Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The basic elements of road safety have remained remarkably similar for a century: follow all signs and signals, drive at a reasonable speed for conditions, ensure proper restraint of children, do not drive impaired, etc.

But with technical development also comes changes in how we think about vehicle safety. For example, seatbelts were much less used (and installed) in the past than they are today. Air bags were certainly not included in the first cars that were manufactured.

One of the latest developments in the automotive industry that will affect how we travel on the nations’ roads is the electric car. Concerns over the use of gasoline have made electric cars a booming market—the wave is about to build even more as automobile manufacturers are making a large push to encourage consumers to buy the new cars. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association projects that more than a million of these vehicles will be on the road in five years, by 2015. With the expected surge in use, it is important to understand the possible hazards posed by these vehicles when they become involved in auto accidents.

Specifically, while traditional cars often pose fire risks following crashes because of gasoline spillage, these new non-gas vehicles will present electric shock problems. WMAQ TV reports that Chicago firefighters are already being trained on the ways to handle these vehicles when responding to car emergencies. Firefighters must be trained in the proper way to disengage electrical power systems to alleviate the risk of shock after a crash.

Also, the high-strength steel used in many of these new vehicles cannot be cut open with traditional saws. Even then, with a several hundred volt charges surging through the car, an ill-places cut in the metal could shock the responder. Therefore, if attempting to rescue a passenger trapped in a car, firefighters must be trained on the exact location to cut to get through the metal.

The Chicago Fire commissioner noted, “Every year they are coming out with something new. Firefighters have to stay on top of new technologies to save civilian’s lives, but it can also save ours.”

Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti applaud our city’s emergency personnel who save lives every day following tragic vehicle accidents on our roadways. We also urge all Chicagoans to understand the unique risks that new vehicles may pose and take appropriate steps to guard against the dangers.

The posts on this blog discuss car accidents, particularly in the Chicagoland area, analyzetheir causes, recommend practices to ensure road safety, and advise victims on their legal rights following those crashes. Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti have decades of experience advising families after terrible accidents. Those crashes are quite often the result of negligent drivers who fail to take basic precautions to ensure safety on the road.

With all of the analysis of bad drivers, it is often easy to forget that the roadways are also filled with millions of Americans who diligently drive with care and caution. Severe accidents always cause intense pain and suffering. But at times, those accidents also bring out the very best in everyday citizens who attempt to help others in the wake of the tragedy.

Chicago Breaking News recently reported on one such situation following a tragic car accident yesterday on the south side of the city. Shortly before 7pm last night in the Altgeld Gardens neighborhood, a young woman and two young children were driving east on 130th Street. Witnesses say that the car abruptly veered off the road, crossed the median, and smashed into a pole.

Several people who saw the accident stopped their own vehicles and rushed the scene to provide help. When they reached the car they saw flames beginning to build underneath the car. In an amazing act of bravery, four men reached into the wreckage and managed to pull the two children out of their car seats and into safety. One man was injured in the effort. Unfortunately, they were unable to pull the female driver out of the car before it was engulfed in flames. She died in the accident. The two children were flown to a nearby hospital where they remain in serious condition.

The cause of the accident remains unclear. But there is no doubt that the men who rushed to the scene and saved the lives of two young children deserve immense praise for their selfless sacrifice. Even with repeated examples of negligent driving, it is important to remember the many drivers among us who are willing to stop at a moment’s notice and lend a helping hand.

NBC Chicago reported on another deadly car accident south of Chicago yesterday on Interstate 57.

Joseph Nestor was walking southbound along I-57 near 183rd Street late in the evening with his brother. The two were walking along the shoulder of the road, but at one point Nestor accidentally veered into the left lane of the roadway. It was then that an Infinity slammed into the back of him. Obviously the impact of a highway-speed traveling vehicle and a pedestrian causes extreme physical injury. Nestor was dead when police arrived at the scene, suffering multiple injuries from the collision.

Police are still investigating the cause of the accident. They are not yet sure if speeding was involved (the limit is 55 mph at that location). It is also unclear exactly how Nestor and his brother were walking along the highway. Authorities mentioned that for a pedestrian to reach that point of the road, they would have had to scale a fence. Nevertheless walking anywhere near a highway lane or shoulder should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary in emergency situations.

This marks the end of a particularly deadly weekend on I-57, with 4 deaths occurring in three separate incident s on that particular freeway. These large, well-traveled, high-speed roadways offer particular risks to drivers, passengers, and pedestrians alike. The speed of the vehicles often makes highway crashes more frequent and deadly than other accidents. It is for that reason that our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti urge particular care be taken when using these highways. It takes virtually a split-second of error to create a chain reaction of events that destroy property, cause emotional havoc, and destroy countless lives.

Car accidents can occur virtually anywhere, from parking lots to freeways. Most of the time the damage from these events occurs instantly from the physical impact on the vehicles. Protection from the physical jolt and collision is what most safety experts protect against in vehicle manufacturing. It is for that same reason that seat-belt laws swept the country, requiring all drivers and passengers to be strapped into the car to limit harm following an impact.

However, a much less common, but still deadly risk occurs following these accidents, in the moments when those involved let their guard down. Cars are complicated, heavy machinery that include countless heavy movable parts and combustible substances. When these machines are torn and smashed in an accident, the after-effects can never be fully known. Most dangerously, fuel spillage after a crash has the potential to seep far away from the initial site and ignite. The potential damage from a fire after the accident is high.

For example, the Lincoln Courier published a story today on an Illinois car accident that struck I-55 on Thursday. A twenty year old driver attempted to change from the right lane to the left while on the highway. However, she misjudged the lane change and hit the end of a trailer, bounced off a guardrail and then smashed into the truck yet again. The semi’s gas tank ruptured during the incident, spilling nearly 130 gallons of diesel fuel onto the roadway and into a creek below.

Fortunately, rescue crews, including hazardous material teams, were able to arrive on the scene quickly enough to keep all onlookers away from the dangerous location while clean-up was underway. No further injuries were reported.

The lesson to be learned from this crash and similar accidents is that the scene of any car wreck may pose many hidden dangers. As our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti know, extreme care should be taken at all time at or near these scenes to protect against lurking risks.

A young Chicago preschool student is dead and a 24 year old woman is in police custody after a deadly car accident last weekend on the north side of the city.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that shortly before 7 a.m. on Sunday morning, Leticia Medel was driving eastbound on Fullerton Avenue in her Dodge Avenger with her husband in the front seat and her two small children in the back, a 2 year old and a 4 year old. Eventually her vehicle rear-ended a Honda Civic that was stopped at a traffic light. The force of the initial crash caused the Civic to hit another vehicle in front of it before stopping against a building. After the first impact the Avenger then crossed over into the second eastbound lane, striking a Chevy Tahoe. All told, four vehicles were involved in the car accident.

Following the wreck, Medel and her husband grabbed the two children from the back of the Avenger and ran from the scene. The two children were eventually brought to nearby Children’s Memorial Hospital. Jonathan, the four year old, had suffered a lacerated liver and multiple contusions. Doctors did everything that could to save the young child, but he was pronounced dead shortly after 2 p.m. that afternoon.

The causes of the car crash that led to Jonathan’s death are varied but all involve extreme negligence of the part of Leticia Medel. Perhaps most damaging of all, Medel was drunk at the time of the crash. She had a blood alcohol level of .151, nearly twice the legal limit. Two beer cans were also found by police inside the vehicle. On top of that, Medel was driving between 15 and 20 miles over the speed limit at the time of the impact, significantly contributing to the seriousness of the accident. Those factors combined with her failure to properly buckle-in her two young children created the tragic accident that claimed the life of the innocent 4 year old.

It is difficult to read these car accident stories and comprehend how anyone could engage in this type of extreme, reckless driving. However, the sad reality is that our roads are filled with many drivers who continually engage in conduct that places themselves, their children, and all other drivers at extreme risk. Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti encourage everyone to not only operate their own vehicles with caution but to also vigilantly monitor all other potentially negligent drivers.

A fatal Chicago area car crash this week took the life of woman in her 20s and left three others in very critical condition.

As reported in My Fox Chicago, the accident occurred near Antioch very early Thursday morning, around 2 am. On a country road outside of town, an SUV collided head-on with a Mitsubishi hatchback. As is virtually always the case in high-speed head-on collisions, the damage was daunting.

The female driver of the hatchback was pronounced dead on the scene and had to be extricated from the car. The driver of the SUV was ejected from the vehicle following the impact, and both of his passengers required emergency personnel assistance to be removed from the wreckage. All three survivors were airlifting to a local hospital where medical professionals continue to work to save their lives.

Experts are still piecing together the cause of the deadly collision. However, they suspect that alcohol and speed are two likely factors. The accident occurred on a curve in the road, where the speed limit lowers to 40 mph. The location of the vehicles and the outcome of the collision makes is a virtually certainty that the accident occurred at speeds well over the legal limit.

Authorities may never know for certain what caused the tragedy of this accident. However what remains clear is that all dangerous speeds on dangerous portions of roadway under the influence of alcohol is a lethal combination. All it takes is one driver willing to risk these conditions to cause a deadly accident like the one here. In fact, the tragedy of many of these accidents is that one party is often driving with perfect care and caution. They just happened to be caught in the crosshairs of a negligent fellow driver.

Nothing can be done to fully fix the damage caused by these vicious car crashes. However, the legal rights of the injured parties can still be respected and honored. That is where our car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti come in. We are committed to helping victims of these accidents receive the compensation possible to best preserve their legal benefits. Please contact our office if you have suffered at the hands of a car accident.

Another harmful car accident occurred on Lake Shore Drive this week, as several women were injured in a late night single car crash.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on the incident. Shortly after 2:30am, the driver lost control of a hard top jeep in which five other women were riding. One of the wheels came off the car, it hit a guard rail, and barrel-rolled at least six times until finally coming to a stop. A 200 foot debris path was left in the wake of the careening vehicle.

All six women were in serious to critical condition when medical professionals arrived at the scene. One of the injured passengers was 6 months pregnant.

Authorities investigating the accident believe that the driver was traveling too fast, with the dangerous speeds contributing to the loss of control. Also, empty beer cans were found strewn around the crash area, presumably coming from inside the vehicle.

Obviously, all drivers are told repeatedly that driving under the influence of alcohol and driving too fast can have deadly consequences. But all too often, those common truths are ignored, causing injury, death, and heartbreak to millions. Our Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti continue to help victims of these tragic events protect their legal rights. We also strive to raise awareness of the far reaching consequences of even a single car accident. This wreck on Lake Shore Drive involved only a single car, but still has the potential to affect six individuals, an unborn child, and the family and friends of all of these young women.

All drivers should remain vigilant of their own speed and alcohol intake when driving a motor vehicle. Not only that, but all drivers should also be aware that other cars on the road may be helmed by careless or impaired drivers.

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.

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.

Two Northwest Chicago teenage girls were killed in a fatal car accident that occurred on June 28th. The car accident occurred when the car that the two girls were in struck a tree. There were three other passengers in the car who were injured, however it is unknown at this time who was driving when the car accident occurred. According to the Chicago Tribune, the two girls that were killed in the accident were best friends, and were almost inseparable and the girls and their friends were out celebrating one of the victim's birthdays when the accident occurred. At this point no charges have been filed against the driver, who is unknown but was not one of the victims, but they still could be filed pending the results of the accident investigation. To read more about this tragic accident, please click on this hyperlink.

While it is unknown whether this car was caused by an intoxicated underage driver, teen drunk driving results in a great number of deaths each year. Drunk driving is the leading cause of teenage death and about one person is killed in the United States every forty minutes as the result of a drunk driving accident. Chicago accident attorneys remind you of how preventable drunk driving deaths are and to never get behind the wheel even if you think you are okay to drive but have been drinking. Additionally, please make sure if you have a teenage driver that they understand that it is always a better idea to call for a ride than to drive drunk. The difference in making the choice to not drive after drinking can make all the difference in saving a life, so please always choose to not drink and drive!

A teenage girl from Chicago was killed when she was run over by a car driven by her friend after a gang fight broke out. As she was trying to get away from the fight she fell down and was struck by her friend's car and was dragged a distance. The victim died as a result of the serious personal injuries that she incurred when she was run over by the car. At this point the police believe that a gang fight broke out and the teenage victim was accidentally struck by a car while the car tried to get away from the fight, however, according to WGN TV, the mother of the victim has heard from people that saw the accident that it may not have actually been an accident. At this point, the accident is still under investigation and no charges have been filed. Although, the victims mother claims that people at the scene told her that her daughter's death was no accident, the police reports show no evidence of any witnesses claiming this. This makes the investigation process difficult and what really happened may be hard to uncover. It is important to understand why telling the truth of what you see during a car accident is crucial, because without truthful statements by the witnesses of the accident the police may never know what happened and if someone was at fault, they may never be charged. Please always tell the police exactly what you saw if you witness an accident and if you realize you were not completely accurate when you spoke to the police at first, please amend your statement. If you would like to read more about this tragic Chicago accident, please click on this link.

