Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

My Fox Chicago reported earlier this week on a tragic weather related car accident involving a police care in Aurora.

A squad car responded to a burglary in progress call shortly before 9 p.m. A 26-year old officer was driving and the Reverend Jerome Leak, the senior chaplain for the police department, was in the passenger seat. The car’s lights and sirens were activated.

While traveling quickly to reach the destination the car apparently hit a patch of ice on the road, sending the vehicle careening out of control. The squad car spun off the road and struck a tree located on a parkway. The impact occurred on the passenger side of the car. The Reverend had to be extricated from the vehicle by fire personnel. He was then airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, but his injuries were not expected to be life-threatening. The driving officer was treated locally for minor injuries and released.

Police are still investigating the circumstances of the death to better understand what caused the car crash. Dangerous road conditions and the need for quick emergency responders presents unique challenges to police officer, fire squads, ambulances and all those who need to reach a destination quickly while remaining safe on the roads.

Continue reading " Chicago-Area Police Chaplin Injured in Police Car Crash " »

We have frequently shared the word about advice on safe driving given to all travelers this winter season. Yesterday, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, via the Narragansett Patch, provided even more thoughts on the best way to travel safely and securely as the winter season descends in full swing on our nation’s highways and byways.

This is especially important for all those traveling in the northeast as the intense winter storm is making all travel an extremely risk endeavor. Sloppy road conditions, high winds, drifting snow, and poor visibility all combine to create many dangers for car travelers.

It is vital that you check the road conditions before heading out to ensure that all roads that you intend to travel on are open. Also, once in the car the vehicle must be in proper working order. In that way, it is important to have your car winterized . That process includes testing batteries, brakes, heaters, exhaust systems, lights, anti-freeze, and more. Tires should be in good working order. The gas tank should never fall below half a tank, and the car should always include emergency equipment like jumper cables, road flares, shovel, salt, warm clothes, blanket, hat, mittens, and similar items.

Additionally, it is important to notify others of your travel plans. If something does go askew, help can arrive much quicker if someone is aware of your situation, your route, and whether or not you arrived at your planned destination.

Continue reading " More Winter Driving and Safety Tips " »

The Chicago Tribune reported today on a deadly car accident that took the life of a young woman. The crash appeared to be yet another tragic roadway accident related to the holidays.

The Chicago car crash struck early in the morning on the day after Christmas, around 2 a.m. on the 1600 block of West Harrison. The single-vehicle accident involved a car driven by a 23-year old man with the a 25-year old woman in the passenger seat and a 4-year old boy in the back seat.

While traveling along Harrison witnesses reportedly heard the boy in the backseat yell, “Slow down, Dad.” It was only moments later that the car sped off the road and slammed into a pole on the side of the street. When authorities arrived on the scene all three in the car were rushed to a local hospital. The female passenger was pronounced dead and the male driver was reportedly in critical condition. The young boy was luckily not injured but in extreme shock.

Police are still investigating the accident to determine what might have caused the vehicle to careen off the road.

Continue reading " Woman Killed in Chicago Car Accident " »

The car company Ford is being criticized for slow efforts to recall a known dangerous component on its Windstar vehicle. Many say the delay is responsible for deadly car accidents.

Earlier this month the New York Times profiled the issue around the eventual recall of 619,000 Ford Windstars made between 1998 and 2003. The problem stemmed from rusty rear axles that were increasingly found to break prematurely—causing car accidents across many Midwest states, including Illinois.

Earlier this year Ford insisted that no recall was necessary because the problem was rare and even when it did occur the driver retained control of the vehicle. But that tune changed following a National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration investigation into the axle problem. The NHTSA itself has been criticized for its slow action, as the investigation did not begin until over 200 complaints had been filed by consumers whose vehicles had malfunctioned.

For some consumers the warnings were too little too late. A 28-year old father of two was on his way to pick up his two daughters when the rear axle broke on his Windstar. He lost control of the vehicle, causing a car crash that killed him. A recall notice issue by Ford arrived three days after his death.

Since that victim’s death, the NHTSA has issued an urgent warning to all consumers to get the dangerous axle replaced on these vehicles as soon as possible. The agency is continuing an investigation into the rusting front subframes that may cause right front suspension failure.

Continue reading " Safety Warnings Ignored Leading to Death in Ford Windstar " »

The winter roads and holiday festivities come with a host of new challenges for all travelers as they attempt to navigate while remaining safe and secure. WLTZ News recently published a handy list of 10 tips for safe holiday driving.

The list includes a wide range of helpful advice. For example, it is vital to reduce the chance of drowsy driving. Failure to get adequate sleep before heading out on the road often leads to fatigue and accidents. Seven to nine hours of sleep and stops every two hours are all important steps to reduce sleepiness behind the wheel.

Also, maintain the mindset of a defensive driver. It is a virtual certainty that while driving you will eventually cross paths with another driver who fails to abide by basic safety techniques. In those situations, it is important to drive as if you expect the other car to a negligent mistake. In that way a serious crash may be avoided.

