Articles Posted in Pedestrian Accident

More than 4,000 people lose their lives in pedestrian motor vehicle accidents every year; that equates to nearly 12 people each day. In addition to the terrible toll fatalities take, 70,000 reported injuries are caused by these accidents, and it is likely that thousands of additional injuries go unreported in any given year. The good news is that these statistics are on a downward trend, but even one preventable pedestrian accident is too many. (Center for Disease Control & Prevention)

On Saturday night, a Bolingbrook man died from injuries that he sustained in a Downers Grove pedestrian accident. According to reports from local police, the 60-year-old was crossing the street late at night near the 4200 block of Main Street, when a car struck him. The victim was rushed to nearby Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, but was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Authorities stated that their preliminary investigation has uncovered no evidence that speeding or impairment may have been factors in the collision, but added that the crash is being classified as a death investigation, and the final cause of death is still to be determined by the County Coroner. (Chicago Tribune)

Older adults are one of the largest demographics when it comes to pedestrian deaths, accounting for nearly 20% of all fatalities. As we get older, our bodies often deteriorate, and the weaker bones and health problems that can accompany aging make these accidents extremely dangerous. Pedestrians are bereft of the steel frames that surround and protect passengers in vehicles, and they often receive their most severe traumatic injuries from the initial impact of being hit by the car, or the secondary impact of striking the hard concrete. For this reason, age matters a great deal, as a collision that may have resulted in a month long hospital stay for an able bodied 30-year-old could result in a fatality for an older man or woman.

Nearly 12 people are killed each day in pedestrian accidents throughout the United States, and there are some 70,000 reported pedestrian traffic injuries every year. Although this number has decreased significantly since 1995, it is still far too high, and most of these accidents are easily preventable if drivers and pedestrians use the proper care. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Walking Info)

This week, two people were injured in separate hit-and-run car accidents in the Logan Square neighborhood. In the first accident, a man was stuck by a red vehicle on Fullerton and Leclaire. Officials report that the man was taken to a local hospital, where he is in serious condition, and added that the 18-year-old driver of the vehicle has since turned himself into the authorities. The second accident, which occurred about an hour later near Fullerton and Lawndale around 7:30 Tuesday night, involved a 17-year-old girl and a black pick-up truck. The victim has been taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where she is listed in critical condition, but police are still searching for the driver of the truck. (WGN-TV Chicago)

As we stated earlier, many pedestrian accidents are preventable, so our lawyers want to give you a few quick tips to staying safe when walking around in high traffic areas.

More than 4,000 people are killed in pedestrian accidents every year in the United States, and another 70,000 are injured. That adds up to a fatality every two hours, and an injury every 8 minutes. Living in a bustling urban center like Chicago, we are at an even greater risk of falling victim to these accidents, and last Friday, a Cook County jury awarded a $2.4 million verdict to a client of ours who had suffered multiple injuries in a pedestrian accident. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

On May 21st, 2011, our client was struck by a city-owned vehicle while participating in a photo shoot for his wife’s company, resulting in serious injuries. “Stephen suffered several spinal fractures, his leg was broken in two places, and he was hospitalized for six days,” said attorney Susan Novosad. “Immediately following the accident, he had a rod surgically placed in his lower right leg. He required two additional surgeries and months of physical therapy and rehabilitation following the accident.” Following the accident, the driver of the truck tested over the legal blood alcohol limit, and police found an open bottle of brandy within his truck.

The lawsuit, which was filed in June of 2011, named the driver as well as the City of Chicago as defendants, and alleged that the driver was under the influence, at high speeds, and failed to yield to pedestrians in order to prevent an impending collision. Additionally, the suit claimed vicarious liability, claiming that the City of Chicago was responsible for its employee’s actions due to his status as an employee. Prior to the trial, both the defendant and the City of Chicago admitted to being 100% at fault for the plaintiff’s injuries. However despite the fact that the driver was drunk at the time of the accident, the judge deemed this inadmissible because of the defendant’s admittance of liability, which made his conduct a moot point. After being asked to determine how Stephen should be compensated for his disabilities, many of which he must now cope with for the rest of his life, the jury settled on $2.4 million dollar compensation.

You can love your vehicle, and spend as much time as you possibly can cruising around in it, but at some point, everyone is a pedestrian. That’s the idea behind the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new campaign to combat rising pedestrian fatalities. A new website, nhtsa.gov/everyoneisapedestrian, and millions of dollars in available grants characterize a program that the agency hopes will be able to curb rising death and injury rates.

Pedestrians were one of only a few demographics to experience a rise in death rates in the United States last year, accounting for 14% of total traffic fatalities. Last Monday, the U.S. Transportation Secretary announced the new set of tools he plans to use to help communities, and added that the NHTSA will be offering $2 million in pedestrian safety grants to cities that are particularly dangerous for pedestrians. “Whether you live in a city or a small town, and whether you drive a car, take the bus or ride a train, at some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian,” said the Transportation Secretary. “We all have a reason to support pedestrian safety, and now, everyone has new tools to help make a difference.” Educational resources provided by the NHTSA include safe walking tips, research and statistics, programs and activities, and a page for curriculums and resources when teaching others.