A Chicago police officer that was involved in a fatal car accident over two years ago is now expected to be called in a civil lawsuit over the same accident, now that the criminal charges against him have been dropped. The police officer was seen on tape drinking earlier in the night prior to the November 2008 car accident in which two Chicago men were killed. According to CBS, in the criminal case, the police officer defendant chose to exercise his right to not testify in the trial, and therefore did not testify about the amount of alcohol that he consumed the night of the accident. The breathalyzer test was also not admitted in the criminal case, and the police officer ended up being found not guilty. To read more about this Chicago car accident lawsuit, please click on this link.

The families of the victims are now suing the bar that was serving the police officer shortly before the accident, in a civil lawsuit. In this lawsuit, the police officer cannot exercise the same right to not testify and is expected to have to testify as to how much alcohol he consumed the night in question. In this civil suit the family is seeking monetary damages from the bar for serving the police officer and allowing him to leave the bar and drive, given the condition the officer was in at the time he left the bar that evening. Chicago accident attorneys remind all citizens that the place of business, or person serving, an intoxicated driver that caused a crash is often held liable or can faces civil lawsuits for serving the driver and failing to stop them from driving. Please stop anyone you know is about to drive when they have been drinking to safe both their life and the lives of others on the road.

A Lakeview Chicago car accident that occurred on June 3rd was likely caused by a drunken driver who lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a three foot divider on Lake Shore drive. Luckily, no other cars were involved in the Chicago accident and the driver only suffered minor personal injuries and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment of those injuries. According to The Chicago Sun Times, following the accident the driver was temporarily stuck in his car, but was able to be extracted and was not seriously injured. No one else was traveling in the car when the accident occurred and at this time it is unknown what charges are likely to be filed against the driver. If you would like to read more about this Lakeview car accident, please click on this link.

While luckily no one died in this drunk driving accident, many people are injured or killed at the hands of drunk drivers every year. According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, thirty two percent of all highway fatalities were caused by impaired drivers. These accidents are completely avoidable because no one should ever get behind the wheel after they have been drinking. Our Illinois injury attorneys remind readers that even "buzzed" driving is drunk driving and ask that you do not get behind the wheel if you have been drinking. It is always better to be safe than sorry so please hand the keys over to someone else or call a cab or another ride. Illinois police will charge you with drunk driving if you are pulled over and are found to be over the legal blood alcohol limit, so please err on the side of safety to protect yourself, your loved ones, along with other passengers and pedestrians on our streets and highways.

A young Rogers Park boy was killed when he was crushed between two sports utility vehicles while trying to cross the street. The deadlypedestrian accident occurred on May 30th after the young boy and his sister got out of their father's car to cross the street to go to their aunt's house. An allegedly drunk driver crashed into the back of one of the two parked cars causing that car to crash into the parked car in front of it, trapping the young boy between the two. According to The Chicago Tribune, the boy's younger sister who was crossing the street with him was not hit and did not suffer any personal injuries. The suspected drunk driver is still in custody pending charges for this horrific incident. To read more about this terrible Rogers Park accident, please click on this hyperlink.

This is one of the many accidents that are the result of drunk drivers during holidays such as memorial day weekend. Given the holiday weekend, the number of accidents greatly increases, the traffic on the road becomes more dense and busy, and the number of drunk drivers on the road increases. Chicago injury attorneys remind drivers not only to make sure to never drink and drive, but remind pedestrians and drivers to be even more aware and cautious of drunk drivers during holiday weekends. While the Chicago police do try to take extra measures to ensure the safety and well-being of Chicago residents, they can not be there to stop every drunk driver, so if you see a driver that you believe may be under the influence of alcohol, please call 911 immediately. Your vigilance may help to prevent others from being harmed or killed by an impaired driver.

A recent study has shown that Chicago cab companies have a complex system in place that may limit the amount that passengers are able to collect in the event of a personal injury or wrongful death resulting from a cab accident. The way the system is structured, a person injured is likely to never recover more than the $350,000 minimum required by the City of Chicago, even in cases where the injured party requires lifetime medical care or when the family is suing on behalf of a victim that was killed as a result of an accident.

According to The Chicago Sun Times, this change in damage recovery resulted about twelve years ago when Chicago stopped cab companies from being able to have a monopoly on owning cabs within the city, and as it stands now, no one company can own more that twenty five percent of city-issued taxi medallions. Prior to this, two Chicago cab companies had a complete monopoly on the system and typically held multiple layers of insurance, which would be available to protect the company in the event of a lawsuit and provide higher monetary damages for victims. The new system allow companies to argue that the driver is a private agent and without being able to show that the driver is an agent of the company, the recovery can be much lower for victims. While the legislature coming in to stop monopolies is good for cab companies and clients alike, these changes made it harder for injured victims of Chicago taxi accidents to recover the amount they deserve for the harm or injury caused. To read more about the damage recovery caps for cab accidents in Chicago, please click on the link.

With the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, many more people will be on the road than usual and according to AAA about 28 million people are expected to be traveling by car this weekend. With the wave of travelers, it is important to remember certain safety tips if you are going to be on the road this weekend. Even before you leave there are certain safety precautions to take to avoid car accidents. Always make sure to be well rested, because being tired can distract your focus from the road and making driving very dangerous. Additionally, if you feel too tired while driving please stop and rest before resuming driving. Before you leave make sure to inspect you car, making sure the oil and fluid levels are where they should be, the brakes are working, tires are full, and any other minor maintenance is taken care of. You would not want to get stuck on the road because of a small problem that could have been taken care of before you left. When you are ready to get on the road, make sure that all of you passengers are wearing their seatbelts and never drive with a suspended or expired license or if you have been drinking. When you are driving make sure to not let distractions take your focus off of the road. This can include using your cell phone, adjusting the radio, or trying to eat while driving. All of these activities take your focus off the road, if even just for a second, and can result in a car crash.
The increase of drivers over holiday weekends, and in the summer in general, make accidents more frequent and likely, so please be extra cautious and alert while driving this holiday weekend. Chicago injury attorneys bring you these tips to have a safe and fun holiday weekend and to remind you that these few simple steps can make all the difference in having a safe and easy drive.

In Illinois, cops are planning to crack down on seat belt usage this holiday weekend. The law in Illinois is that all drivers, all passengers riding in the front seat of a car, and all passengers under nineteen riding anywhere in the car, must be wearing a seat belt at all times the car is in motion. According to The Chicago Tribune, while this law is always in effect, Illinois state police say that they will be extra hard on people this weekend and be watching for seat belt violations extra carefully. The reason behind this crackdown is that holiday weekends are always a time of higher accident rates and more careless driving, so the cops want to make sure that everyone is wearing seat belts to try to keep the roads safer and any injuries less severe. To read more about the Illinois State Police’s safety plans to help keep people safe in the event of car accidents during the coming holiday weekend, please click on this hyperlink.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seat belt usage has been steadily on the rise in recent years, and in 2008 was up to ninety percent. While these numbers are good and it is obviously good that the statistics continue to rise in this regard, it is important for everyone to wear a seat belt. Chicago injury attorneys remind readers that seat belts can safe lives and can be what keeps someone from receiving serious personal injuries if they are involved in a car crash. Please make sure to do your part to reduce traffic accident injuries and always wear your seat belt and make sure that your passengers always wear their seat belts.

A car and bus accident occurred on May 20th in which ten people were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their personal injuries. The Chicago bus accident occurred in Old Irving Park Neighborhood on North Pulaski Road when a car tried to make a turn and ended up turning directly into the path of the bus. According to Chicago Breaking News, at least six ambulances arrived at the scene and of the ten people injured, six were listed in serious to fair condition, three were listed in fair condition and one was listed in serious to critical condition. While little more is known about this Chicago bus crash, please click her for an article about the accident.

While bus crashes can be very dangerous and result in serious injury when they do occur, they are still, for the majority of the time, a very safe way to travel. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2008 there were 247 total bus crashes that resulted in a fatality and only twelve of those occurred anywhere in the state of Illinois. This low number of accident compared to the number of car accidents in a given year show that bus travel is overall very safe. Illinois accident attorneys remind drivers to be careful when driving near a bus and to make sure to always give them an appropriate amount of safe. Busses are large and much more difficult to maneuver in emergency situations and also have much larger blind spots than a passenger car does.

A Chicago car accident occurred in the Humboldt Park neighborhood on May 10th that resulted in the injury of twelve people, two of whom suffered serious personal injuries. The accident occurred when a sports utility vehicle tried to pass a car that the driver felt was driving too slowly by getting into a lane in which a Chicago Transit Authority bus was traveling, causing the bus to hit another car while it swerved to avoid hitting the original sports utility vehicle that had cut into the bus’s lane. The bus then struck the side of the Rowe-Clark Math and Science Academy Building. The driver of the SUV tried to leave the scene, however he did not get very far because his car had suffered damage in the accident which caused him to have to stop about a block away. So far the driver of the SUV has been cited for following too closely. According to The Chicago Sun Times, the scene was not as bad as initially thought and many bystanders helped out by helping get the injured passengers of the bus. Of the twelve injured, none were children and two people have since been listed in critical condition, nine have since been listed in fair condition and one has since been listed in good condition. The accident occurred around four in the afternoon and while the bus routes on that street had to be rerouted temporarily, the buses were back on schedule by around seven that same evening. To read more about this Chicago bus accident, please click on this hyperlink.

A person was seriously injured in Chicago in a pedestrian accident at 63rd and Damen on the morning of May 16th. The pedestrian was struck by a fire truck that had its lights and sirens on. The victim was distracted by a personal electronic which caused them to not to hear the approaching truck. According to Chicago Breaking News, the victim was taken to Stroger Hospital for treatment of their personal injuries.

While many people acknowledge that drivers must pay attention to the road and avoid being distracted by things such as cell phones and radios, it is also important to keep in mind that pedestrians need to be aware of their surroundings when walking through the city. This concept of “distracted walking” was the subject of a New York Times article, addressing how the rise of the mobile gadget causes walkers to be distracted and not pay attention to where they are going. In 2008, over 1000 distracted walkers suffered some type of personal injury in accidents with cars, which was double from this type of injury reported the previous year.

This type of accident is something that all Chicago pedestrians need to be aware of with the rise in cell phone and mp3 player usage, as it is an issue that is unlikely to get better until pedestrians become more aware of the problem. Our Chicago accident lawyers encourage all walkers to make sure to remain alert, especially when using portable electronic devices. We hope that by raising awareness surrounding this issue, the number of pedestrians injured due to distractions will be lowered.

A recent study was done to help determine when people suffering from various types of dementia should no longer be legally allowed to drive. The issue with people with advanced types of dementia driving is that dementia affects the brain and memory and in its advanced stages can affect a person’s memory, attention, language, and ability to problem solve. This can be dangerous for a driver because paying constant attention to the road and being oriented to what is going on is crucial to be safe on the road and help avoid car accidents.

According to The American Academy of Neurology, new guidelines have been issued to determine at what level of advancement people with various forms of dementia are no longer safe when driving. A type of rating scale has been implemented that allows doctors to use a combination of information received from both a person with dementia’s caregiver and from an observation of the person themselves to determine what level of dementia they are suffering from. The reason that this testing scale is appropriate is that doctors have found that not all patients suffering from dementia are incapable of safely driving and that as many as 76 percent of patients with mild dementia are safe to drive.

It is important for caregivers to be alert and aware of dementia patients driving and if anything seems out of the ordinary such as car crashes, moving violations, avoiding certain driving conditions, or generally becoming more aggressive or impulsive, as these may be warning signs of dementia advancing or getting to a point that may make driving unsafe. If you notice these type of changes, please contact a doctor to the get the dementia patient tested for driving. To read more about the new guidelines for safe driving and dementia patients, please click on this hyperlink.

In Illinois, all drivers must have car insurance for every motor vehicle they own including cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. All drivers must carry their insurance card, issued by the insurance company upon issuance or renewal of the insurance policy, with them at all times and be willing to show it to any police officer that asks. While it is very important to always keep your insurance card with you at all times, if you forgot it but the insurance policy is up to date some officers will allow you to prove that you have current insurance in either court or by mail to avoid a penalty. In Illinois, if a person is found to be driving without car insurance, the first offense will result in the suspension of the drivers license until the driver pays a $100 fee and shows prove of current evidence. According to Cyber Drive Illinois, the driver will also be fined $500 for driving without insurance and will be fined $1000 for driving the same car in the time period in which the license plate is suspended. Aside from just checking at traffic stops or after accidents, Illinois has started randomly selecting cars and sending the owners a questionnaire asking for current insurance policy information, and that information will be double checked with the insurance provided. To read more about the Illinois requirements for car insurance and where you can obtain car insurance, please click on this link.

