law requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets while riding. In 2008 alone, there were over 5,000 deaths across the country that were attributed to motorcycle accidents, and the number of these accidents that end in fatalities are highest when the rider is not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. According to The Pantagraph, when motorcyclists are wearing a helmet at the time of a crash they are up to 37 percent less likely to be killed as a result of injuries sustained in the bike crash. The reason that helmets are so crucial, especially with motorcycles, is that there is absolutely no cushioning or protection to keep the rider from suffering serious head and brain injury, absent a helmet. To read more about how important helmets are in a motorcycle accident, please click on this link.

The reason that it is so surprising that Illinois has not yet put a helmet law into effect is that it is clearly known how effective helmets can be at saving lives in the event of a motorcycle accident. The state of Illinois is very strict on enforcing seat belts laws for riders in cars, and a helmet law could be enforced in a similar manner for motorcyclists. Illinois accident attorneys encourage all motorcyclists to always wear a helmet, and to make sure any passenger wears a helmet, regardless whether a law is passed requiring helmet use. The law would certainly help to ensure that more people wear helmets, thereby helping to reduce the risk of serious person injury or death in a motorcycle crash.

A Chicago woman was killed when a man was trying to escape from a police car, that was trying to get him to stop his vehicle, and then struck the woman's car. This fatal accident occurred on July 3rd in Bronzeville on South King Drive shortly after the police attempted to stop a car for a routine type of traffic stop. According to The Chicago Sun Times, the driver that was being stopped refused to stop and tried to flee from the police, at which point the driver speeding off struck the woman's car. The young woman suffered such severe personal injuries that she died as a result of the accident. At this point of the investigation process the death has been ruled an accident and charges are still pending against the driver that caused the fatal car crash. To read more about this Bronzeville accident, please click on this hyperlink.

Many people get worried about getting pulled over for various reasons, ranging from not having proper documentation to not wanting to pay a fine, all of which can lead drivers to try to get away from the police when they attempt to pull them over. Many of these drivers fall to realize what serious and much more severe trouble they may get in to if they try to flee the police, and that they will almost always end up getting caught by the police in this type of situation. Illinois accident attorneys ask all drivers to always stop for a police officer when pulled over and never attempt to outrun them or to get away from the police officers. The result from fleeing the police could not only be larger fines and possibly jail time, but as seen in this terrible accident, could also place others in harms way.