Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The Automobile Association of America’s Foundation for Traffic Safety released a study earlier this week highlighting a number of shocking risks associated with teenage drivers. According to the study, released on Tuesday and posted on WashingtonPost.com, teenagers who drive with their friends in their cars have been found to be far riskier than driving alone or with an adult. Based on government data that was collected on teen crashes from 2007 to 2010, a 16 or 17-year-old driver’s risk of death per mile driven increases 44 percent when carrying one passenger younger than 21 (and no older passengers) – when compared to driving with no passengers. The risk is doubled when carrying two passengers younger than 21, and quadruples when carrying three or more passengers under 21.

However, our Chicago accident attorneys learned that the risk of a teen driver dying in an accident when a passenger aged 35 or older is in the vehicle decreases 62 percent. In a statement released by the president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, it was revealed that “like cell phones, the presence of other teens can be extremely distracting to young drivers.” Additional statistics reveal that between 2000 and 2010, the number of 16 and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes each year fell by more than half. Many attribute this dramatic decrease to graduated licensing laws – laws that place some restrictions on teen drivers, as well as, increased seat belt use, better safety equipment in motor vehicles, and anti-drunk driving campaigns.

Any Chicago car accident lawyer at Levin & Perconti will tell you that the state of Illinois has implemented a graduated driver license program that entails certain phases and restrictions teen drivers must adhere to:

Permit Phase – Age 15
- Restricted Night Driving: Sunday – Thursday, 10pm – 6am, and Friday-Saturday 11pm – 6 am
- Permit must be held for a minimum of 9 months
- Must practice driving a minimum of 50 hours, including 10 hours of nighttime driving with parental or adult supervision
- Cell phone use while driving is prohibited except in cases of emergency

Initial Licensing Phase – Age 16-17
- Must have completed a state-approved driver education course
- All occupants under age 19 must wear safety belts
- Maintain a conviction-free driving record for six months prior to turning age 18
- For the first year of licensing or until the driver is 18, the number of passengers is limited to one person under age 20 – unless the passenger is a sibling or child or the driver

Full Licensing Phase – Age 18-20
- Cell phone use while driving under the age of 19 is prohibited except in the case of an emergency
- Limit one court supervision for serious driving offenses
- Two moving violation convictions within a 24-month period results in a minimum one-month driver’s license suspension
- Suspended drivers are required to pay a $70 reinstatement fee

Additional information provided at CyberDriveIllinois.com

Earlier today, a Chicago car accident lawyer at our firm read a news report posted on WashingtonPost.com detailing a government rule that is under consideration which would require automakers to install rearview cameras in newly manufactured cars and small trucks. This rule and passenger vehicle feature, the article points out, is intended to help prevent drivers from backing over children. However, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rule will be delayed until the end of this year in order to obtain more time for study and data analysis.

Our Chicago auto accident attorney learned through a statement released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s secretary that additional time has been given to the development of this rule in order to ensure that the final rule is appropriate and the safety analysis is strong. This issue also garnered government concern in 2008 when Congress encouraged safety upgrades in light of numerous motor vehicle accidents where small children were backed over.

According to current data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 300 people are killed each year due to back-over accidents, while approximately 18,000 are injured – with almost half of the deaths involving children under the age of 5. A majority of these devastating accidents transpire in driveways, as well as, parking lots.

However, our Chicago accident lawyer learned that lobbyists for the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers urge administrators to allow automobile manufacturers the option to include expanded mirrors in newly manufactured vehicles – instead of in-vehicle cameras. The lobbyists assert that the cost of in-vehicle cameras in new cars would cost the manufacturing industry approximately $2.7 billion each year.

Additionally, the lobbyist point out that many automakers are concerned about the cumulative costs of federal regulations – noting that cameras are already standard in many new vehicles or are offered to car buyers as an additional vehicle feature. The federal government estimates that the camera systems would cost approximate $200 per new vehicle. However, if the automobile already had a built-in GPS screen, it would only cost manufacturers roughly $58.

Our accident attorneys in Chicago are pleased to learn that steps are being taken to decrease the increasing amount of fatalities caused by backed-over accidents. Given that a majority of accident victims in these cases are young children, the government must take the initiative to develop and implement regulations that prevent continued harm. Furthermore, our attorneys urge the traveling public to maintain the utmost caution when backing up and to always ensure the coast is clear of pedestrians and small children before travel.

Last week, the State Journal-Register posted an article about an Illinois car accident involving a drunk driver who crashed his car, killing his daughter,7, who was a passenger. The driver was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, with a bond of $1 million. The driver drove his car off the road, and landed into a ditch with most of the damage occurring in the front part of the car. Although his daughter was sitting in a child seat and had a seat belt on, she died from the impact of the crash. The Illinois State Police are still investigating, but acknowledge that this was the driver’s second DUI and third offense involving alcohol.

According to MADD.com, endangering a child by driving under the influence of alcohol with them in the car should increase the driver’s punishment, and should be considered as child abuse. Many states do have laws that enhance fines and sentences for drunk drivers found with a child passenger. In Illinois, fines and penalties are worse for a drunk driver who has a passenger under the age of 16-years-old in the car.

The Illinois Statute states that anyone who drives with a blood alcohol concentration over the legal limit and causes an accident that injures a passenger under 16 is guilty of aggravated driving under the influence. The first offense for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol with a passenger under 16 years of age has an automatic and fixed fine of $1,000. This also results in at least 6 months in jail and several weeks of community service. These laws and regulations are used to protect children passengers who are unable to operate a car or find their own means of transportation.

Our Chicago accident attorneys want our readers to be aware of the dangers associated with driving under the influence. This article highlights the fact that this reckless behavior can not only affect the driver, but their passengers, or other drivers on the road. Injuries to children as a result of DUIs are serious crimes, but are completely preventable. Our Illinois car crash lawyers have successfully handled many cases involving careless drivers, so please contact us to see how we may be able to help you if you were seriously injured in an accident. Taking action can help you receive fair compensation for the harms caused, and also bring awareness to the severity of drunk driving.