The Chicago injury attorneys at Levin & Perconti strongly believe in the importance of car insurance, not only to keep drivers from getting fines, but to protect drivers in the event of a car crash. Under Illinois law, the minimum amount of insurance required is as follows: $20,000 for the injury or death of one person in a car accident, $40,000 for the injury or death of more than one person in a car accident, and $15,000 for damage to another person’s property. While this is the state required minimum, there are certain more extensive types of policies that can protect and cover drivers even if the other person involved in the accident and who is at fault has little or no insurance themselves. One type of policy that is available in Illinois is underinsured motorist policy which means that you are protected by your insurance company and can recover damages when the other driver that caused the accident’s minimum coverage will not cover the damages. Additionally, in Illinois there is the option of obtaining and uninsured motorist policy. This is similar to the previous policy but means that your insurance company will protect you against uninsured drivers that are at fault for an accident as opposed to drivers with minimum insurance. Levin & Perconti recommends these policies because of how much protection they can offer to drivers in the event of an accident with a driver who is at fault but their insurance will not be able to cover the damages of the driver who is not at fault. Damages from a car accident can be extensive, so it is always good to protect yourself and your loved ones by having a thorough and extensive car insurance policy.

A Chicago bicyclist was killed on March 30th when he was struck by a car on the West Side of Chicago. The biking accident occurred when the biker was riding on North Waller Avenue and a car failed to slow down and struck the biker. According to Chicago Breaking News, the biker’s injuries were so severe that he unfortunately was unable to recover and died shortly after the biking accident. The driver that struck the man was cited with negligent driving as well as failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. To read more about this tragic car accident, please click on this link.

While drivers must always be aware of bikers and be careful to avoid hitting them, there are also certain safety precautions that bikers can take to ensure their own safety. The Chicago accident attorneys at Levin and Perconti offer several tips for bikers to remain safe while on the road. First of all, bikers should always ride as close to the curb as possible and only veer more into the road to avoid other bikers or a dangerous situation in the road. Additionally, bikers should always have at least one hand on the handlebars and never being holding on to something that would make it impossible for them to use both hands when necessary to control the bike. Whenever there is a bike path adjacent to the street, the biker should always ride on the path instead of the street. Bike should never have more people riding that there are seats available. In addition to these safety tips, all bikes should be equipped with reflective lights to help insure cars can see them and should always have a working brake. Following these tips and making sure your bike is safe to be riding can help you have a safe and enjoyable ride!

The family of a bicyclist that was killed in a car accident in 2008 has had filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of the car. The car crash occurred while the driver was text messaging and got distracted, causing the driver to crash into the bicyclist. The driver, in his distracted state, failed to stop at a stop sign and was ticketed for causing the accident in which the young man was killed. According to About Lawsuits, the lawsuit alleged that the driver was grossly negligent when he intentionally took his eyes off the road while driving. To read more about this accident and car accident lawsuit, please click on this link.

Many states have chosen to deal with the dangers of texting while driving by enacting laws that make it against the law to text message while driving. Illinois is one of the states that have enacted anti-texting laws. In Illinois a law was enacted on January 1, 2010 that makes it against the law to compose or read text messages while driving or at any type the car is in drive, and carries a fine of $75 per offense. Unfortunately, while this law is a great attempt to try to curb the presence of texting while driving, Illinois officers have said that this law is actually very difficult to enforce. The law does not ban drivers from scrolling through their contact lists on their cell phones or for dialing numbers, and both of these acts look very similar to text messaging. At this point the Illinois law is proving hard to enforce however hopefully drivers knowing they may be ticketed for texting will make them reconsider doing it and realize the danger that it creates.

Whenever you are behind the wheel remember how distracting text messaging is to a driver and how much focus it takes off the road. Always refrain from texting while driving and if it is a matter that must be taken care of immediately, please pull off the road while you are texting. This simple act of refusing to text while driving will make you safer on the road and may prevent car crashes.

An Illinois woman was killed earlier this morning when her car was struck by a passenger van. The North Side Chicago accident occurred when a van struck her car, and she was pronounced dead shortly after the accident at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as a result of multiple personal injuries sustained in the crash. According to Chicago Breaking News, this car crash is still under investigation and there is no information at this point if any citations were issued or if any charges will be filed. To read more about this Chicago car accident, click on the link.

If a loved one was killed in a car accident and you believe that the driver that caused the car accident may have been negligent, or was responsible for the car accident in some other way, you may be entitled to compensation on the part of your deceased loved one. Even if charges were not filed against the driver in connection with the accident, there may still be civil options available to the family of the victim and a wrongful death lawsuit may be appropriate to compensate the family of the victim. If you would like to discuss possible options following an accident in which a loved one was killed, please contact a Chicago accident attorney today.

A Chicago woman died in a car accident on March 9th in which a woman lost control of her car, drove of the highway and struck a light pole. The driver and her nine year old daughter were taken to Christ Medical Center for treatment of their personal injuries and are both expected to recover fully. According to South Town Star, a passenger in the car suffered fatal injuries. The driver of the car has been charged with drunk driving. To read more about this Illinois crash, please click on the hyperlink.

Drunk driving in a very serious crime and in Illinois drunk drivers can face up to a year loss of driving privileges, possible jail time of a year, and a $1000 fine. According to the Illinois State Police’s website, this punishment is just for the first offense and the punishment gets much more severe with more than one DUI conviction. Always remember that drunk driving is very dangerous and can hurt not only yourself but others and that in Illinois the legal limit is a .08 blood alcohol content to be considered under the influence and in turn subject to drunk driving tickets.

If you see a driver that you believe may be impaired please call 911 immediately to give the police the location of the driver. Make sure to stay out of the way of the vehicle but also keep an eye on it to give the police the most accurate description of where the car is on the road. Additionally, if you know that someone is getting behind the wheel and they are intoxicated, please try to stop them and offer them a ride to where they are going. If they insist on driving, please take note of their license plate number and call the police to inform them of the intoxicated driver.

On February 27th a Chicago woman got into a car accident in which she struck an Illinois police officer on I-94. The accident occurred when the police officer was pulled over on the side of the highway and was standing outside of her patrol car and was then hit by the Chicago woman. According to Chicago Sun Times, the victim was conscious when emergency crews arrived and is believed to have suffered multiple broken bones but is expected to recover fully. To read more about this Chicago pedestrian accident, please click on the link.

The driver has been charged with aggravated reckless conduct for her failure to notice the police officer in time to avoid striking her. In Illinois there is an additional penalty for driver’s who fail to yield to emergency vehicles or cause accidents or injuries to public safety personnel. According to the Illinois State Police website violation of this law, Scott’s Law, can lead to up to an additional $10,000 in fines and a suspension of driving privileges for up to two years. In addition to the reckless conduct charge, the driver in this car accident was also charged under Scott’s Law, cited for improper lane usage, failure to reduce speed and operating an uninsured car. Driver distraction can be very dangerous and can lead to very serious car crashes. It is important for all drivers to be alert and pay attention every time they get behind the wheel.

A Chicago taxi accident occurred early on the morning of February 28th in which both the taxi driver and the passenger suffered personal injuries. According to Chicago Breaking News, the car accident occurred when a car traveling on Clark Street crossed over the center line and crashed into the taxi carrying the victims. The car that caused the car accident then sped off and the car was later found abandoned near the crash. Both victims had to be extracted from the taxi and were hospitalized with personal injuries. For more information on this Illinois taxi accident, please click on this link.

Hit-and-runs like this accident are when a driver hits another car and then flees the scene, rather than staying at the scene to talk to the police or the other driver. Many drivers get nervous after an accident and their instinct may be to leave immediately, but it is important to always stay to make sure everyone is okay and, if there are any injuries, that the police and emergency personnel are called. If you were in a hit-and-run accident and would like to talk to a Chicago car accident attorney about what your legal options may be, please follow the link.

A Chicago woman who was injured in a taxi accident has filed a car accident lawsuit. The accident occurred several months ago when the victim was the passenger in a taxi and the driver lost control and crashed into a tree. The victim was in a coma for a month after the crash and her husband was told she had less than a one percent chance of survival. Luckily, the victim has since recovered. According to ABC local, the victim and her husband have since filed a lawsuit against the taxi driver to cover their doctor’s bills of close to one million dollars. The taxi driver is claiming that the car sped up on its own and this is what caused the accident, and not his negligence, however the black box for the taxi that would store this data seems to have gone missing. To read more about this car accident lawsuit, please click on the link.

Taxi drivers are often involved in car accidents and if the victim believes that the driver may have been negligent and caused the accident, the passenger may be able to file a lawsuit against the driver. If you or a loved one have been involved in a taxi accident and feel that the driver may have been at fault and that you are entitled to compensation, please contact a Chicago car accident attorney.

A Chicago car accident occurred early on February 20th and left three Illinois residents seriously injured. The accident was at the intersection of Clark and Division and was caused by a car crashing into a taxi as it was going through the intersection. According to The Chicago Sun Times, the taxi then hit a pole and the car that caused the accident crashed into another taxi. Three people were listed in serious to critical condition and two were in good condition following the accident. At this point it is not known whether any of the victims were pedestrians or if they were all passengers in the cars. To read more about this Chicago car accident, please click here.

Given the high frequency of taxis in the city, taxis are often involved in car accidents. As a passenger in a taxi, you should always wear a seatbelt to protect yourself in the event of a taxi accident. While many people ignore seatbelts in taxis or find it not as important and necessarily to wear a seatbelt in a taxi as they do in a car, an accident can be just as dangerous so seatbelts are very important. Please make sure to always make a conscious effort to wear your seatbelt while traveling in a taxi, and encourage others to as well.

A recent study has found cell phone distraction is more likely to cause car accidents in densely populated areas. The study looked at the rates of car accidents in densely populated areas before and after the cell-phone ban laws went into effect. The results of the study showed that there was a higher drop in car accident fatalities in the heavily congested areas, as well as a higher drop in non-fatal car accidents. According to Science Daily, the reasoning that the conductors of the study believe that there is such a difference based on the congestion of the city, is because in a higher traffic area it is much easier to hit a car when distracted by a cell phone, because the cars are so much closer to each other. In other words, if you are driving on a road with no traffic and you get distracted and lose control of your car for a second, there is a much lower chance you will hit something than when you are stopped right behind another car in a heavily congested area. To read more about this study, please click on this link.

This study is very relevant for drivers in Chicago, because the city of Chicago is very densely populated and the streets are often very congested. To read about car accident rates in the city of Chicago, please click on this link. While the cell-phone ban is currently in effect in Chicago, many drivers still ignore the law and continue to use their cell phone while driving in the city. In addition to the law and potential citations you an receive for using your cell phone while driving in the city, this study offers an additional reason to not let yourself be distracted by your cell phone while driving in a heavily congested area.

The family of a Chicago baby that was killed in a fatal car accident last week has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of the car that caused the crash. According to the Chicago car accident attorney who filed the case, the accident occurred when the plaintiff was fleeing from a previous crash at 100 miles per hour with headlights that were not operating correctly. According to Chicago Breaking News, the accident occurred at the corner of Parker and Cicero Avenues in Chicago and while the baby’s parents survived the crash, two of their friends who were passengers in the car were also killed. Read the report about this deadly Chicago car crash.

The driver who fled the scene but was later detained. He was released without criminal charges but faces several driving violations. The wrongful death lawsuit filed by the baby’s parents seeks an unspecified amount of money for both their baby’s death and their own injuries sustained in the collision. If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a car accident and feel that you may be entitled to compensation by the person responsible, please contact an Illinois accident attorney to further discuss the case and the possible options you may have.

Many people are concerned with the way that Toyota is handling their recent recalls in the past couple weeks. The problem that have been identified in several Toyota models involve an safety issue where gas pedals have been sticking. This is a huge safety issue as a stuck gas pedal can lead to severe car accidents if the driver is unable to control their vehicle. The more recent concern is not just over the fact that this safety issue exists but that Toyota has been slow in their response to address the problem. To read more about the Toyota recalls, please click on this link.

According to Yahoo News, the Transportation Secretary says that it took Toyota awhile to recall the vehicles once the problem was initially discovered and that the government is considered penalizing Toyota for their delay. Toyota is suffering a big blow to their image with these recent safety issues, with their stock falling, and the company that has always prided itself on safety, losing business to other companies that are stepping up in the wake of these Toyota safety issues. To read more about other companies stepping in, please click on this link. For additional info on the trouble that Toyota may be in for their slow responses, please click here.

These types of safety issues in vehicles are very important to deal with because of the severity of what these issues can cause. Many car crashes may result from these faulty gas pedals and other similar safety oversights, and this is why it is so crucial for car companies to be very thorough in their quality checks and to immediately address any issues that so come up. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed as a result of negligence on the part of a car company or another driver, please contact an Illinois accident attorney to discuss your case and see what your possible options may be.