Be aware of the weather forecast. There are many easy tools now available to help determine what to expect each day and in the future. Paying attention to the weather allows ample time to prepare for potential problems and avoid dangerous situations.

There is much more useful information on the tip list. Click Here to read it all.

Continue reading " Safe Driving Tips For Holidays " »

The State Journal-Register recently discussed a tragic car accident that took the lives of two area teens. Late last month a head-on crash on Illinois 29, just north of the Sangamon River Bridge, killed a 17 year old driver and a 14 year old passenger. Another 14 year old passenger was seriously injured in the accident. None of the teens were wearing seat belts. The deaths have sparked a community-wide discussion into driving safety and the importance of following safe practices while behind the wheel.

Teen drivers are especially vulnerable to lapses in driving care standards. Sadly, at least 8 teenagers die each day in car crashes, amounting to over 3,000 each year. Hundreds of thousands are injured yearly in the crashes, at least partially caused by the fact that one in ten teens do not even wear safety belts while in the car.

Other common hazards for teen drivers are speeding and texting. A recent study also found that teens who text while driving are a staggering 23 times more likely to get in an accident that those that do not. Driving inexperience often leads to accidents, because many teens are less likely to notice dangerous situations ahead of them and take steps to slow down in time.

One local teacher explains another common problem, “I think most teens are safe drivers. However, when multiple teens are in a car with a teen driver there is a greater chance that driver can be distracted and get into a crash.”

Continue reading " Driving Safety Becomes Important Topic Following Teen Deaths " »

Many victims of car accidents may not fully understand that meaning of buzz phrases like "tort reform," or the fact that it may have implications for their own legal rights. But any attempt to limit access to the justice system may affect victims of all kinds,including those injured by negligent drivers on the road.

The war to take away victim rights continued today with the release of a “judicial hellhole” report by a front group for big business. The American Tort Reform Association is an organization propped up by corporate interests like Dow Chemical, Exxon, Pfizer, and others. Their goal is to influence the passage of legislation that will ensure that people who fall victim to their negligence will have less ability to seek justice in the court system.

In a response president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association explains that the latest report is nothing more than a stunt to further the corporate “tort reform” agenda. The fact remains that both victims and potential tortfeasors deserve a fair hearing in the civil justice system. Instead, the big businesses want to stack the deck so that they do not even have to present their case in court. They’d prefer a “free pass” any time that they injure consumers and engage in dangerous or unfair practices.

No community is improved when corporate interests are allowed to meddle with the justice system for its own gain. It is imperative that the common sense political forces stand up to this blatant misuse of business power and influence. Major CEOs and small-town working people deserve the same legal rights. It’s a simple principle that must be preserved.

Continue reading " Big Business Attempt to Take Away Legal Rights " »

As cold weather, mounds of snow, and icy roads descend upon the Midwest, accidents on the highways occur with shocking frequency. All drivers are aware of the challenges posed to road travel when the winter weather appears in full-force, but that awareness does not lead to fewer accidents.

For example, the Joplin Globe reported on several car accidents in its area last week, including one fatality. The first deadly accident occurred on U.S. Highway 69 around 9 a.m. A 39-year old car driver was traveling on the road when her car came upon a stopped dump truck. However, the car was unable to stop, perhaps because of the road conditions, and the vehicle slammed into the back of the truck. The car driver did not survive the collision.

In a separate crash, five people were injured in a single vehicle accede on Interstate 44. T he driver and four passengers were all taken to the hospital after their car skidded off the road, struck a concrete culvert and flipped over.

Earlier a Chicago man was injured when the car he was traveling in ran off the left side of Interstate 44 and struck a median cable guard. Shortly before that two people were injured on Highway 60 when their pick-up truck was struck by another vehicle as it was waiting to make a left turn.

Continue reading " Car Accidents Abound As Weather Poses Hazards to Drive " »

The Journal-Sentinel Online reported on a deadly car accident that struck today as the winter weather descended upon Chicago in full force.

Shortly before 2 p.m. this afternoon, in the midst of the flurry of snow, wind, and ice, a car was traveling in Rock County on Interstate 39. Three passengers were in the car, all from Chicago: a 48-year old driver, a 21-year old female passenger, and a 17-year old male passenger. Unfortunately, the driver was traveling too fast for the conditions on the road. Eventually the driver lost control of the car and veered into the median. It bounced off one tree then struck another before it finally stopped.

The 21-year old passenger was pronounced dead at the scene while the other two victims were brought to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

This was one of only many tragedies today as travelers suffered the effects of the dangerous road conditions. A seven car pile-up struck earlier on a nearby highway shutting down the roadway for hours and sending several people to the hospital with injuries.

Continue reading " Local Woman Killed in Chicago-Area Car Crash " »

MLive.com reported last weekend on a car accident that sent two vehicles across nearby train tracks. Apparently two car accident struck in the small town of Grandville, around 1:30 in the afternoon last Sunday.