Yesterday, USAToday posted an article online about how approximately 50% of child car booster seats do not function properly. The article states that nearly half of the 83 seats tested did not fit properly with seat belts, and the article even lists some that parents should avoid altogether. Booster seats are for kids who are too large for car seats. They serve to raise children up to better fit them in seatbelts made for adults. Unfortunately, as our Illinois car accident attorneys read, not all booster seats do this well.

According to the report, when used properly, booster seats reduce the likeliness of a child who has out grown a car seat of getting injured in an accident by almost 50%. However, half of these seats don’t fit well with belts already in the car. Some advocates are upset that there are no safety standard requirements for booster seats, although new ratings are urging manufacturers to create more secure and better fitting seats.

Should a child not be secured properly into a booster seat, they can be tossed around in the car during a crash, and even suffer personal injuries and lacerations from the seat belts themselves. However, they do play a role in protecting children from serious personal injuries. The article notes that the “IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) said states that raised requirements for booster seats to cover children through ages 7 or 8 had 17% fewer fatal or debilitating injuries to booster-seat-age children.” When buying a booster seat, we suggest that you search for a seat that fits both the child, and the specific car.

According to the Washington Post, it is not important for parents to spend time searching for a booster seat with a specific color or features such as a cup holder. Parents instead should really focus on finding the right seat for the child and if it will work safely in all the cars it will be used in. While we still need to be aware of what seat our child is sitting in, booster seat ratings have improved since 2008 and hopefully new studies will bring more awareness that will encourage manufacturers to have higher standards. Be sure to research booster seats before you buy, in order to ensure that they have a “Best Bets” rating.

Our Chicago car crash lawyers hope that all of our readers will check their booster seats in order to ensure the safety of their children. The wrong booster seat can further injure a child should they be involved in an accident, where as the right one can secure them in place safely. If you have been involved in an accident where your child was not held securely due to a faulty booster seat, please contact us to see how we may be able to help you.

Last week, our Chicago car accident lawyers read on ChicagoABCNews’ website about a tragic accident involving two pedestrians in Chicago. A two-year-old and her grandmother were pronounced dead after a van when a van failed to yield and hit them while they were crossing the street at a crosswalk. According to the report,

This incident made us think about a recent Chicago Tribune study surrounding Chicago pedestrian accidents at crosswalks. The study showed that 80% of pedestrian accidents in the City of Chicago happen at intersections, when people are crossing street while the walk signal is lit. In reviewing this statistic, along with others, the City of Chicago has since announced new ideas to address this public safety problem. This includes identifying dangerous intersections where city officials can concentrate law enforcement, identifying how to better engineer the infrastructure of crosswalks, and educating drivers and pedestrians alike. Chicago’s streets are crowded with cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians, so it is important that everyone on the road, regardless of their means of transportation, look out for each other in order to protect their safety, along with others on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that since 1998, pedestrian accidents in crosswalks have steadily increased.

Pedestrian accidents can lead to serious injury and possible fatality, as shown in the accident discussed above. Pedestrians have the right of way at cross walks and drivers are required to yield. Therefore, it is important that drivers avoid distractions in order to focus better on what is occurring on the road. Staying focused allows drivers to better pay attention to signs, traffic lights, others on the road, and better notice smaller vehicles and pedestrians. As we have noted before on our blog, pedestrian accidents can occur in the middle of the intersection at the crosswalk, but also in places that may not be expected, such on the shoulder of the road, or even on the highway. In order to avoid these accidents, drivers should be alert at all times and avoid driving while distracted or intoxicated.

When a driver’s negligence causes others to suffer serious personal injury or death, it is important that victims hold all wrongdoers accountable. This Chicago report did not elaborate on whether or not the victims’ families will take legal action, however there could be a cause of action since the driver failed to yield to the pedestrians. Unfortunately due to these mistakes, a family is now without a grandmother and grandchild.

Our Chicago accident attorneys support the City of Chicago’s initiatives to better protect pedestrians and smaller vehicles from the serious injuries that can occur from automobile-pedestrian or automobile-bicycle accidents. We also encourage drivers to be on the look out for others on the road and remind pedestrians to remain alert to in order to avoid any potential accident. If you have been injured, or have lost a loved one, please contact us to review your case and see how we may be able to help you.

Earlier today in Crystal Lake, an 8 year old girl was left in critical condition after she was struck by a vehicle in an attempt to cross the street on her bicycle, according to the Northwest Herald. Subsequently, the child suffered a severe head injury and was immediately rushed into surgery. While the specifics of this Suburban Chicago bicycle accident are unknown, investigative officials have stated that the child was not wearing a helmet.

Needless to say, Illinois car accidents involving bicycles are especially prevalent in the summer months, just as thousands of children are being let out of school for the year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, bicyclists ages 14 and younger account for twenty-one percent of those injured in motor vehicle accidents. The threat of these accidents becomes even more sizeable when the bicyclist fails to wear a safety helmet.

Given that only half of all known bicyclists wear a helmet, according Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is no surprise that accidents and fatalities have increased among non-users. The rationale behind helmet use is to prevent head injury by minimizing and cushioning impact in the event of an accident. The CPSC recommends that cyclists not only purchase a helmet, but correctly wear it as well. Correct helmet use includes: wearing the helmet flat on top of your head (opposed to tilted back), snug fit, a clear unobstructed vision line, and finally, chin and buckle straps must be securely fastened.

Our Illinois accident attorneys remind cyclists and motorists to adhere to both vehicle and bicycle safety laws. It is important to remember that cyclists have the same rights and duties as motorists. In accordance with the Illinois Vehicle Code, both motorists and cyclists should be aware of these common rules. For instance, a cyclist must ride as close as possible to the right curb or edge of the road, except when passing another bike, making a left or right turn, or avoiding unsafe conditions (i.e. pedestrians, animals, debris, potholes). In addition, while Illinois has not established a law requiring the use of helmets while operating a bicycle, it is strongly encouraged to protect your safety.

