Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog

The Chicago car accident lawyers at Levin & Perconti encourage everyone to wear their seat belts and reinforce how important seat belts are. Seat belts are a very necessary and simple safety measure to take whenever traveling in a car. Whenever you are a passenger in a car make sure to always buckle your seat belt and if your seat does not seem to be equipped with a seat belt, either look under the seat to see if it is stuck and can be recovered or move to another seat with a seat belt. Additionally, do not ride in a car without proper seat belts or in a car with more people that there are seat belts. As a driver always make sure that all of your passengers buckle their seat belts. Always make sure to wear your seat belt properly with the lap belt across your hip and the shoulder strap across your body diagonally. Following these simple steps and always remembering to buckle your seat belt as soon as you get into the car can make all the difference in the case of a car accident. The Click it or Ticket campaign has been a very successful campaign in increasing awareness and importance of seat belts. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the concept behind the campaign is to remind people that no matter when or wear they are driving if they are caught not wearing a seat belt they will be ticketed. This simple message has worked on many and the national seat belt rate is currently at its highest rate of 82%.

The seat belt law is Illinois is that all front seat occupants of all ages are required to wear a seat belt. While passengers in the back seat are not required to be belted, the laws are different when it comes to minor passengers or minor drivers. Under the Child Passenger Protection Act, all passengers under 16 years must be belted regardless of where they are sitting in the car. Additionally, any drivers under 18 must only have the amount of passengers in the car that there are seatbelts and during first six months of a minor’s license they can only have one passenger under the age of 20 in the car at any time (there are exceptions for immediate family members). All passengers under 18 have to wear a seat belt no matter where they are seated if the car’s driver is under 18. For a better understanding or more complete set of Illinois seat belt laws, please click on this hyperlink to Cyber Drive Illinois. In Illinois all children under the age of 8 must be in a safety seat, whether it be a car seat (rear-facing for babies) or a booster seat (front-facing for older children). If a child is over 40 pounds they may ride in the back seat in only a lap belt if the car is not equipped with a shoulder belt. Child seat belt safety laws are very serious and parents of the child are responsible for ensuring that any person transporting their child has the proper equipment and are subject to fine if not obeyed.

Remember that seat belts are easy to wear and can safe lives!

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There are certain issues that affect elderly drivers and that are important to keep in mind as you get older. Safe Roads Alliance offers some of the obstacles that elderly people may face on the road as well as links to other useful information regarding the elderly and driving. With age, certain physical changes can make it harder to driver, such as possible hearing and vision impairment, slower reflexes and medication interactions. To see more about what affects elderly drivers, please click on the link. According to the National Institute on Aging, the elderly body may be affected in many ways that can affect driving such as joints may get stick, muscles may weaken, visions may change, hearing may get worse and reaction time may be slower.

While many elderly drivers are aware of conditions that affect their driving abilities and are able to monitor themselves and know when they should not be on the road in order to hopefully avoid car accidents. Unfortunately, some times people do not realize that their conditions are affecting their driving and making it dangerous for them to remain on the road. According to the AARP website, there are certain steps someone should take if they believe an elderly friend or relative should not be on the road, and they include: assessing the situation by riding with the person firsthand, talking to the person about driving and your caring about their well-being, and then suggest alternate options to their driving such as taking a driving refresher course, limiting driving to certain times of day or in familiar areas only, or finding alternate modes of transportation, whether it be public transportation or rides with other drivers, in order to avoid car crashes.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Illinois Public Act 96-143 creates a new offense of operating an uninsured motor vehicle that causes bodily harm to another person. It will now be a Class A misdemeanor under the Vehicle Code. The language states that if a person “causes, as a proximate result of the person’s operation of the motor vehicle, bodily harm to another person” they will have violated the statute. This new statute will greatly affect car accident cases in Illinois. To read the entire statute, please click the link.

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A statewide survey shows that seat-belt use is up over 15 percent since 2003, and over 75 percent of people said they wore seat-belts when traveling in cars. The increase in seat-belt usage would hopefully lead to less serious injuries resulting from car accidents. The Department of Transportation also says that the number of fatal accidents has fallen over 10 percent in recent years and that the number of car accident deaths in Illinois are as low as it has been in 80 years. For more information on this survey, click here.

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There has not been a substantial increase in the number of vehicle owners that have been driving without liability insurance in Illinois. A larger increase was expected as a result of the recession, but even with the numbers as they are there is still a big concern with uninsured drivers. There are over half a million uninsured drivers in Illinois and if caught driving without insurance drivers face a mandatory three month suspension of their driver’s licenses and then a $100 reinstatement fee for the driver’s license, a $100 reinstatement fee for the license plate and a $500 fine paid to the courts, as well as showing proof of current insurance. Courts will sometimes only place the driver under supervision if they purchase insurance after the offense. One way to try to cut down on this problem is by requiring vehicle owners to list their insurance company and policy number when renewing their vehicle registration. For more information on uninsured vehicle owners in Illinois, click here.

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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.

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