A chain reaction car accident occurred in Chicago today, which was initially caused by the snow fall earlier this morning. Very early this morning an intoxicated driver lost control on the snowy roads and hit a median on the highway, and then a truck struck the car after it hit the median. According to Chicago Breaking News, another truck trying to avoid the accident was struck by another truck traveling behind it and jack-knifed across all the lanes of traffic. The highway had to be closed for several hours to deal with this horrible mess of cars. To read more about this Chicago accident, please click on this link.

While the city of Chicago does try to prepare for the weather and reduce car accidents by clearing the snow as soon as possible, drivers need to be cautious because all roads usually cannot be cleared in time for the morning commute. Drivers need to be aware of the weather and drive slower and more cautiously given the harsh conditions. If the roads have a lot of traffic make sure not to follow others cars too closely as it is much harder to stop quickly in icy road conditions. Also keep in mind that right when snow (or rain) begins to fall is when the roads may be the most dangerous because the roads are just becoming slick.

An elderly Illinois pedestrian was killed on January 21st when a vehicle struck him in Albany Park. The driver of the car responsible for the car accident was unlicensed and was ticketed for driving without a license and for striking a pedestrian failing to exercise due care. According to Chicago Breaking News, the victim was taken to Advocate Illinois Medical Center but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. To read more about this tragic Chicago car accident, please click here.

A northwest Chicago car accident resulted in the death of an Irving Park man early on the morning of January 19th. The fatal car accident occurred when a drunk driver, who also was driving without car insurance, lost control of his car and hit another vehicle. According to Chicago Breaking News, the drunk driver’s passenger was thrown from the car and died as a result of the car accident. To read any more about this Chicago car accident, please click on this link.

A January 16th Chicago car accident injured four people, one of which was severely personally injured. The car accident occurred when the car in which the four people were in tried to cross several lanes of traffic, lost control and flipped. The accident only involved one vehicle and all four injured were in that vehicle at the time of the car accident. According to Chicago Breaking News, it seems that the driver was under the influence at the time of the crash. To read more about this Chicago car accident, please click on this link.

A Chicago car accident that occurred on I-290 on January 13th resulted in three lanes of the highway closing for a little while shortly after the car accident, however the lanes have since reopened. According to The Chicago Sun Times, one person was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. At this point it is unknown if more vehicles were involved in the car accident. To read more about this Illinois car accident, please click on the link.

A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in connection with a car accident that occurred on December 20th. The car accident occurred on the West Side of Chicago when an off duty Lockport police officer drunkenly drove into the victim’s car, causing the victim to die as a result of his severe injuries. According to Chicago Breaking News, criminal charges have already been brought by Cook County, but this wrongful death claim is against the bar in which the cop was drinking the night of the fatal Chicago accident. If you would like to read more about this tragic car accident and the lawsuit that was recently filed, please click on this hyperlink.

A Chicago car accident occurred on December 26th in which a driver of a pickup truck sideswiped a young boy, causing the boy to be hospitalized in serious condition. The accident occurred on South Kostner Avenue, and after the car hit the boy the car drove away. The boy then walked home and did not go to the hospital until later that evening when he complained that his head hurt. According to The Chicago Sun Times, the Chicago Police are looking for the hit-and-run driver and ask anyone that has any information in regards to the car accident to please contact them as soon as possible. If you would like to read more about this terrible car accident, please click here.

A new law will go into effect on January 1st in which it will be illegal to text on a cell phone in the state of Illinois. This law includes outlawing texting while at a stop sign or stop light as well as when the vehicle is in motion. According to Review Atlas, hopefully this will reduce the number of car accidents caused by people not paying attention and texting while driving. While the law is directed at all ages, young drivers seem to be most at risk for getting in texting related car accidents and advocates of this law hope that this new law will encourage parents to talk to their teenagers about paying attention while driving. The importance of parents incorporating this advice in a talk about safe driving to their children is that texting can be very dangerous, but the new law may still make it hard to police officers to catch texters while driving. If you would like to read more about this texting ban in Illinois, please click on this link.

Due to the high number of car accidents resulting from ice on the Chicago Skyway, the highway was closed in both directions on December 23rd. Several accidents occurred over the course of the day and due to the ice getting worse officials decided to close the Skyway until conditions improved. According to Chicago Sun Times, officials were urging drivers to stay off the roads if at all possible when snow turned to ice on the roads. To read more about this highway closure, click here.

Ice on Chicago roadways led to a number of car accidents on the evening of December 23rd. One accident occurred in Oak Brook on a ramp onto the I-294. A number of people were taken to local hospitals following another accident on the Chicago Skyway. The Skyway was closed following the multi-vehicle accident. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the accident was not the first on this highway that day and several other accidents occurred nearby.

While the number of car accidents resulting from pavement-edge drop-offs remain high, little efforts are being made to improve the roads safety. These drop-offs cause about 160 deaths a year and injure thousands more, and according to The New York Times, the drops are easily fixable. The drop-offs are common in construction work zones and cause a great deal of car accidents along with other safety hazards at work sites. Unfortunately, the laws and regulations governing safety measures in work zones are virtually non-existent and what precautions are in place are rarely followed. To read more about the issues with dangerous work zones, please click on this link.

A Chicago car accident on the Stevenson Expressway on December 20th left one man dead. The car accident occurred when an off duty police officer’s car veered onto the shoulder of the I-55 and struck a barrier and then flew over the median and struck two vehicles going in the opposite direction. The driver of one of the vehicles was killed in the accident and the police officer and third driver did not suffer life threatening injuries. The area of the I-55 where the car accident occurred was shut down for about five hours to clean up and for police to investigate the crash. The Lockport Police Department, where the off duty police officer worked would not say more than that he was involved in the crash and at this time according to Chicago Breaking News, it is unknown if the police officer’s blood alcohol count was over the legal limit. To read more about this tragic Illinois accident, click here.

A Cook County sheriff that was charged in connection with a Chicago car accident in which an Illinois Department of Transportation worker was hit has had a charge of reckless driving added against him. The car accident occurred when the sheriff was off duty on September 2nd and the sheriff initially faced no citations, however the driver struck by the car felt that no citations were issued at the time because the sheriff was wearing his uniform when the car accident occurred. Later that month, police issued the sheriff a citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to yield. According to Chicago Sun Times, the reckless driving charge was just resulting added. To read more about this Chicago car accident, click here.

An Alsip man was killed early this morning after the driving was driving on Hoyne Avenue in Chicago and struck a parked car. According to Chicago Breaking News, the Morgan Park accident left only the one man with injuries and we was pronounced dead at a local hospital shortly after the car accident. At this point the fatal Chicago car accident is still under investigation, but if you would like to read more about the accident please click on the link.

A man has been charged with a DUI after he injured five people in a car accident on December 11 in Evanston. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the drunk driver blew through a red light and collided with another car. Three passengers in his car were injured, along with two people in the other vehicle. No one suffered critical personal injuries, but the victims were taken to local Chicago hospitals following the crash. To learn more about this car accident in Evanston, click on the link.

On December 10, a man was killed when his SUV was struck by a westbound Metra train in suburban Chicago. The train accident occurred when the man’s vehicle stopped on the Metra tracks. The victim’s wife escaped the SUV, but he did not make it out in time and the impact of the collision killed him. A report in the Chicago Tribune did not say why the man’s car was stopped on the train tracks. The Chicago commuter train's service was delayed by three hours as emergency workers cleared the accident. Read the full account of this Chicago Metra accident by following the link.

A North Side Chicago car accident on December 8th resulted in the death of one man. The car accident occurred at the intersection of Hollywood Avenue and Sheridan Road and was caused by a woman rear-ending the victims car at a stopped traffic light. According to Chicago Breaking News, the victim was having a heart attack and therefore did not go when the light turned green and then the woman’s car then struck his and pushed it through the intersection and into a light pole. The victim was alive following the car accident but then died shortly after being taken to a local hospital. The woman that rear-ended the man was cited with following too closely. If you would like to read more about this Chicago car accident and the victim’s life, please click on the hyperlink.

An Illinois man faces felony charges in connection with a fatal Chicago car accident that occurred on December 6th. The Gage Park accident occurred when the driver was driving under the influence and was driving the wrong way on 58th Street, entered the California Avenue intersection and struck a car. According to Chicago Breaking News, the victim was in the car struck by the aggravated driver, and the driver and his passenger refused treatment. The driver was originally ticketed for driving without insurance, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, reckless driving and failing to yield, but upon finding drugs and alcohol in his system the felony charges for aggravated driving under the influence were added. To read more about this Chicago car accident, click on this link.

Very early this morning, a pedestrian was struck by a car in the Austin neighborhood in Chicago. According to Chicago Breaking News, three other people were injured in this Chicago car accident and all four injured were taken to local area hospitals. The car accident occurred near North and Central Avenues on the West Side of Chicago. At this point little is known about the conditions of the victims. To read more about this Chicago pedestrian accident, please click here.

A young woman has died after her car crashed into Lake Michigan earlier this morning near downtown Chicago. The Chicago car accident occurred when the driver drove east on Randolph and through the entrance of the harbor and into the water which was about 12 feet deep at the point of entry. According to Chicago Breaking News, there is no evidence of the woman trying to stop her car before the car accident occurred. The victim was alive when the help crews pulled her from the water, but died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital shortly after being taken there. If you would like to read more about this tragic Chicago car accident, please click on this link.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has offered several tips to help keep families safe over the holiday season, hopefully reducing the number of Illinois car accidents this season. IDOT first recommends to make your vehicle winter ready by assuring that you regularly check all car equipment and make sure everything is running smoothly because the Illinois winter weather can be very tough on vehicles. Next, it is important to have an emergency survival kit in your car, in the event of a car accident or other car trouble. This kit should include items such as an ice scraper and other items to clean an icy windshield, jumper cables, antifreeze, shovels, tire chains, salt and other basic tools that could come in handy in an emergency. In the event that you get stuck in your vehicle it is important to have blankets, extra coats, gloves, hats, food, candles, fire extinguisher, flashlights and flares. Also remember to always have a cell phone, preferably with a backup battery source on you at all times when traveling in a car. Whenever you are planning a trip somewhere in horrible weather, make sure you are only driving in these terrible conditions at times when it is absolutely necessary, because so many car accidents happen at times when people should not even be driving in such dangerous conditions. If you must travel check the weather conditions along the route prior to departure to give you a better idea of what to expect. Current road conditions can be found at www.dot.il.gov and Interstate rest areas are equipped with monitors that display this current road condition information as well. Also make sure to always let others know where and when you are leaving and make sure to let them know when you safely arrive. If you are planning to travel to an unfamiliar area try to travel in daylight areas and bring detailed maps along with you. Also, as in any driving situation, make sure you have proper personal identification, car registration and insurance and a full gas tank. When you are on the road make sure to always have your seat belt fastened and drive cautiously, always willing to seek refuge if weather conditions become too severe to continue driving. Always be alert and aware of your surroundings. If you do become stranded make sure to pull off as far of the road as possible to try to avoid a car accident and do not panic! Use your best judgment to determine if you should leave your vehicle to try to seek help (be aware of the temperature outside) and if you decide to stay in your vehicle and wait for help make sure to stay moving when possible to increase body heat. Please follow these tips to avoid car accidents and have a safe holiday season! For more IDOT tips, please click on this hyperlink.

A Chicago car accident that occurred on November 29th on U.S 57 in Calumet Park killed a college baseball player. According to The Chicago Tribune, the former Illinois resident who was on his way back to school when the crash occurred was pronounced dead at the scene after his car hit a wall and rolled over. While the details of the accident are not yet known, police know that alcohol was not a factor in the car accident. To read more about this tragic accident, click here.

A South Side of Chicago car accident that occurred on November 27th left eight people injured, including six children. The car accident occurred on Garfield Boulevard when the driver of the car swerved off of the road and struck a tree. According to The Chicago Sun Times, all of the victims were either taken to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County or Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment of their personal injuries. At this time it is unknown whether any of the passengers were wearing seat belts and if the children were in car seats. The car did only have five seat belts, and it is very important for all passengers in car to wear seat belts, especially children, and for their to be one seat belt per passenger in order to avoid serious injury in the event of a car accident. For more information on this Chicago car accident, please click on the link.

A seven car accident on Chicago’s Dan Ryan Expressway that occurred on November 21st just south of Downtown Chicago, caused the northbound express lanes to be shut down temporarily. According to The Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Police Department and Illinois Department of Transportation were available to assist with traffic control, and they said that drivers were getting frustrated and turning around on the expressway which was causing more traffic problems. At this point no injuries have been reported, but the details of the car accident was not completely known. For more information on this Cook County car accident, click here.