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

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

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

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

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

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

A drunk driver that was responsible for the death of five teenagers back in 2007 has been found guilty of five counts of reckless homicide, as well as of sixteen counts of aggravated driving under the influence. The car accident occurred when the woman was driving eight teens, who had been drinking, home from a party in a car that was only intended to seat five. The driver was then distracted by one of the teens, according to her account of the accident, and turned around to see what was going on at which time she lost control of the car and crashed into a utility pole. Five of the teens in the car died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the accident, and three others plus the driver suffered personal injuries from the accident. While the driver claimed that she drank a little bit earlier that evening and that it did not affect her driving, the toxicology reports that showed she was significantly over the limit may have been inaccurate because she suffered liver damage in the accident and that may effect the testing. Regardless of the toxicology reports, the jury found the Defendant guilty of all counts of reckless homicide as well as the driving under the influence counts. To read more about this Illinois car accident verdict, please click on this hyperlink.

This accident is a tragic reminder of why it is so important to not allow more passengers to travel in a car you are driving than there are seat belts in the car. Overcrowding a car can cause an accident that could have been minor to become a tragedy. Illinois accident attorneys remind you to always make sure that not only all of your passengers have a seat belt, but also that they are all always wearing the belts while the car is moving. Even on short trips accidents can occur and seat belts can safe lives.

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.

New legislation in Illinois will make the fines for drivers with small children passengers increase if the driver does not have the appropriate car seat for all child passengers that require car seats. All children under the age of eight in Illinois are required to be in a car seat and up until now the fine for not abiding by this law was a fine of $50. The new law increases the fine to $75 for the first offense and a fine of up to $200 for later offenses. For the first offense, drivers will have the option to take a class that teaches about proper installation of child safety seats as oppose to paying the fine. According to The Chicago Tribune, the purpose of the training class option is to teach drivers about the importance of child safety seats and hopefully lead to less injuries to children in the event of a car accident. To read more about this recent legislation and child safety seats, please click on this link.

It is very important to understand what safety seat is appropriate for each child, depending on weight and age, and at what point a child is safe to just wear a seat belt. Each year thousands of children are killed or seriously injured in car accidents, and making sure that they are properly protected is one way we can help to protect kids in an accident. Chicago accident attorneys ask you to make sure that you have a car seat for all child passengers under the age of eight and that you make sure that the seat is installed properly and has not been recalled for any safety issues. If you are unsure whether or not your safety seat is installed properly, please click on this link to find the location nearest you that you can take your car to have checked to ensure that the safety seat is installed properly.

A Galesburg car accident occurred on June 13th in which five people had to go to local hospitals for treatment. The accident was caused by a teenage driver that claims to have not seen a car approaching the intersection as she pulled into the intersection. This oversight resulted in a car accident and the young girl's two fifteen year old passengers were seriously injured. Both of the young girls, one of who was the younger sister of the teenage driver, have been listed in fair condition and are expected to fully recover from their personal injuries. The driver of the other car and his passenger, as well as the teenage driver, were all sent to local hospitals but were released shortly after arriving. According to Galesburg's News, tickets in connection with the accident are pending at this time. To read more about this teenage Illinois car accident, please click on this hyperlink.

Teenage driving accidents are unfortunately very common and are the leading cause of death among United States teens. According to the Center for Disease Control's teen driver's fact sheet teen drivers are four times more likely to get into a car accident that adult drivers. The main reasons for the higher incident of car accidents in this age group mostly stems of inexperience. These drivers have just received their drivers licenses which require some practice and training, but does not always seem to be adequate to prepare these kids for the realities of the road. In addition to the lack of experience, young drivers often to not realize the importance of paying complete attention while driving, and are more susceptible to distractions while driving. Additionally, teens often engage in riskier driving behaviors such as speeding, drinking or doing drugs and driving, and not wearing seat belts. Illinois accident attorneys ask you to talk to your kids or any other young drivers you know and remind them of the importance of practice, playing attention and driving safely, because making teenage drivers aware of safer driving could be what saves lives!

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.

The city of Chicago Heights is facing a lawsuit in connection with the fatal car accident in which the Chicago Heights police handed over car keys to an apparently drunk driver who then got into a fatal accident, which resulted in the death of his girlfriends five year old son who was a passenger asleep in the back seat of the car when the accident occurred. The police gave the keys to the passenger to take the car home after pulling a woman over and taking her to the police station for driving with a suspended license. The woman claims that she informed the police that her boyfriend, who was the passenger, was intoxicated because she had been with him when he was drinking earlier that evening, and that the police ignored what she told them. According to The Chicago Tribune, the woman, who was also the mother of the young boy who died in the accident, has filed a lawsuit against both the City of Chicago Heights and against her boyfriend who was driving while drunk when the car accident occurred. The Illinois car accident lawsuit seeks over $50,000 in damages. To read more about this tragic car accident and the accident lawsuit that was filed, please click on this link.

Illinois injury attorneys remind you that if you or a loved one was injured in an accident that you believe was due to the negligence of another, you may have a claim against that person. If you would like to call an accident attorney to further discuss the options you have available to you, please click on this link.

An Illinois drunk driving accident that occurred on May 10th is the topic of major discussion, since the drunk driver was given the keys to the car by a policeman shortly before the fatal accident. The Steger car accident occurred shortly after the cops pulled over the child's mother for failing to use her turn signal and then took her keys from her because she was driving with a suspended license. The police then gave the keys to her boyfriend, who was in the passenger seat, to drive himself and her five-year-old son home.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, the Chicago Heights policeman involved claimed that he had no idea that the boyfriend had been drinking when he gave him the keys to the car. About 40 minutes after the police let the car back onto the road, the boyfriend, who was legally intoxicated, slammed the car into a tree, instantly killing the young boy. The drunk driver has been charged with felony driving under the influence and reckless homicide for the accident. Aside from the death of a young boy, there are questions as to whether the police officers who pulled the car over should have realized that the man was under the influence of alcohol. The police officers at the scene say that there was no evidence that the man was impaired and that they did not realize that he could be drunk when they turned the keys over to him. If you would like to read more about this Chicago accident, please click on this link.