The driver of a small Ford Counter was inching out of an intersection when his car was broadsided by a pick-up truck traveling on the road to which he was turning. The impact sent both vehicles spinning off in different directions. Each ended up on railroad tracks running parallel to the road. Fortunately no trains were scheduled on the track at that time. The driver of the small car had to be extricated from the car by emergency crews. He was then rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.

Local residents report that the particular intersection in question is known to be dangerous. There are repeated accidents at the site. However, investigators are not yet sure what caused this crash. It may have been the speeding of one driver or perhaps an obscured view that hid the movement of one of the cars.

Continue reading " Car Crash Leaves Driver with Critical Injuries " »

Safety Research & Strategies, Inc.—a group focused on investigating the best practices to keep consumers safe while behind the wheel—recently posted a blog story that raises doubts about the usefulness of underride guards installed on many vehicles.

These devices are built on the back of many large cars and trucks as a way of preventing other vehicles riding underneath the vehicle in a read-end collision. However, new research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests that the currently mandated guards do little to nothing to improve safety for car and truck drivers.

Since 1998, the guards are required to meet a strength test when installed on certain trailers. Six years later the NHTSA began testing the usefulness of the strength requirement to determine if the strength requirements did in fact prevent certain deadly accidents. The results of that investigation reveal that the guards had little to no effect on safety improvement. The presence or non-presence of the guard had no statistical influence on car accident deaths or serious injuries. Conversely, factors like whether the collision occurred at a corner of a trailer versus directly behind it did statistically influence the seriousness of the accident.

A large factor in the problem may be that the Administration did not do enough to improve standards when it made strength requirements in 1998. The agency decided not to push the Truck Trailer Manufacturer Association’s too much, mandating only a very small increase in the product strength requirements.

Independent researchers have tested a much better product than the one currently required. Compared to underride guards in the U.S., these alternative guards do a much better job of protecting small cars from underride.

These superior safety devices have been tested literally for decades. Researchers have known of their improved effectiveness since the 1970s, but the changes have not been required on many vehicles in the U.S. While the trucking industry may benefit from not having to make changes to its vehicle fleet, the vast majority of drivers suffer a higher risk of potential injury if caught in a rear-end crash.

Continue reading " New Report Questions Effectiveness of Rear Underride Guards " »

The Chicago Tribune wrote a story yesterday on a subject that is particularly timely this holiday season: the use of designated drivers. Many Chicagoans will partake in festivities in the next few weeks where spirits will be flowing freely. However, the excitement of the season will be marred by some partygoers who choose to get behind the wheel while impaired.

The statistics are sobering. So far this year, 248 Illinoisans have been killed in alcohol-related crashes. Nationwide around 11,000 people die yearly because of drunk drivers. Over 1/3 of all car crashes have alcohol-impaired driving as a cause.

The prevalence of the problem has led to burgeoning ways to make safer traveling choices this season. Nationwide over 28 professional designated driving services are available to help revelers enjoy their evening safely. Some of these services operate “on-call” while others can be arranged for specific times. For example, in Chicago a company known as “Be My Designated Driver” provides a variety of safe traveling services to those who want to enjoy a night without worrying about driving. Many of these services use the driver’s own car.

Continue reading " No Excuses For Failing To Get A Designated Driver " »

The Chicago Tribune posted yesterday on yet another deadly highway accident that took the lives of two Illinois residents.

The crash occurred in northwest Indiana at 5:30am on Friday morning. The two victims were traveling in their car on Interstate 65, south of the Indiana 10 interchange near the town of Demotte. The specific source of the accident is unknown, because for reasons still to be determined, the 68-year old driver crossed the grassy median of the highway and went head-on into traffic headed north on the same highway.

The car ended up in the path of a semi-trailer who was unable to stop before smashing into the car. Both the driver and his 46-year old passenger were pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. The truck driver was not hurt in the car wreck.

Continue reading " Two Illinoisans Killed in Car Crash on I-65 " »

Car accidents are so numerous because their causes come in a variety of forms. Sometimes they result from distractions for the driver—texting, sleepiness, chatting. Other times car crashes are caused by road conditions, from constructions zones to icy weather. Drivers are on the lookout for other cars, trucks, bikers, and pedestrians. In Chicago that list also includes trains, as several tracks, both Chicago Transit Authority and Metra lines, run across many roadways throughout the city.

Particularly troubling about train accidents is the fact that so many individuals are at risk. Depending on the circumstances a derailed train threatens dozens if not hundreds of lives. The need for safety at these intersections cannot be underestimated.

The Chicago Tribune reported last weekend on an accident involving a car and a CTA Brown line train. At 7:30am on Sunday morning a CTA brown line train was crossing Kedzie Avenue in Albany Park when the accident occurred. A car was on the tracks at that location and the train conductor was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision. The car was smashed and the train was derailed. The train station platform was also significantly damaged in the accident.

The driver of the car was rushed to a local hospital where he remains in serious to critical condition. The train conductor was also taken to receive medical care. Fortunately, no train passengers were injured in the wreck.

Continue reading " Car Accident Derails CTA Brown Line Train " »