A Chicago woman died in a car accident that occurred on November 25th in the South Austin area of Chicago. The car accident occurred when the driver of the car lost control and crashed into an abandoned church. According to Chicago Breaking News, the driver was taken to Loyola Medical Center and is listed in critical condition and the victim that died from personal injuries sustained in the crash was the passenger in the vehicle. For more information on this West Side crash, click here.

A trend has emerged in Illinois in which car accidents involving deer have decreased. In 2008 there were 814 fewer deer crashed that the year people and the number of people injured in these deer and car accidents has also decreased. According to The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), people need to remember that that deer accidents are hard to avoid, and more likely to occur in the fall at dawn and dusk, that it is crucial for drivers to be alert, wear their seatbelt and for motorcyclists to make sure to wear helmets. For more information on the decrease in deer and car accidents and more tips to avoid these types of accidents, please click here.

A Chicago car accident on November 21st left eight people injured, including one child. The accident occurred on the Dan Ryan Expressway and involved five vehicles and caused the northbound express lanes to be shut down for about 40 minutes. According to Chicago Breaking News, the cause of the car accident is not known at this point. If you would like to read more about this multiple Chicago car accident, click here.

The Illinois police department is increasing their patrols for the duration on the holiday season. The operation is called “Operation Save 100” with the goal of cutting down at least 100 fatalities caused by car accidents between Thanksgiving and the end of the holiday season. According to the Northwest Herald, the increase will focus on certain areas and will involve seat belt patrols which will hopefully save lives especially when the weather conditions are bad and also will focus on trying to stop drunk drivers. The holiday season is a very dangerous time for drivers in terms of encountering drunk drivers on their way home from holiday parties. To read more about this initiative to reduce fatal car accidents in Illinois, please click on this link.

A Chicago car accident occurred on November 19th, that left five people injured, three of whom suffered seriously personal injuries. According to Chicago Breaking News, the car crash happened at the corner of 58th and State Street. Three of the injured people were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the other two victims were taken to Provident Hospital of Cook County. To read more about this Chicago car accident, please click on the hyperlink.

A Chicago car accident on the South Side that occurred on November 14th, left an elderly woman, and another person involved in the accident, dead. The accident occurred at the intersection of 75th and State when a car ran a red light slamming into a car that was making a left hand turn, causing that car to hit two other nearby cars.. According to Chicago Breaking News, the driver of the car that was turning left was a Chicago resident and was killed as a result of the car accident. An elderly woman that was a passenger in the car that ran the red light was also killed in the accident. There are charged pending against the driver of the car that caused the Chicago car accident. Charges may also be filed by the victim’s families for wrongful death for the two victims. For more information on this fatal Chicago car accident, click here.

Two men have been charged in connection with a November 3rd accident on the Southside of Chicago, after they tried to run over police officers and ended up killing a woman. According to The Chicago Sun Times, the car accident and chase began when two drug officers were conducting a traffic stop on two suspected drug dealers, and when the cops revealed themselves the driver took off. The driver rammed into the cop car and then sped away and struck another car, in which a woman was killed. For more information on this fatal Chicago car accident, click here.

The driver that caused the car accident that occurred last month, in which a pregnant mother of five was killed, has been charged with drunk driving. The crash that killed the woman and caused her baby to die after have to be emergency delivered early, occurred in Chicago. According to Chicago Breaking News, the driver could face up to 14 years in prison if convicted. To read more about this fatal Chicago car accident, click here.

A Chicago car accident that occurred earlier today resulted in the death of one man and left two others with severe personal injuries. The car accident occurred on West Congress Parkway following a police chase that began when police tried to question a man they believed might have been attempting to break into a car, and the man then jumped in a car that then sped away. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the cops were then pursuing the car and the car lost control and crashed into a tree. At this point, the investigation of the car accident and chase are still under investigation.

A Chatham car accident that occurred on October 26th left two Chicago police officers hospitalized. The accident occurred on East 79th Street, on the South Side of Chicago, when the cop driving lost control of the car and struck a pole. Luckily, no pedestrians were injured in the accident. According to Chicago Breaking News, the cops were on there way to respond to a call at the time of the car accident.

A car accident earlier this morning left a woman dead. The car accident happened early this morning, on what happened to be the victim’s birthday, when she was driving down South Chicago Avenue and lost control of her car. She then struck a car and the force of the impact caused the car to roll over and the driver to be ejected from the vehicle. According to WBBM Newsradio 780, the driver was pronounced dead on the scene and the passenger was taken a local hospital for treatment of her personal injuries resulting from the car accident.

A car accident occurred this morning on the West Side of Chicago in which a pregnant woman was killed and four other were injured, at least one of which was a child. According to Chicago Breaking News, the accident occurred at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Kostner Avenue and four of the victims were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their severe personal injuries and are listed in serious-to-critical condition. A fifth victim of this Garfield Park car accident was taken to a different local hospital and is listed in good condition.

An Illinois woman has received citations in connection with a Chicago car accident where the woman drove through a stop sign and hit the back of a cop car. According to Chicago Breaking News, the driver has been cited with failure to produce a valid driver’s license, driving without insurance, damage to city property and failure to yield to a stop sign. Seven people were injured in the accident, five of which were taken to local hospitals. Luckily, no one suffered life-threatening personal injuries in this Cook County Car Accident.

A woman was charged with aggravated DUI after allegedly being the cause of a North Side Chicago car accident on August 1st in which a motorcyclist was killed. The accident occurred in the early morning hours at the Ashland and Wilson intersection. According to Chicago Sun Times, the woman took a field sobriety test and then was given a blood alcohol test when she was taken to a local hospital. In connection with this lawsuit, a nurse at the hospital has filed a civil lawsuit because she was arrested when she refused to give the driver a blood test when she arrived at the hospital. The civil lawsuit claims that an officer ordered the nurse to take a blood test and when she refused telling him that the woman would have to be a patient of the hospital before she could administer the test, she was arrested. For more information on the criminal and civil case in connection with this Chicago car accident, click here.

A Chicago police officer was killed when he got into a fatal car accident early this morning. According to WBBM 780, the car accident occurred on the Kennedy Expressway at a curve at West Bryn Mawr Avenue and it may have been caused by the officer losing control on the curve, however the cause for the crash is still unknown. The officer died of multiple injuries from the car crash and he was not on duty at the time of the car accident. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

A DUI charge has been filed in connection with the previously mentioned Lakeview car accident on October 8th, in which five people were injured when the driver was driving drunk and struck a parked car. According to Chicago Breaking News, the driver has also been charged with three misdemeanor counts of the endangering the life and health of a child and with one count of reckless driving. For more information on this drunk driving car accident criminal case, click here.

A car accident that occurred late on the evening of October 8th in the Lakeview area of downtown Chicago, injured 5 people including three children. According to Chicago Breaking News, the driver of the car was drunk and driving on North Western Avenue when he struck the end of a parked car. All of the injured people were passengers in the drunk driver’s car and all but one woman, who denied medical attention, were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their personal injuries. There is no current information on the status of the victims. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

An elderly man died on October 7th as a result of severe personal injuries sustained when he was struck by a car at 980 N. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago 17 days before his death. According to Chicago Breaking News, an autopsy determined that his death was a result of the injuries sustained in the pedestrian accident. The driver of the car that struck the victim was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian at the time of accident. For more information on this pedestrian accident, click here.

One of the victims in the South Side of Chicago van and CTA bus accident on October 6th has died as a result of injuries sustained in the bus accident. According to Chicago Breaking News, the victim was in the van which appears to be an adult day care van and was pronounced dead early this morning. The bus accident occurred when the bus was stopped at 83rd and Cottage Grove and the driver of the van was driving too close behind and struck the bus. The van driver has been cited for tailgating the bus. For more information on this bus accident, click here.

An Ohio man has been charged with drunk driving and reckless homicide in connection with a car crash that occurred in Chicago at 59th and Ashland early on the morning of October 3rd. According to ABC news, the drunk driver allegedly ran a read light and struck a car in which two Chicago residents were riding and were immediately killed. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

Two people died in a car crash on the West Side of Chicago neighborhood of Austin on the evening of October 2nd. Only one car was involved in the crash and the accident occurred when the car hit a pole. The driver and one passenger of the vehicle were killed as a result of the car crash, and two other passengers are listed in critical condition. According to the Chicago Sun Times, the Major Accident Investigation Unit is currently investigating what caused the fatal Chicago car accident. For more information on this awful crash, click here.

A car accident occurred late on the evening of September 16th on the North Side of Chicago. This Chicago car accident involved two cars but the cause of the car crash is not known at this time. According to Chicago Breaking News, two people involved in the car crash were in serious condition and seven others involved were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their less severe personal injuries. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

A bus accident on September 22nd on Chicago’s West Side left five people injured. The bus accident occurred when a CTA bus was rear-ended by a car. Two of the five people injured were listed in serious-to-critical condition and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital and the other three victims of the bus accident were taken to other local hospitals and are listed in good condition. According to Chicago Breaking News, the bus driver was among the injured people. For more information on this Chicago bus accident, click here.

According to WBBM Newsradio 780’s news website, Former Chicago Bears player has been accused of fleeing the scene after a car accident in January 2008 in the Northwest Side of Chicago. When he was exiting the highway, he allegedly struck another car that was stopped at a light. The driver of the car that he hit has filed a car accident lawsuit and claims that the former Bear’s player got out of his car and was “mumbling incoherencies” and then fled the scene before the cops had time to arrive. The driver took down the license plate number and this is how he is able to identify the driver. The car accident lawsuit asks for damages in connection to the personal injuries that the Plaintiff suffered. For more information on this car accident lawsuit, click here.

A Chicago man was fatally injured after being hit by a bus late in the evening of September 20th. The victim had been standing on the sidewalk near a bus stop when a bus struck him as it pulled away from the stop. The victim was killed instantly according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. No one on the bus was injured resulting from the fatal accident. The bus accident is still under investigation. For more information on this fatal pedestrian accident, click here.

A Chicago man was charged with reckless homicide following a fatal car accident that occurred on September 19th. The driver that caused the car accident was drunk while driving the car that he then got into a car accident. The driver has been charged with leaving the scene of a car accident resulting in personal injury or death, in addition to drunk driving charges, operating a motor vehicle without insurance and failing to stop at a red light. For more information on this fatal car accident and arrest, click here.

Illinois law requires that all drivers have car insurance when operating a motor vehicle. In order to be in compliance with this mandatory insurance law, the minimum coverage amounts are as follows: as least $20,000 for the injury or death of one person in a car accident, at least $40,000 for the injury or death of more than one person in a car accident and at least $15,000 for damage to the property of another person in a car accident. Every driver must carry their insurance card in their vehicle and present it to any requesting law enforcement officer. Insurance companies will automatically send an insurance card to their insured and will send a new one when the previous one expires. The Vehicle Renewal Registration Application that all drivers must fill out when renewing their registration each year now has a signature requirement promising that they have current insurance to cover the registration period. Drivers that fail to keep their insurance current, or lack insurance completely, are subject to a $100 reinstatement fee as well as current proof of insurance on the first offense. If it is a repeat offense, the driver is subjected to a four-month suspension period of their license in addition to the punishments of a first time offender. For more information on the mandatory insurance requirements, click here. If you have been injured in a car accident involving an uninsured motorist, the Chicago car accident attorneys at Levin & Perconti may be able to help you seek justice. Call 312-332-2872 for a free consultation with an accident lawyer.

Four people, including at least one child, were seriously personally injured in a two-vehicle automobile crash on the South Side of Chicago. Emergency crews were called to the intersection of 63rd Street and Damen Avenue. Five ambulances were called to the scene after the automobile accident. One person was taken to Stroger Hospital and is serious to critical condition with personal injuries while three other were taken to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. If you have been injured in an automobile crash, contact an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the Chicago car crash, please click the link.

The victim in a car accident involving a police officer in Palatine in July is suing the village of Palatine and the officer after he was struck while crossing the street. The car accident lawsuit alleges negligence, failure to keep a good lookout and operating the car too fast and without headlights. The defense attorney is claiming that the victim was under the influence of alcohol and stepped into the street, not in a crosswalk when the car accident occurred. The Plaintiff’s car accident attorney claims that whether or not his client was drinking that night makes no difference and that it doesn’t justify hitting a pedestrian. For more information on this Palatine car accident lawsuit, click here.

A Garfield Park teenager has died resulting from personal injuries sustained in a head-on car accident that occurred on September 9th. The victim was the back seat passenger in a car that crashed head-on into another vehicle. All of the occupants of the car the victim were in were taken to a local hospital, as well as the two passengers in the other car. At this point the details of the car crash have not been released. For more information on this Cook County fatal car accident, click here.