The dangers of texting while driving are well known, however many teen drivers fail to let this stop them. Recently, a large sampling of teenagers were interviewed about texting habits many said that they are so used to texting while doing everything and claim that it is too hard for them to promise that they will not text while they are driving. Out of the approximately 800 teens questioned, on average they reported that they send about 50 text messages each day and over a quarter of them admitted to texting while driving. Many of these teens admit to knowing that it is bad and very dangerous, however many of them admit that they think that one text message at a stoplight wont hurt. Unfortunately, text messaging can be so distracting that even this type of thinking can lead to car accidents.

In 2008, over 6,000 people were killed and over 500,000 people were hurt in car accidents that were the result of distracted drivers. While many teenagers will not agree to never text while driving, it is very important to try to get through to teenagers as to how dangerous it is too text while driving, and that even just sending or reading one text message can distract a driver enough to lead an a dangerous accident. Parents are an important tool is showing kids how dangerous texting while driving is and in making it a priority to make sure their kids do not text while in the car. One young driver took it upon herself to show other teens the dangers of texting while driving and created a public service to combat teenage texting while driving. Please click on this link to see the PSA against teenage texting and driving.

As prom season approaches, please make sure to discuss with your children the importance of safe driving on prom night. Teenage drivers are a very high risk group to begin with, as car accidents are the leading cause of death for children aged 16-19 years old. According to the Center for Disease Control, this age group is four times more likely to crash than older drivers. The high likelihood of teenage driving accidents is due to inexperience , distraction, and other issues common to young drivers. Since teenage drivers are more likely to be involved in car accidents generally, it is important to talk to them about the additional dangers that may present themselves on prom night.

On prom night, many underage kids may consume alcohol and unfortunately may still decide to get behind the wheel. Given the inherent dangers in driving while under the influence, it is crucial for teenage kids to understand that they should never try to drive even after one drink. Additionally, it is important to make sure that they understand that other kids may try to drive while drunk and that it is important to tell an adult or the police if that person insists on driving while under the influence in order to stop them from getting hurt or from hurting others.

An additional problem that presents itself on prom night is that teenage drivers may be driving much later than they are usually allowed to or are familiar with. Make sure teenage drivers understand that if they feel in anyway uncomfortable driving in any situation on prom night that they should call an adult to come pick them up. For more information on teenage driving, please click on this link. Please remember these important tips and talk to your child before prom to try to reduce the number of teenage car accidents this prom season!

A Southern Illinois car accident that occurred on March 24th injured two teenage girls and left a third girl dead. The tragic accident occurred when the three girls were bike riding on the side of a road in Gallatin County and an elderly man crossed over the center line striking the three young girls. According to The Associated Content, while one girl suffered injuries so severe that she died as a result, the other two girls were hospitalized with their injuries and will hopefully recover fully. To read more about this horrible Illinois car crash, please click on the link.

Unfortunately, the elderly population makes up for close to 15 percent of all traffic accidents even though the elderly population makes up only about 9 percent of the overall population. Elderly drivers and the families of these drivers should make sure that any elderly driver has a current driver’s license, has had their vision and hearing checked recently and that their reflexes are quick enough for driving. It is important to make sure that elderly drivers are in a safe position to be on the road alone, to help keep them safe as well as other drivers they may encounter.

A car accident on March 17th left three Illinois teenagers injured. The Peoria car accident occurred when the young driver waved to people in another car and lost control of his car and crashed into another car. According to PJ Star, the driver and the two passengers in the car were taken to a local hospital for treatment of their personal injuries. The driver and passengers in the car that was hit were not seriously injured. The teenage driver of the car that caused the accident was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. To read more about this Peoria car accident, please click on this link.

Accidents like this are unfortunately more common than one may think. According to the CDC website, car accidents are the leading cause of death among teens and while the ages between 15-24 only make up for about 15% of the population, this age group accounts for about 30% of car accidents. Texting, radio playing and talking to friends can easily distract young drivers. Young drivers often lack the experience necessary to drive safely on the road and often get into accidents caused by not paying attention to the road and other drivers or by inexperience and not knowing how to handle certain situations. It is important to try to help teenage drivers understand the importance of paying attention while driving and not letting distractions keep then from focusing on the road.

A Hanna City car accident occurred on the morning of March 4th in which three vehicles were involved, including a school bus full of eighteen students ranging in ages. According to PJ Star, eleven people were injured in the car accident that occurred when the school bus was stopped to pick up a student and another car was stopped behind the bus and a third car struck the stopped car from behind, causing that car to strike the bus. Between the three cars there were multiple injuries and the victims were taken to local hospitals for treatments of their personal injuries. To read more about this Illinois bus accident please click on the link.

Luckily, buses are built to stand up to accidents well and are one of the safest vehicles to be riding in at the time an accident occurs. This is likely why only several of the children on the school bus suffered injuries and none of them seemed to be too severe since all children were reported to have been released from the hospitals later that same day. While the statistics show that school bus accidents result in less injuries, there are still safety measures that could be implemented on school buses to further improve safety. According to Web MD, one major improvement would be a mandatory seat belt law for school buses and another very helpful improvement would be compartmentalized seating that would better protect the kids in the event of a bus accident. While school buses are safer than some other vehicles, it is important to always be aware of stopped school buses to avoid accidents. School buses stop frequently so make sure to always be paying attention to the road, and pay extra attention in areas where you know school buses often travel.

A car accident lawsuit has just concluded with a verdict in favor of the plaintiff of close to $2 million dollars. The car accident occurred in 2007 when a teenage girl was killed in a car accident in which another teenager was driving and tried to jump a hill going 60 miles per hour and crashed into a tree. According to KTIV’s website, the driver is currently in jail for manslaughter and this was a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by the victim’s parents against the driver and his ex-wife (who was the owner of the car). The driver of the car was driving without a license at the time of accident and this is why the parents could sue the owner of the vehicle. In this case the owner of a vehicle was held liable because she knowingly allowed someone to drive her car without a driver’s license. To read more about this car crash settlement, please click on the link.

In Illinois there are certain laws that affect both unlicensed drivers as well as minors involved in a fatal car accident. In Illinois if a minor is involved in a car accident and criminal charges are pending, they cannot be issued a driver’s license or renew a learner’s permit until the charges are cleared. Additionally in Illinois the owner of a vehicle can be held liable when they negligently entrust their vehicle to an unlicensed driver. Both of these driving laws deal with issues and consequences of car accidents similar to the one mentioned above.

Some states have taken a new approach to handle the dangers behind teenage driving. New York recently put certain laws into effect that will restrict young drivers in the hope that they will lead to fewer teenage car accidents. According to an article on WIVB.com, the law requires more driving time between when teenagers receive their driver’s permits and their driver’s license. Teenagers must clock 50 hours, certain ones at night time, with only people over 21 in the car with them at the time. This law relies on parents of teenagers to be honest and to respect the reasoning behind the law of trying to make sure teenagers are ready and have practice when they are allowed to be behind the wheel without any supervision. Illinois has been looking into their teenage driving laws, and while Illinois did recently add extended driving time with parents before licensing, many feel that Illinois could use stronger teenage driving rules. Please click here to see the discussion on Illinois driving laws.

The reason that stricter teenage driving rules are so important is because teen drivers are involved in so many tragic car accidents every year. According to the CDC's fact sheet on teen driving, in 2008, nine teenagers between 16 to 19 died daily from injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents. Teen drivers are commonly involved in car crashes because of lack of experience, underestimation of dangerous situations, speeding, and drinking. If states impose stricter laws on teenage drivers, there will be a reduction in these tragic yet preventable automobile accidents among teenagers.

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.

A fatal Bensenville car accident that occurred on January 18th resulted in the death of two teen boys. The car accident occurred when the single car in which both boys were in lost control and slammed into a tree. Both boys were pronounced dead shortly after the car accident. According to Chicago Breaking News, police believe that the car was racing another car shortly before the fatal accident or at least was traveling at too high of speeds for the street. To read more about this fatal car accident, please click on this link.

A Hamilton, Illinois car accident that occurred in December of 2009 resulted in the death of a young child. The six year old was not in a booster seat or a child safety seat at the time of the tragic car accident. The car accident occurred on Illinois 96 South when the car that the young children was riding in was struck by a trailer that became unhooked from the vehicle on which it was attached to. According to Connect Tri-States, the driver of the vehicle was charged with leaving the scene of the accident. If you would like to read more about this terrible car accident, please click on the link.

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 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.

Friends and family are reaching out to a family that lost their 4 year old daughter in a tragic chain reaction car accident while the Lake County family was on their way to Disney World for a vacation. The car accident occurred when the driver of an RV, that was pulling a horse trailer, crashed into the family’s minivan causing the minivan to cause into other cars, and in all six cars were involved in the accident. The RV driver claims that he thought he was hitting the brakes but was instead stepping on the gas, and has been cited with driving too fast to avoid traffic conditions, driving an RV and trailer in the fast lane, and driving an RV and trailer with a length that was over limit, The mother and both of the children in the minivan were in critical condition at the scene, and the 4 year old daughter ended up dying of her personal injuries. According to Pioneer Local, a fund as been set up to help out the family and provide for all their medical funds. If you would like to read more about this Lake County family’s car accident, please click here.

A car accident that occurred earlier this afternoon resulted in the death of a teenage boy. The car accident occurred in Elgin, on Center Street, and the police are still investigating the crash. According to Chicago Breaking News, there were witnesses to the accident in which the boy died shortly after being involved in the accident. For more information on this Kane County car accident, click here.

A lawsuit has been settled in which the family of a victim of a 2006 car accident received $1.5 million. The Winnebago car accident resulted in serious brain damage to the victim, whose brother was killed in the car accident and whose sister suffered from permanent brain damage. This is the last of several cases the victim’s family has filed. According to WREX, the car accident involved the victim’s car and a police vehicle. For more information on this Rockford car accident settlement, click here.

An Illinois man was been charged with reckless driving in connection with a car accident that occurred on November 7th in which a children and her mother were seriously personally injured. According to The Daily Herald, the accident occurred on Pingree Road, after the driver lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the car in which the child and her mother were traveling. The Crystal Lake car accident is still under investigation, and for more information on this 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.

The baby of the pregnant woman that was killed in the car accident mentioned above, that occurred on October 21st, has died. The baby was delivered in an emergency surgery but had suffered such serious personal injuries as a result of the accident in addition to being so premature and unfortunately died several days after the surgery. According to Chicago Breaking News, the mother, who died shortly after surgery, had five other children who are currently staying with their great-grandmother. The driver responsible for the fatal car accident is in police custody and facing many citations and at this point it is unknown if he will face criminal charges.

The autopsy of a teenager that was severely personally injured, causing her to be pronounced brain dead, is scheduled after she was taken of life support earlier this week. The victim was in a one-car accident on October 16th in Mossville. According to the Peoria Journal Star, the car accident occurred when the car in which the victim was a passenger in made a sharp right turn and slammed into a guardrail after it had been speeding on Route 29 just north of Illinois Route 6. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence after her blood alcohol content was tested and found to be over two times the legal limit (the driver was also a teenager and therefore not old enough to drink), leaving the scene after the accident and fleeing and eluding a cop after being initially approached following the tragic Mossville car accident.

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.