A Cook County car accident lawsuit recently settled for close to $24 million. The car crash lawsuit resulted from a 2004 car crash in which an Illinois Department of Transportation’s vehicle struck the Plaintiff’s car on the Elgin-O’Hare expressway. The police could not determine who was at fault in the accident, so the trial was used to determine whose fault the car accident was. The jury found for the Plaintiff after determining that his car was struck by the other vehicle. The car accident attorney for the victim said that the large settlement was for serious personal injuries suffered by his client, including back fractures and partial paralysis. The total award amount was slightly higher, but the jury found that the victim was 5% contributory negligent which slightly lowered the judgment amount. For more information on this Cook County car accident settlement, click here.

Six people were taken to hospitals with personal injuries following an automobile crash on Chicago’s West Side. The people were taken two different hospitals with personal injuries. Three are in serious-to-critical condition and the others are in fair-to-serious condition. Chicago police said two vehicles were involved in the automobile crash on North Hamlin Avenue. If you have been involved in a car accident, please contact an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the automobile accident, please click the link.

A new emergency contact system was been created in Illinois in order to help the families of car accident victims receive word of the accident sooner. Illinois drivers can now enter their emergency contact information on the secretary of state’s website, www.cyberdriveillinois.com, so their families can be contacted as soon as possible following a car accident. This information will only be available to law enforcement and emergency services people and will remain confidential to the public. This will hopefully help families be notified of a car accident as soon as possible. For more information on this new system, click here.

Five people were personally injured in an automobile accident outside Ford city mall on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Four of the victims were taken to an area hospital and are in serious-to-critical condition. The fifth was taken to the hospital with personal injuries in fair-to-serious condition. The car crash occurred at 76th Street and Cicero Avenue. If you or a loved one has been involved in a car crash, find an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the automobile accident, please click the link.

Two people were seriously personally injured in a two-vehicle crash on the Northwest side of Chicago. Fire Department crews responded to the pin-in automobile crash on the intersection of Central and Devon Avenues. Two people were taken to the hospital with personal injuries. One vehicle broadsided another in the car crash. If you have been involved in an automobile accident, find an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the Chicago car crash, please click the link.

Two people died and two more were injured when a car and a garbage truck got into a car accident earlier this morning. The car accident occurred in Logan Square and one of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident and the other died shortly thereafter in a local hospital. Two other people were hospitalized for their personal injuries, including the driver of the garbage truck. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

An Illinois motorcyclist was killed early this morning in Chicago when his motorcycle was involved in a car accident. The car accident occurred when the victim struck a car that was making a left turn and had a green light. No citations have been issued in connection with this car accident. For more information on this Chicago motorcycle accident, click here.

An Illinois man was killed while riding a scooter in Humboldt Park on August 23, 2009 when he struck a vehicle. The car accident occurred early in the morning hours and the victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital. The car involved in the car accident did not stop and fled the scene following the accident and therefore no one is in custody for the fatality. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

A car accident earlier tonight on the Kennedy Expressway left three motorcyclists and another person injured. This car accident occurred in downtown Chicago and seems to have been a chain reaction in which three motorcycles struck each other and then one hit a car. Luckily traffic was moving slowly and all the motorcyclists were wearing helmets so no one was fatally injured. All of the motorcycle drivers as well as the driver of the car involved in the car accident were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their personal injuries. For more information on this Cook County car accident, click here.

Two Chicago police officers and one other person were injured in a Chicago car accident that occurred on August 19th. The car crash occurred when a police car and another vehicle crashed into each other. Both of the police officers were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and the civilian was taken to another local hospital and all were treated for minor personal injuries. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

A stolen SUV was involved in a South Side fatal car accident on the morning of August 17th. The stolen car slammed into concrete pillars after the driver lost control and was thrown from the vehicle and died immediately. There were beer cans found around the scene of the fatal accident but at this point it is unclear whether the victim was under the influence when the crash occurred. There were two other people in the car and they are both fine after the accident. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

A car accident occurred on the South Side of Chicago on the morning of August 8th. A mother was rushing her very sick child to University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital and ran a red light causing her car to crash into another vehicle. It is confirmed that the child has died, but it is not believed that the car crash caused his death. For more information on this Cook County car accident, click here.

A four car accident on Route 53 near Schaumburg on August 10 resulted in the injury of three people, one of which was critically injured. The collision appeared to be a chain-reaction accident occurring when a truck rear-ended an SUV, forcing the SUV into other vehicles. All the victims were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their personal injuries. The Sheriff’s department and Illinois State Police are still trying to piece together what happened to cause the car crash. For more information on this Schaumburg car accident, click here.

Three ramp entrances to the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago have been closed in an attempt to reduce car accidents and to help improve traffic flow. Certain ramps are set to be closed permanently, while others are being closed temporarily and are being redesigned to hopefully help reduce the likelihood of car accidents in these areas. For more information on this ramp closing/reconstruction project, click here.

An Illinois man was fatally injured when he was driving on I-57 and crossed over four lanes of traffic and then struck a median that divided the sides of the highway. The driver was pronounced dead not long after he arrived at the hospital. The police are still investigating what happened to lead to the car accident and that this point there is not much information because the driver was the only person in the vehicle. No one else was injured as a result of this car accident. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Charges have been filed against a South Side woman that is suspected to have caused a car crash after she drove the wrong way and killed one woman and injured two others on August 2nd, on the I-55. The driver has been charged with six counts of aggravated DUI, two counts for each of the three victims in the car crash. For more information on this fatal car crash, click here.

Eight people were injured on the morning of August 1st in a car accident in Chicago, when the driver of a minivan intentionally slammed into a SUV, causing the SUV to flip over and hit a pole. Two people are listed in critical condition, five are in stable and the last one is listed in good condition. There is not much more information on why the minivan intentionally started hitting the SUV, but witnesses saw it intentionally hit the car which caused the SUV to lose control. For more information on this car accident, click here.

One person died and four were injured on the evening of July 26th on the Southside of Chicago in a car accident. All of the victims were taken to local hospitals for treatment of personal injuries. One of the victims that was injured in the car crash, not the one killed, was a child who was struck by one of the vehicles on the sidewalk. There is no further information as to what caused the car crash or about the condition on the victims. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Two teenagers were killed and three more injured in a one car accident that occurred in Illinois on the evening of July 21st. The driver lost control of the car because of standing water in the road due to heavy rain. The car left the road and struck a tree after hitting the water patch. Rescue crews tried to help the car accident victims by transporting them by helicopter, but the weather prevented the helicopters from flying. For more information on this Illinois car accident, click here.

An Illinois car accident resulted in several injuries including a man with a severed arm. The car crash occurred early this morning on the south side of Chicago. Reports show that up to five people were taken to the hospital following the car accident and that one of the victims had his arm severed in the crash and was scheduled for surgery to hopefully have the arm reattached. There is no further information on the condition of the victims. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Two injured in a two car accident that occurred in the Chicago suburbs on the evening of July 15th. One of the injured victims was injured severely enough to need to be airlifted to a hospital because of his serious head injury. At this point there is no more information on the cause of the accident or the severity of other people’s injuries. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Chicago cop received minor personal injuries on July 2nd in Chicago when he swerved to avoid hitting a car and ended up hitting a building. This car accident occurred when a car pulled out in front of the officer and he attempted to avoid a car crash. The cop was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his personal injuries. For more information on this car accident, click here.

It is important to remember over the holiday weekend to be careful when traveling. One important suggestion to help stay safe in your travels is to not text while you are driving a car. Don’t forget that other drivers could be texting while driving and so it is extremely important to pay close attention when driving in order to avoid car accidents. While holiday travel has been lower over the past couple years, more holiday car travel is expected this year because gas is lower than it was last year. Another important caution to take when traveling this holiday season is too make sure never to drink and drive. For more information of ways to stay safe this Fourth of July weekend, please click here.

Six people, 2 of which were children, were hurt when they were involved in a car accident on the south side of Chicago on June 28th. The driver of the car lost control but no other cars were involved in the car crash. The two children were taken to the University of Chicago Children’s Hospital in serious but stable condition for treatment of their personal injuries. The driver of the car involved in the car crash was taken to a local hospital in serious condition and another passenger was taken to a hospital in fair to serious condition. Two other parties involved in the car accident refused treatment at the scene of the crime. For more information on this car accident, click here.

One killed and three seriously injured in a car accident that occurred in Chicago early this morning. Both cars caught fire after the accident and the person that died was in a sports utility vehicle that was involved in the crash. Several others were seriously injured from the fire and two teens suffered only minor personal injuries. Both cars were seriously burned and one was so badly burned that the make and model could not even be determined. The scene was under investigation and no further information is known as to the cause of the fiery car crash. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Former Chicago area Alderman was killed early on the morning of June 22nd when he drove his car into the path of a local bus. The victim was taken from the scene to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. The autopsy shows severe cardiac disease that was present long before the car crash and may have precipitated the accident and therefore the cause of the car crash is still under investigation. The bus driver and two passengers on the bus were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their personal injuries, but none of the their injuries appear to be severe. The victim was on his way to volunteer as a local hospital when the car accident occurred. For more information on this bus accident, click here.

A two-car accident on the South Side on June 22nd, left three children and four adults injured. None of the injuries appear to be life threatening at this point. Several of the victims were taken to the University of Chicago Hospital in fair to serious condition with one child taken there in serious to critical condition. Another adult victim was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious to critical condition and the rest were taken to Jackson Park Hospital in good condition. No more information is known as to the cause of the car accident. For more information on this car crash, click here.

A Chicago woman has been issued two citations in connection with a fatal car accident that occurred in May, in which a woman that was crossing the street with her two small children was killed. The driver in the car accident has been cited for failing to exercise due care to pedestrian and improper lane care. There is no evidence of alcohol or drug involvement or any mechanical or road problems that could have caused the fatal car crash. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Charges have been made against a man involved in a car accident that occurred last Thursday, June 11th that left one motorcyclist dead. The car accident occurred in South Chicago Heights and occurred when a passenger car was trying to make a left into a gas station and was hit my a motorcycle. The motorcyclist was not wearing a helmet and is believed to have been dead on the scene of the crime. The passenger in the car was inured as well and taken to a local hospital for treatment of her personal injuries. The driver of the car has been charged with reckless homicide and may face additional charges when the results of blood and urine test are back. For more information on this fatal motorcycle accident in Chicago, click here.

On the morning of June 16th, a sports utility vehicle ran a light in a Chicago suburb causing a car accident. The SUV tipped over once the other car struck it. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. The driver of the car and 3 people from the SUV were taken to a local hospital, but only as a precautionary measure. The intersection where the car crash occurred was shut down for a little while but has since reopened. No citations have been issued in connection to the car accident at this point. For more information on this car accident, click here.

On the morning of June 14th in West Chicago, a teen was killed in a fatal car accident in which he was a passenger. The Chicago car accident occurred when the sports utility vehicle in which the teen was the front seat passenger in struck a tree. The teen was pronounced dead on the scene and his death was caused by mass trauma. The driver of the vehicle has been charged with drunk driving, unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor and failure to reduce speed to avoid a car accident. The two passengers in the backseat were taken to local hospitals to treat their minor personal injuries. For more information on this car accident in Chicago, click here.

A car accident occurred on the I-90 in the suburbs of Chicago on the afternoon of June 12th, leaving one person involved in critical condition. The driver of the original vehicle that caused the horrible accident was driving westbound and rear ended the car in front of him which then led to chain reaction of cars hitting each other. The victim was in a car in that chain reaction and suffered from brain trauma. The victim is currently in the hospital and his status is listed in critical condition. The driver of the original vehicle is facing a felony aggravated DUI charge, after he originally refused to take a blood alcohol test right after the car accident but was still over the legal limit hours later when he was tested. For more information on this car accident, click here.

One person was critically injured after running into a signpost on the feeder ramp of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. The car accident occurred when a passenger car hit a digital sign on the expressway and the sign then fell onto the vehicle. One person was taken to a Chicago hospital with serious personal injuries after this car accident and is listed in critical condition. For more information on this Chicago car crash, click here.

On the morning of June 11th, a multi-car accident led a car to jump a barrier and hit a CTA train. The blue line of the train was closed down for several hours following the car accident and a shuttle bus was used to transport passengers during the shutdown of the train line. The driver of the car that hit the train was cited for improper lane usage and not having insurance. Several people involved in the car accident were taken to local hospitals for their minor personal injuries but no one was seriously hurt. For more information on this car accident, click here.

A fatal car accident in South Chicago Heights early this morning left one dead. A motorcyclist collided with a car that was turning, and the motorcycles driver was declared dead at the scene after he was thrown from his bike. This fatal motorcycle accident occurred when the passenger car turned left in front of the motorcycle driver. The passengers of the car were okay with only the passenger suffering minor personal injuries. For more information on this fatal car accident, click here.

On June 4th in the Chicago suburbs, an elderly woman lost control of her car striking another vehicle and then hitting a nearby apartment building. According to the police, age was an factor in this car accident. The Chicago car crash occurred when the woman made a quick right and sideswiped another vehicle and then careened through a parking lot and into an apartment building. The elderly woman was taken to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries to treat her minor personal injuries, and no one else was injured in the accident. The elderly woman was issued a traffic citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid a car accident but is not being held liable for anything more serious. For more information on this car accident, click here.