A Northern Illinois University student was killed in a car accident over the weekend of September 17th. The victim was a passenger in a car that apparently lost control while driving at an extremely high speed. The car then crashed into a tree and the passenger was killed. According to the Daily Chronicle, the driver and another passenger suffered serious personal injuries as a result of the car accident. For more information on this fatal car accident, click here.

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.

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 car accident occurred in Juneau County on August 23rd injuring a family of six from Chicago. The I-90 accident occurred when the driver of the car swerved into a ditch after a car cut into the lane she was driving in. When the car entered the ditch, it overturned injuring the driver and her five other passengers. For more information on this car accident, click here.

A Illinois toddler is in the hospital after she was struck and dragged by a car on August 24th in Fox Lake. The car accident occurred when the young girl was playing in the street and a car backed out onto the road and ended up pinning her under the vehicle. The driver did not notice the young girl pinned under the car for about 200 feet. Luckily, the girl survived the car accident and while she is in critical condition she is stable. Charges against the driver are pending. For more information on this Lake County car accident, click here.

Six people, including two children, were personally injured in a rollover automobile accident on Chicago’s Southside. All of the personally injured were in fair to serious condition. Police investigators stated that the automobile accident involved a rollover vehicle. If you have been involved in an automobile accident, find an Illinois lawyer. To read more about the rollover crash, please click the link.

Three people were injured on August 8th on the Northwest side when a car crash occurred. Two of the victims were seriously injured and taken to a local hospital and a child that was also seriously injured was taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital for treatment of their personal injuries. Three other people were involved in the car crash, however they refused treatment at the scene. 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.

On the morning of July 10th an Illinois woman suffered minor personal injuries after she was involved in a two-car accident. The car accident resulted in both cars ending up in a ditch and two of the people in the other car involved in the accident fled the scene on foot and have not yet been identified. The woman who was injured was not seriously injured and the two small children that were with her were luckily not injured. For more information on this car accident, 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.

A teenage girl was killed in a car accident that the authorities believe to be a result of her text messaging while driving. The teenage girl was driving in a Chicago suburb and lost control of her vehicle because she was attempting to text while driving. The police are saying that texting while driving is even more dangerous than trying to change the radio while driving. The General Assembly of Illinois is trying to pass a bill that would make text messaging while driving illegal, as a result of the increased car accidents resulting from text messaging while driving. Current Illinois law makes talking on the phone and texting illegal while driving for anyone under the age of nineteen. For more information on this car accident, click here.

A pedestrian accident that occurred last week resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy. The car accident occurred earlier last week when a car hit the young boy who was riding his bike. The boy was hospitalized after the car crash and has since died as a result of the severe personal injuries sustained in the accident. No citations have been issued in connection with the accident. For more information on this bike 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 April 21, two lives were tragically lost in a car accident in Sterling, IL. One victim of the accident was a 16-year-old boy. The other was a 69-year-old grandmother. The wreck was caused when the boy’s car swerved into the oncoming lane to avoid rear-ending a vehicle ahead of his. When he swerved, he collided with the woman’s vehicle. Both were killed in the accident. Read the full account of this tragic Illinois car accident by following the link.

A car and truck were involved in an accident on April 15 that left one woman seriously injured and two others with minor injuries. The accident took place along I-55 in Maucopin County. According to a report in The Telegraph, the woman who was critically injured was a passenger in a vehicle that swerved in front of a tractor trailer towing a box truck. The critically injured woman was removed from the vehicle by emergency workers and taken to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, IL. Two children who were also in the vehicle suffered minor personal injuries in the accident. The article did not elaborate on why the driver swerved into the path of the truck. Read the full story of this car accident by clicking on the link.

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.

A trial has begun in the case of a 2-year-old girl who was killed when a sheriff deputy’s vehicle struck the car she was traveling in with her mother and sister. The deputy was responding to a call and his car was traveling at speeds of 120 mph with no siren or flashing lights when the accident occurred. The girl’s parents filed the lawsuit to help pay for funeral and medical expenses. The mother suffered a number of injuries, including brain injury and a collapsed lung. The sheriff’s deputy resigned from his position shortly after the car accident. Follow the link to read more about this fatal car accident.

The 17-year-old driver in a fatal car accident that occurred on July 8, 2008 has been indicted on charges of manslaughter. The high school student, who is being tried as an adult, could face 3 to over 12 years in prison. The teen failed to slow down at a curve and lost control of his Toytoa Tacoma truck, causing it to roll several times after going airborne and land on its rooftop. One of the passengers, another high school student, was pronounced dead at the scene. It is not yet known whether the passenger’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Read more about this fatal car crash.

A 16-year-old escaped from the fiery wreckage of a car accident in suburban Chicago moments before the car became completely engulfed in flames. The teen driver was attempting to run from Illinois State troopers who tried to pull the young man over for speeding. The driver did not pull over for the police officer and instead tried to evade them. In doing so, he lost control and crashed his car into a tree along a ramp of the highway. After hitting the tree, the car immediately caught on fire.

The boy was able to escape the car accident on his own and was then taken to a local hospital with no major injuries. Illinois State Police later charged him with driving a stolen vehicle, fleeing from police and operating a car with no driver’s license. To read about this fiery car crash, follow the link.

Earlier this month, the father of a 10-yr-old boy who suffered significant brain damage and injuries in a car accident filed a lawsuit, asking for almost $13 million in compensation. The boy was involved in a fatal car accident involving a drunk driver that killed all four other people in the vehicle, including the boy’s mother. The lawsuit, filed by the father's attorney, accuses the driver of traveling at high speeds and driving while intoxicated. Additional defendants include the establishment that served the driver alcohol and the woman who let him borrow her car.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost wages, as well as pain and suffering for the loss of the boy’s mother. Click here to read the full story of this devastating car accident.