A South Side car accident left a police officer in the hospital with non life-threatening injuries. The car crash occurred while the officer was in his own vehicle on his way to work on the morning of June 5th. Reports show that one person was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious to critical condition but there is no definite word as to whether this was the police officer or someone else involved in the car accident. For more information on this Chicago car crash, click here.

Early on the morning of June 7th, one person was killed and two others were hurt on the South Side of Chicago when the car they were all in struck a light pole. This fatal accident occurred a little after midnight and the driver was ticketed with failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving without insurance, driving without a license, negligent driving and having a passenger riding in the vehicle without a seat belt. One of the victims in this fatal car crash was pronounced dead on the scene and one other victim is reported to be in critical condition and the last passenger is in stable condition. For more information on this fatal accident, click here.

A Sunday night car accident on the Northwest side of Chicago left four police officers and one other person injured. A passenger van collided with a police car in which the four officers were riding. No charges have been made at this point but charges are likely pending. All five of the injured victims were taken to local hospitals to treat their personal injuries and are reported to be in either fair or good condition. For more information on this Chicago car crash, click here.

Early this morning a fatal car accident on the South Side of Chicago left one man dead. The car accident occurred when a sports utility vehicle ran a red light and crashed into a smaller passenger car. The sports utility vehicle then hit a pole instantly killing the driver. The driver of the passenger car was listed in good condition and suffered no serious personal injuries but has been charged with driving without a license, without insurance and while under the influence of alcohol. For more information of this fatal car accident, click here.

The daughter of the victim of a fatal accident victim has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver of the other vehicle, the actual car owner and the City of Chicago. The accident victim was involved in the fatal crash this past May when he was driving home, with the rest of his family, from visiting his son in the Cook County Jail. The driver of the other vehicle ran a red light and hit the victim’s car. The other driver was criminally charged by the State for reckless homicide and aggravated drunk driving when his blood alcohol level was found to be more than double the legal limit. The daughter of the victim has since filed this wrongful death suit. For the full story of this wrongful death suit, click here.

On the night of June 1st in downtown Chicago, one person was taken to the hospital in good condition after the taxi they were a passenger in was involved in a car accident involving a bus. All the passengers on the bus declined medical treatment and were transferred to another bus following the accident. There is no further evidence as to what caused the bus accident. For more information on this car accident, click here.

On May 31st, three Chicago-area men were killed in three separate car accidents, two of which involved motorcycles. The two motorcycle accidents resulted in the immediate death of the drivers, and the other accident involving a car resulted in the death of the driver as well. There is no further information on the cause of any of the crashes. For more information on these car accidents, click here.

Early in the morning of May 31st, a Chicago-area man was killed in a car accident that occurred when the car that he was a passenger in sped through a red light and struck a car that was driving through the intersection. The car that had been speeding then hit a pole and rolled over. The victim of the car accident was one of four passengers and was the only fatal injury. The driver of the speeding vehicle was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and the driver of the other vehicle sustained minor personal injuries. Police are still investigating whether alcohol was involved in the crash. For more information on this car accident, click here.

A woman was injured in a car accident in Caseyville, IL when she was stopped at a traffic light and was then rear-ended by another vehicle. Aside from suing for personal injuries sustained in the accident, the victim is suing for pain and suffering, lost wages and for the depreciation in the value of her vehicle. For more information on this Illinois car accident, click here.

A three-car accident occurred in Chicago's South Side when the driver of a car sped away after police saw an occupant of the car shoot a person on the sidewalk. The car sped away and got on the Dan Ryan Expressway and then exited and crashed into two other cars leading to this three-car accident. The officers arrested three occupants of the original vehicle. Two men that were in the original car has to be taken to the hospital and were in serious to critical condition and five others involved in the accident were taken to a local hospital in fair to serious condition. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

A three-car accident occurred this morning injuring five people including a police officer. All five were taken to local hospitals for treatment. The police officer was responding to a call when the car accident occurred and it appears that someone robbed him between the time the crash occurred and the time help arrived. The officer’s gun is missing and his star is possibly missing as well. The authorities have a cell phone video from a witness of the crash that they are looking at for clues as to what happened to the police officer’s belongings following the car accident. It is believed that whomever took the items moved the officer, which may have exasperated his injuries. For more information of this car accident, click here.

Two people were seriously injured and another was in stable condition following a car accident in downtown Chicago. The three people involved in the accident were sent to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The car accident involved two cars and no more is currently known as to what caused the crash. For more information on this car accident, click here.

Early in the morning of May 22nd, a young boy was killed in a terrible hit-and-run pedestrian accident, by an off duty police officer. The boy was killed instantly and the police officer just drove off after hitting the boy with his vehicle. The boy was riding his bike and although the light was red, the police officer continued through the light striking the boy. The officer has been stripped of his police powers but at this point no criminal charges have been filed for this hit-and-run car accident. For more information of this terrible pedestrian accident, click here.

On May 23rd, a motorcyclist made an illegal u-turn on I-57 causing a four-vehicle accident. The area where the motorcyclist turned around was reserved for emergency vehicles only, and when he made his turn he crashed into three motorcycles that were headed northbound. Two of the people involved in the crash were pronounced dead the night of the accident, and a third was pronounced dead the next day. The driver of the motorcycle that made the turn was not seriously injured and has been charged with disobeying a traffic control device. At this point there is no evidence that alcohol was involved in the accident. For more information of this four-vehicle accident, click here.

A husband and wife were killed when the motorcycle they were on was involved in a crash involving at least six motorcycles and three cars. The motorcycle accident occurred on Illinois Highway 47 and six other people were taken to the hospital with injuries. The car accident occurred when a car was rear-ended causing it to hit a large group of motorcycles in front on it (the motorcyclists were a group that was traveling together). The driver of the car that rear-ended the other cars that were stopped waiting for the motorcycles to turn, has been cited for failing to reduce speed. For more information on this car accident, click here.

A Countryside woman was crossing the street with her two young children when she was struck and killed by a car. Luckily, the small child that the woman was pushing in the stroller and the toddling that was strapped to her did not suffer any serious injuries. The pedestrian accident was not a hit-and-run and did not involve excessive speeds, and the driver claims that she did not see the victim crossing the street. At this point the driver has not been arrested or charged with anything in relation to the car accident. For more information on this car accident, click here.

On May 21st, a car accident occurred when the driver of a sports car was speeding and crashed his car into a tree in Arlington Heights. There were three passengers, other than the driver in the car, one of which was killed in the terrible car accident. The driver and the other two passengers were taken to a local hospital to treat their personal injuries. The police report states that the driver was speeding and lost control of the car before it crashed into the tree. Chicago Breaking News reports that it does not appear that drugs or alcohol led to the car accident. For more information on this tragic car accident, click here.

One person was killed and three more injured in a three-car accident in the Palos Park area. The accident occurred on Route 83, which was closed down for several hours following the crash in order to investigate what caused the terrible car accident. It seems that one of the cars swerved into the opposite lane striking a truck and a sport utility vehicle, both of which flipped or rolled over. The driver of the car that caused the car accident was the person who was killed and no charges are expected to be filed on any of the other drivers. For more information on this Chicago car accident, click here.

On May 18th, eight people were injured in a six-car accident in Chicago on I-57, including three children. The injured victims were taken to local Chicago hospitals to treat their personal injuries resulting from the car crash. The Chicago Sun Times does not mention whether the cause of the car accident has been determined For more information on the Chicago car accident, click here.

On May 17, three vehicles were involved in a car accident in Chicago that killed one. The accident occurred when one vehicle attempted to merge into the local lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway. The vehicle collided with one vehicle that crashed into another as they were traveling inbound on the expressway. Four people were hurt in the car accident and taken to local Chicago hospitals. A report by the Chicago Sun Times did not reveal if the crash was alcohol-related. Read more about this Chicago car accident by following the link.

A person was hospitalized in critical condition after suffering personal injuries in a Chicago car crash. The person was injured when the car they were riding in collided with a train traveling on the Norfolk & Western lines in Southwest Chicago. A report on Chicago Breaking News does not reveal what caused the car accident to happen. There were no other injuries reported in the crash. Read more about this Chicago train accident.

One person was killed and two others critically injured in car crash in Chicago on May 13. The car accident occurred along Lake Shore Drive and shut down the northbound lanes of the busy roadway for several hours. According to the Chicago Sun Times, rainy weather and recently paved roads may be to blame for the accident. Two of the victims were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The third victim was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where they later died. Follow the link to read more about this fatal car accident in Chicago.

In November 2005, a 56-year-old woman died in a Chicago car accident when a police car blew through a stoplight at 60mph and collided with the SUV she was riding in. On May 11, her family finally saw compensation for the loss of their loving mother and grandmother. Chicago City Council approved a settlement of $3.5 million for the victim’s family. According to the family’s attorney, the police officer was driving too fast for conditions to back-up another officer in a minor incident. To read the full account of this Chicago car accident settlement, follow the link.

A man was killed in a Chicago car accident on the South Side after an alleged drunk driver blew through a stop light and struck his car. A total of three vehicles were involved in the accident and in addition to the death, seven others suffered personal injuries. Chicago Breaking News reports that the driver at fault ran a red light and collided with the deceased driver’s Lexus. The Lexus then crashed into a third car. The driver who caused the car accident was taken into custody by Chicago police. Read the full coverage of this tragic Chicago car accident by following the link.

A woman could face reckless homicide charges for a recent Lake Zurich accident. The collision killed a 56-year-old Lake Zurich woman who was riding her motorcycle when the accident occurred. The driver at fault admitted to painting her nails as she was driving. According to Chicago Breaking News, the crash occurred as the motorcyclist slowed down at a stop light. The driver did not see her because she was distracted and crashed into the motorcyclist. Distracting activities such as applying makeup or texting while driving draw the driver’s attention away from the road. Many car accidents occur each year because of driver distraction and in many cases, these accidents lead to serious personal injury or death. Read the full account of this deadly Lake Zurich accident.

A 22-year-old DePaul University student is being held on $80,000 bail for the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian in Chicago on April 30. The Chicago Tribune reports that the woman was driving a rental truck at 65 mph when she hit the 57 year-old man as he was crossing at a cross walk. The rental truck drug the man over 100 feet. After the accident, the woman kept driving. Police found her in distress several block away from the pedestrian accident. Read more about this Chicago hit-and-run accident.

The accident comes several weeks after Chicago police began a sting campaign to increase awareness of pedestrians at crosswalks. At many of the city's busiest crosswalks, vehicles consistently fail to yield to pedestrians, greatly increasing the risk for pedestrian accidents that may cause injury or death. Chicago police will now issue tickets to drivers who do not yield to pedestrians crossing the street.

On April 30, a pedestrian was hit by a car near LaSalle and Burton Place in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. Chicago Breaking News reported that the victim was seriously injured in the pedestrian accident. The pedestrian was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment. The report did not reveal the cause of the accident or the identity of the victim. According to a report by the Illinois Department of Transportation, 3,697 pedestrian accidents occurred in Chicago in 2007. Of these, 3,645 lead to injury.

Read more about the Chicago pedestrian accident.

A fatal car accident happened in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg on April 29. According to Chicago Breaking News, one vehicle was involved in the accident and no other injuries were reported. The car accident occurred when the victim’s car crashed into a tree. She was taken to a local hospital in Elk Grove Villlage where she later died from injuries sustained in the accident. It is reported that she was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Read more about this Schaumburg car accident.

On April 26, an Olympia Fields woman was killed and her husband was injured after their car was hit by another driver. The Southtown Star reports that Janice Lipschultz, 79, died at a local hospital shortly after the car accident and her husband remains in St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields. The fatal accident was caused when a car driven by Lateisha Weathers smashed into the driver’s side of Lipshultz’s vehicle. Weathers was cited for driving on a suspended license and without insurance. Read more about this fatal car accident near Chicago by following the link.

A Chicago police officer was injured on April 25 in a two car accident in Albany Park. The Chicago Sun Times reports that the officer was driving an unmarked police car that was rear-ended by another vehicle. The injured officer was taken to Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago where he was listed as stable. No word on whether the other driver was injured or ticketed in the accident. Read more about this Albany Park car accident.

A 91-year-old man from Orland Park, a suburb of Chicago, died on April 23 in a car accident three blocks from his home. According a report in the Southtown Star, the man was driving home when he drove through a red light. A box truck that was driving through the intersection crashed into the man’s vehicle as he drove through the light. Emergency workers extricated the man from his severely damaged car and took him to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. The driver of the box truck did not suffer any personal injuries and will not be charged. Read more about this tragic Chicago car accident.