A personal injury lawsuit is being filed in the aftermath of a car accident that left a 10-year-old boy in critical condition and killed four others, including his mother. The boy’s family is seeking over $13 million in damages. The man who caused the accident has been indicted with numerous counts, including driving under the influence of alcohol. The suit also names two bars where the defendant consumed alcohol although he was visible intoxicated, and a woman who allegedly lent the man the car he was driving when he caused the fatal car accident. The boy suffers from brain damage, multiple bone fractures, and a damaged spleen, kidney and liver after the car crash. Read more about this car accident lawsuit.

John J. Perconti of Levin & Perconti has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Kane County, Illinois on behalf of a woman who was killed in a serious car accident last fall. The 32-year-olc woman’s vehicle was hit by a truck, causing her to crash into the Illinois Department of Transportation dump truck in front of her. The woman is survived by her husband and 3-year-old son, who were both seriously injured in the truck accident. The truck driver was reportedly under the influence of marijuana and half of the brakes on his semitrailer were deemed out of alignment and inadequate for stopping. Although criminal charges have not been filed yet, the death has been ruled a homicide.

For the Northwest Herald article, click here.
For the Daily Herald article, click here.

Drifting snow and icy roads are being blamed for the car accident that caused serious personal injuries to six people Saturday evening. The Illinois car accident occurred in a south suburban area of Chicago when a vehicle slid off of the roadway and into a tree.

For the full article.

A 15 year-old girl recently died after being the victim of an Illinois car accident. She was struck by an automobile in a north suburb of Chicago.

For the full article.

A woman was cited for negligent driving after a car crash that personally injured four adults and one child in Downtown Chicago. The car crash occurred on East Lower Wacker Drive near North Columbus Drive. A Ford Crown Victoria was traveling east on Lower Wacker Drive when the driver lost control and slid sideways into a vertical pillar causing the car crash. The impact of the car crash crushed the vehicle, with the pillar leaving an 18-inch dent in the car. The 21-year-old driver was cited for negligent driving. Five people, including a young child in a car seat, were in the car during the automobile accident. All five were taken to the hospital with personal injuries that do not appear to be life threatening. The child’s personal injuries were greatly reduced by being in a car seat. The vehicle was totaled in the car crash and towed from the scene. To read the full story, click here.

Two teenagers died in a car accident after a speeding car packed with minors went off a road in the Chicago suburb of Long Grove. Three other children, two teen brothers and their 8-year-old sister, were critically personally injured. The crash occurred in the evening near Driftwood Lane in Lake County. The 15-year-old was driving when a Chevrolet Cobalt when one of its tires went off the road in the car accident. The car then veered back across the road, struck a picket fence and a driveway and then went airborne before crashing through several trees and coming to rest with the rear of the car against a large tree. The driver was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. A 14-year-old girl who was sitting behind the driver in the vehicle was thrown out during the car crash and was dead on the scene. A 15-year-old, 13-year-old and 8-year-old were all critically personally injured and taken to the hospital. The sheriff’s office is investigating why a 15-year-old, who was too young to have a driver’s license, was driving when the car crash occurred. At this time, no wrongful death lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A three-year-old boy was personally injured after walking into the path of a car on the South Side of Chicago. The boy walked from between parked cars into the path of the car in the 1200 block of West 78th Street. The boy was taken to the University of Chicago’s Children’s Hospital in “stable” condition with personal injuries. The personal injuries were not believed to be in a “life-threatening” condition. No citations were issued in the automobile accident. At this time no personal injury lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

No one was personally injured when a school bus with three kids aboard overturned in the Chicago suburb of Lake in the Hills. The bus crash happened in the afternoon at the intersection of Reed Road and Northbridge Drive. A vehicle and a school bus somehow collided and caused the bus to turn over on its side in the bus accident. Everyone was out of the bus after the bus accident, including the three children when emergency crews arrived on the scene. No personal injuries were reported in the bus accident. The location of the bus accident spreads over the Chicago suburbs of Huntley and Lake in the Hills. While the investigation continues, no bus accident lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A 5-year-old boy died in a car accident in Naperville, Illinois near West Bailey Road. The 5-year-old was in a car seat in a vehicle that had pulled to the side of the road when it was struck by another vehicle. He was pronounced dead at Children’s Memorial Hospital. Officers and emergency personal responded to the scene of the multi-vehicle crash. Two vehicles were involved in a crash near the intersection at Plainfield-Naperville Road and West Bailey Road and because of the severity of the crash the occupants of both vehicles were taken to the hospital for treatment of their personal injuries. The exact number of victims who had personal injuries was not available. While the car crash investigation continues, no wrongful death lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

An 8-year-old boy was killed and his brother and uncle personally injured when the SUV they were in struck a Chicago building. An SUV crashed into a building on the 4500 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue. The 8-year-old boy was ejected from the automobile and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The man driving the SUV was taken to the hospital with personal injuries. Additionally the 12-year-old passenger was taken to a hospital with personal injuries. Sources said that the children were in the back seat when the driver, who was their uncle, struck a residential building. The driver was in police custody, but no charges had been filed. The police are still investigating the automobile accident and at this time, no lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A mother and her two children were killed in an automobile accident in southwest Joliet, Illinois. A vehicle traveling west at Gardner Blackstop struck a vehicle traveling south on Illinois Route 47. The impact forced the southbound vehicle to roll several times before coming to rest in a cornfield southwest of the intersection. A mother and her two children, all from Dwight Illinois, were killed in the crash. The 11 month old infant and the three year old boy were ejected from their seats in the car crash. They were taken to the hospital were they were pronounced dead. The children’s mother was pinned in the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The police are investigating the automobile accident. At this time no wrongful death lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A 10-year old boy was struck and killed by an automobile close to his home in unincorporated Cook County. The boy was riding a bicycle and was crossing a four-lane road with a median when he was hit by the car. He was not crossing at an intersection or crossing. The boy made it across the northbound lanes, but once he went to the southbound lanes there was a semi-truck and a van quickly approaching. The truck driver hit his brakes and avoided the boy, but the driver of the van couldn’t see the boy and struck him. The drivers of both vehicles immediately stopped and called 911. The boy was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Toxicology tests were administered to the driver of the van but results won’t be available for days and no citations were issued. To read the full story, click here.