On April 19, two men died in a car accident on Chicago’s South Side. The three vehicle accident occurred when the driver of a BMW attempted to pass a Ford Focus and Chevrolet. The BMW driver lost control of his vehicle and collided with the two other cars before striking a barricade. Upon impact, the BMW burst into flames and the passengers became entrapped in the car. Both men in the BMW died in the car accident. No word on any other injuries. Read more about this Chicago car accident by following the link.

A Cook County jury recently awarded $13.7 million to the family of a car salesman who was killed during a test drive. The car accident occurred in South Barrington, IL when a potential buyer crashed the car at high speeds. The salesman was thrown from the car and died shortly after at a local hospital. The car accident left two other passengers of the vehicle injured. During the trial, these passengers testified that the car was traveling at 95 mph when the accident occurred. To read more about this Chicago car accident verdict, follow the link.

According to a report from the Insurance Research Council, the number of uninsured drivers is expected to increase from 13% (in 2007) to a predicted 16% by 2010. The IRC attributes this steep rise to the economic downturn. With more and more people losing their jobs, they are forced to cut back on expenses such as car insurance.

The projected increase would be harmful to all motorists because it would increase the risk of car accidents with uninsured drivers. This means that when someone is involved in an accident where an uninsured motorist is at fault, they will not receive compensation for their damages. We recommend purchasing underinsured and uninsured motorist insurance to protect yourself and loved ones in the event of an accident.

In Chicago, many accidents involving uninsured motorists occur each day. The Chicago car accident lawyers of Levin & Perconti have represented hundreds of car accident victims in cases involving uninsured motorists and may be able to help you. Call 312-332-2872 for a free consultation with one of our attorneys.

Lee Blakes of Chicago has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI after killing another man, Leroy Square, in a car accident on April 17. According to a report in the Chicago Sun Times, the accident took place on I-57 in Chicago and occurred when Blakes’ truck rear ended Square’s SUV. Square was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene of the accident. According to reports, Blakes was speeding before the crash occurred. To read more about this fatal car accident, follow the link,

A man was killed on April 17 when his car crashed through a fence and onto the Edens Expressway in Skokie, a Chicago suburb. According to a report in the Chicago Sun Times, police suspect that the man suffered a heart attack which caused him to lose control of his automobile. He was taken to a local hospital but died shortly after the car accident. The victim’s vehicle collided with two other cars when it entered the expressway but no one was seriously injured. To read the full account of this Skokie car accident, follow the link.

A 19-year-old woman from Joliet, IL died on April 15 after being struck by a vehicle along a busy roadway. The accident occurred on April 14 and the victim was flown to Loyola Hospital in Maywood for treatment of her critical injuries. A report in the Joliet Herald News did not reveal what caused the driver to hit the pedestrian or who may have been at fault. The driver of the car did remain on the scene and has not been cited by police. Read more about this pedestrian accident.

Each year, hundreds of pedestrians are killed by cars and trucks in the Chicago area. If you or a loved one is injured or killed due to a drivers’ negligence, please call Levin & Perconti to discuss your case with an experienced personal injury attorney.

On April 14, nine cars were involved in accidents that occurred close together on the Reagan Tollway in suburban Chicago. At first, police believed it was all one accident, but later realized that it was three separate incidents of rear-ending. The crashes occurred near I-355 near Downers Grove, IL. According to a report on CBS 2 Chicago’s website, two people were injured in the car accidents and were taken to local hospitals for treatment. The crash took place in a construction area, forcing other drivers to bypass the accident on the shoulder of the road. Click on the link to read more about this multi-vehicle accident.

Recently, the Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog posted an entry about a fatal crash on the Dan Ryan Expressway. More information has now come out about the Chicago police man who was driving drunk and caused the accident that killed two young people, Andrew Cazares, 23, and Fausto Manzera, 21. According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the cop was released on April 12 on $500,000 bail, infuriating those close to the victims. The article also notes that the police officer had a history of driving offenses and was just ordered to pay damages for a 2005 car accident. Read more about the aftermath of this tragic accident by clicking the link.

Six people were taken to Chicago areas hospitals after the vehicle they were riding in crashed into a building on the West Side of Chicago. According to a report on Chicago Breaking News, the front seat passenger grabbed the steering wheel during an argument, causing the driver to lose control of the car. She was later arrested for her actions. All of the passengers involved in the accident were between 16 and 20 years old and none of their injuries were serious. Read about this car accident by visiting the link.

A car accident happened in the early morning of April 10 on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago, leaving two people dead. The accident occurred when an SUV slammed into a car that was stalled along the side of the highway, presumably because of a flat tire. The disabled vehicle caught fire after the impact and both passengers were killed. The driver of the SUV was an off-duty Chicago police officer. Witnesses helped him out of his car immediately after the accident but then he tried to flee the scene on foot. Police apprehended him and he is now in critical condition in Northwestern Hospital. The Cook County Medical Examiner is trying to identify the victims of the accident.

Read the full account of the fatal car accident.

A six-year-old girl died on April 8, four days after her mother and sister died in a tragic car accident in Barrington Hills, IL. The accident occurred after the vehicle her mother was driving crossed the center line and collided with a van carrying four people. The driver and three passengers in the van were hospitalized with personal injuries. In an article on Chicago Breaking News, it notes that police are still investigating to determine the cause of the crash. Read the full account of this accident by the following the link.

On April 6, an accident in Oswego, IL, killed one driver and injured four other people. According to an article in the Aurora Beacon News, snow covering a traffic light may have been to blame for the accident. The victim’s car crashed into a southbound pick-up truck as she attempted to turn northbound at an intersection. Her passenger was taken to Rush-Copley Medical Center where he is listed in serious condition. The three other people injured in the car accident were also taken to the Aurora hospital but later released. Police continue to investigate the cause of the accident. Follow the link to read the full account of the car accident in Oswego.

A drunk driver killed herself and caused serious injury to four others in a car accident in Prairie Grove, IL on April 5. According to an article on Chicago Breaking News, tests revealed that her blood alcohol limit was over the legal limit. The intoxicated driver crossed the center line and smashed into a Mazda traveling in the other direction. The car was carrying a man, his fiancée, his mother and his 8-year-old son. All of the passengers of the vehicle were seriously injured in the car accident and were taken to local hospitals. The drunk driver was taken to the hospital where she later died during surgery. Read the full article about this fatal car accident near Chicago by following the link.

According to an article on Mystateline.com, over 25% of reported car accidents are caused by distracted drivers. One of the ways that many drivers are distracted is by text messaging while driving. This dangerous practice takes drivers' eyes and minds off the road and can have devastating consequences.

Recently, the Illinois state House passed new legislation that bans people from texting while driving in Illinois. Those who are caught texting while driving will receive tickets and repeat offenders can end up in jail. The new rule will help to decrease the number of car accidents in Illinois. To read more about the new legislation banning text messaging while driving, follow the link.

A Chicago man is in police custody after stealing an ambulance and causing an accident involving six cars. According to Evanston Police, the man stole the ambulance and began driving at high speeds with the ambulances’ lights turned on. During this time, he struck a parked car but did not stop. His joyride ended when he ran a red light and caused a six car accident. After the accident, the offender attempted to flee on foot but police apprehended him and determined he was intoxicated. No one involved in the car accidents was seriously injured. Read more about this bizarre car accident by viewing the link.

Two adults and two young children were seriously injured on April 2 in a hit-and-run accident on the west side of Chicago. The accident caused the victim’s car to catch on fire. Police were able to pull the driver and his 7-week-old baby boy from the fiery crash. The driver’s wife and two-year-old daughter were both ejected from the car. The driver of the car that caused the accident fled the scene on foot before police arrived. All four victims were taken to local Chicago hospitals where their conditions range from critical to good. According the Chicago Breaking News, the offenders have not been located. Read the full account of this car accident.

Two women were headed north on the Edens Expressway in Chicago on March 29 when a piece of concrete crashed through the front window of their car. The concrete smashed the car’s windshield and hit the passenger of the vehicle on the shoulder. The women believe that the concrete fell from an overpass as they drove underneath it. No other vehicles were involved in the accident. The Illinois Department of Transportation is investigating but they theorize that they debris may have been kicked up from another vehicle instead. Read the full account of the accident at CBS Chicago’s website.

A woman from Riverdale, IL was killed on March 29 when her car wrecked into a pole in Chicago Heights, IL. According to an article in Southtown Star, Chicago Heights police did not know what caused the driver to leave the road and crash into the utility pole. After the accident, the driver was taken to St. James Hospital and Health Centers where she was pronounced dead. To learn more about this car accident, follow the link.

An 88-year-old man was killed in a car accident in Chicago after his car was rear-ended by another car. The man was attempting to make a U-turn when the second vehicle crashed into his car. The driver of the first car was ejected from his vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle and his passenger both suffered minor personal injuries and were taken to a local hospital. He was also cited for driving without insurance. Read more about the fatal car accident.

In the early morning of March 28, two car accidents occurred on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago. The first accident left one person dead and three others injured. The first accident occurred when a car carrying four people flipped over a wall along the expressway. The driver of this vehicle was killed in the accident. Three other people were taken to local hospitals. According to a witness, the car was traveling at very high speeds before the accident.

Shortly after, a second car accident occurred. An intoxicated driver crashed into a fire truck that was called to the scene of the first accident. One firefighter suffered minor injuries and the driver was arrested for drunk driving.To read the full account of these car accidents follow the link.

According to a Crash Report by the Chicago-based Active Transportation Alliance, Hopkins Park in Kankakee had the most pedestrian accidents in the Chicago area. The study used Illinois Department of Transportation data from 2004-2007. Other Chicago-area towns that had high accident rates include: Oakbrook Terrace, Harvey, Markham, Countryside, Oak Park, Rosemont, Summit, Calumet Park, and Midlothian.

The report also states that there are over 800 traffic accidents in Chicagoland each day. If you are involved in a car or truck accident anywhere in the State of Illinois due to someone else’s negligence, we encourage you to call Levin & Perconti to discuss your case. Our attorneys have successfully handled thousands of car and truck accident lawsuits and can help you seek justice and fair compensation for your damages.

Read the Crash Report here.

Read the Chicago Tribune accident report coverage.

On March 21, a Chicago woman was injured in a car accident as she exited the Edens Expressway in Wilmette, IL. The car crash occurred when the driver lost control of her Toyota SUV on the off-ramp of the expressway. Her car hit a median and flew into the air, causing the car to cross over another busy road in a commercial area. The car eventually came to a stop when it smashed into a Border’s bookstore.

Witnesses to the car accident quickly helped the injured driver and her passenger out of the vehicle. Shortly after doing so, the SUV caught on fire. According to the report, the driver suffered injuries and remains in a local hospital. The report also noted that the driver most likely lost control of her car because she was driving too fast on the ramp.

Read the full account of the car crash by visiting the link.

A two-vehicle car accident in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois has sent seven people to the hospital. Three people were taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in serious condition, while four others were taken to Mercy Hospital in fair-to-serious condition. One child was injured in the car crash. Read more about this vehicle collision.

A man was pronounced dead after a fatal one-vehicle car accident in Park Ridge, Illinois. The driver had been involved in a hit-and-run collision with some property only minutes before the crash that claimed his life. Witnesses told investigators that the man was driving at high rates of speed when he lost control of his vehicle, ultimately crashing into a tree. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident is being investigated by the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force (NORTAF). Read more about this car accident.

A man was arrested by Palos Park police after he hit several cars, including a police car. The first accident occurred when he ran his car into a parked cop car. After hitting the police car, he fled the scene of the accident, hitting several other cars in the process. His car was pursued by an off-duty police officer and eventually the driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into someone’s lawn. The driver was eventually taken into custody. The policeman in the first vehicle, along with several other drivers, were injured during this series of accidents. Read the full coverage of these accidents at Chicago Breaking News.

A car accident on Chicago’s South Side left three policemen injured on March 17. The accident occurred when two Chicago police cars collided. According to an article on Chicago Breaking News, police had not yet revealed the details of the car accident. The report did note that the injured police officers were taken to several Chicago-area hospitals and were expected to be released with no serious injuries. To read about the Chicago cop car accident, please follow the link.

An Orland Park, IL man was sentenced to 7 years in prison for the death of a man in 2006. The driver reportedly told police that he drank 12 beers before driving and causing the car accident that killed a father of two. In addition to causing the accident, the man fled the scene of the crash. He later plead guilty to aggravated driving under the influence resulting in a death. The accident occurred near the Chicago suburb of Willowbrook.

To read full coverage of this DUI sentencing, follow the link.

A Chicago Fire Captain was killed on the Tri-State Tollway near Hindsdale, IL when his Ford Focus touched another moving vehicle and sent his car careening into a tractor trailer parked on the side of the road. Witnesses of the car accident say that the victim and the driver of the other car were seen driving aggressively shortly before the accident. The driver of the other car did not suffer any injuries.

Read about this tragic crash.