Two Children, two Chicago firefighters and four others were personally injured after a car collided with an ambulance on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Several ambulances were called to the scene in response to the two-vehicle crash. A spokesperson stated that a woman driving an Acura northbound on Menard collided with an eastbound Chicago Fire Department ambulance in the intersection, which was en route to the hospital with two patients inside. The woman’s car flipped upside down and another car rammed into it. A third vehicle rear-ended the second car and fled to the scene. Witnesses rushed to help the woman in the Acura and her two young children, who were badly bleeding, out of the car. Neither the firefighters nor the ambulance patients suffered life-threatening personal injuries, mostly bumps and bruises. The children were taken to Children’s Memorial Hospital and are in serious condition with personal injuries. At this time, no lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A 27-year-old woman was killed and five people, including four children, sustained personal injuries after an automobile accident drove off the Bishop Ford Freeway on Chicago’s Far South Side. Illinois State Police stated that the crash involved a single vehicle. The occupants involved in the automobile accident were a family, including four children under the age of 10. The car drove off the Bishop Ford Freeway and rolled over several times, coming to rest near the intersection of 120th Street and South Doty Avenue. The driver was a 27-year-old woman who was pronounced dead on the scene. Five other people were taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening personal injuries. The cause of the accident remains under investigation and no personal injury lawsuits have been filed. To read the full story, click here.

A bicycle accident occurred after a car driver hit and run occurred yesterday evening. The car accident involved a twelve year old autistic boy who was riding his bike when the car accident occurred hitting his bike. The bike accident left the boy with a broken leg. The investigation continues to find the hit and run driver who caused the boy to suffer serious personal injuries: he now has a cast going all the way up his leg and thigh. Bicycle Accidents and pedestrian accidents can occur when drivers are not paying attention but if a car accident does occur a driver should take responsibility. In this case, however the driver simply ran away. To read the full story click here.

A fatal motorbike accident left one youth dead and another critically injured after an accident on Chicago, Illinois’ northwest side. The motorbike crash involved a Suzuki Burgman bike and another car. An unknown citation was given to the driver of the car who claims that she was not a reckless negligent driver and was not at fault. The one youth injured was transported to the hospital with critical serious injuries from the motorbike crash. The crash caused the motorbike to crash through a store window. Workers at the Chicago, Illinois shop were boarding up the windows destroyed by the motorbike crash into windows at the store. To see the full story click here.

Truck accidents are one of the most deadly and dangerous types of automobile accidents because the two motor vehicles can vary greatly in size and power. Some accidents can be caused by weather or an outside force, but too many result from the negligence of the driver. In recent years, truck traffic has increased, as have complaints of excessive speed by truck drivers. A family of five was recently killed by a truck driver in an accident. The family's car was stopped at an intersection when a truck pummeled into car killing the occupants almost instantly. The truck driver is being charged with five counts of dangerous driving causing death. The driver refused to provide a breath sample at the scene, but police reports indicate that excessive speed and alcohol were contributors. A wrongful death lawsuit against the truck driver has yet to be filed.

Four teens were injured and one killed when a train crashed into their vehicle in 2006. Since then, investigations of the train accident have led to lawsuits filed by and against many different personal injury attorneys. The teens and their families are suing the city in which the accident happened and the company that owned the train and the tracks under the allegations that the tracks were unsafe. The driver and the owners of the car are being sued based on claims of reckless driving. Reasons being cited as to how the town and train company failed to make the crossing safe and other allegations cited by attorneys include allowing a stop sign to be hidden behind brush, reducing motorists' visibility; that the train was speeding excessively, failed to sound a horn and was staffed by unskilled workers; that the failure to create barriers to prevent cars from crossing the tracks when dangerous was negligent; and that the driver of the automobile failed to maintain control of the car, allowing it to be stuck on the tracks, where she then failed to unlock the doors. In addition to the teen that was ejected from the vehicle and killed, other injuries include knee injuries, spleen lacerations and pelvic, rib, jaw, and tooth fractures.

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The Illinois wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of a 15-year-old in Southern Illinois has resulted in a $10 million ruling in Saline County Circuit Court. The teen was killed in an automobile accident after the car he was in was struck by a farm truck. The defendants admitted negligence; the truck failed to stop at an intersection, striking the victim's car and ejecting him and another passenger from the vehicle. The injuries sustained by the teen resulted in his death. Such a high award is uncommon in Southern Illinois, but in this case the court found that the survivors of the teen had incurred a significant loss of society and that the wrongful death warranted the compensation of $10 million.

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A new personal injury lawsuit has recently been filed by the family of a man who was run over by a car in the Durkin Park fight that occurred earlier this year. Durkin Park was the site of the clash that ended with one teen driving an SUV through a crowd of people. Despite the numerous and frantic calls to 911 that night, authorities were slow to respond and dealt with the callers with sarcasm and apathy. The man who was run over by the SUV sustained personal injuries that have prevented him from returning to his job in construction. He and his family are suing the driver of the car, the owner of the car, and the City of Chicago.

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Click here for a post on an earlier lawsuit filed after the Durkin Park fight

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of a two-year-old boy who is the only surviving family member of a car accident involving a tow truck. The toddler, his older brother, and both of his parents were returning home after watching fireworks.

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A $1,400,000 settlement was recently reached that alleged wrongful death, personal injury and property damage on behalf of a 75-year-old woman who was killed in a car accident when the principal of a local high school returning from a school trip swerved into oncoming traffic. The woman's husband, also 75-years-old, suffered major injuries. Plaintiffs in the case also include the couple's 11 children. The Plaintiffs also received a $100,000 settlement from the life insurance policy of the principal, who also died in the accident.

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