As it currently stands, statistics state that one person will be injured in a pedestrian accident every eight minutes, and another will die every two hours. Nearly three out of four pedestrians killed by motor vehicles live in urban areas, so if you live in Chicago it is particularly important that you pay attention to your surroundings and do whatever you can to remain safe. We know that people don’t always adhere to the laws and signals given to them on the road, but the level of distracted driving and walking has experienced a staggering increase in past years. Many people walk down busy sidewalks and through roadways with headphones on, or while texting on their phones, and many drivers practice the same worrying habits while operating a vehicle. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Chicago has been beautiful this summer, and many people throughout the city are taking full advantage of it. It seems like any time you go Downtown, the sidewalks are overflowing with pedestrians enjoying a day out. However, last year more than 4,000 lives were lost in pedestrian accidents. To put that number into perspective, that is an average of nearly 12 people each and every day, and in an urban center like ours, these accidents are particularly common. During these sweltering summer months, our lawyers want to provide you with a breakdown of some of the demographics and locations that pedestrian accidents are most likely to happen, so you can better keep yourself safe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are a few noteworthy trends in the breakdown of age, gender, and location of pedestrian accident victims. Some worth noting are:

• 69% of all people killed in pedestrian car accidents are males-Perhaps this is because males are statistically more likely to take risks, but whatever the reason, it has been fairly consistent over the years.

When a car collides with another vehicle, there is always a chance that the occupants will suffer serious injuries. Still, vehicles are equipped with crumple-zones, air bags and other safety features to keep their drivers safe; safety features that are not afforded to the victims of pedestrian accidents. In 2010 alone 4,280 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic accidents throughout the United States. If you add that to the 70,000 people who were relegated to emergency rooms in the same year because of other pedestrian accidents, it is clear that these incidents aren’t all that uncommon.

Yesterday, a suburban Chicago man was charged in a hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 61-year-old Tinley Park man. According to a Tinley Park Police Commander, the defendant was brought into custody just one day after he allegedly hit the victim with his pickup truck while he was crossing 159th Street on 80th Avenue. The suspect was tracked down through evidence left at the scene of the accident, particularly, his license plate. Prosecutors charged the 22-year-old defendant with aggravated driving while under the influence as well as failure to stop after an accident involving personal injury or death. (Chicago Tribune)

On average, a pedestrian is injured in a traffic accident every 8 minutes. That means that every 8 minutes, a family might be losing a loved one. These accidents may start on the road, but they end at home. Our lawyers know better than anyone that if you don’t have proper representation, you may be left footing the bill for huge medical costs, all while being unable to work because of your injuries.

The temperature in Chicago is expected to rise above 80 degrees for the first time in what feels like ages today, and many urban dwellers are hoping and praying that this spring weather is here to stay. Chicago is a wonderful place to be during the summer. Whether you choose to spend your summer days along Lake Michigan, shopping on the Magnificent Mile, at Navy Pier, exploring Millennium Park, or just strolling down the sidewalks among the multitudinous outdoor restaurants, walking anywhere in Chicago is an experience in and of itself. However, our lawyers want to remind you that as the temperature rises for the spring, so too do the number of pedestrian car accidents.

Whether you are in the suburbs, the country, or in the middle of the Loop, the unfortunate reality of the matter is that many drivers do not actively look out for pedestrians when getting from point A to point B. This sort of negligent and reckless driving results in more than 4,000 deaths per year, and adds on another 70,000 injuries. To put that into perspective, that is one crash related pedestrian death every two hours, and an injury every 8 minutes. (Center for Disease Control)

Today, authorities from the southeast suburb of Summit are investigating the details of an accident that left a 47-year-old man dead on Monday morning. According to reports from the medical examiner’s office, the man was unloading material from a parked vehicle when a car hit struck him. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene just before 6 a.m.

What a beautiful day it is in Chicago, Illinois. It is nearly 60 degrees and sunny out today, which is roughly equivalent to the surface of the sun by Midwestern weather conversion rates, and that means it is time to start getting outside again. Biking and jogging are back, and now is as important a time as any to talk about pedestrian car accidents.

It probably won’t surprise you that three out of four pedestrian fatalities happen in urban areas. For pedestrians, Chicago is more or less just a big cluster of intersections and crosswalks, and this is the most common location for pedestrian collisions. If you live or work in Chicago, you know how hectic traffic can be, and whether it is stress from being late for work, aggressive driving, or paying attention to traffic rather than people, there are many factors that could cause a momentary lapse in concentration.

It’s unfortunate, but sometimes drivers just aren’t looking for bikers and joggers, and this is one of the main reasons why pedestrian accidents leave 70,000 people injured each year. With such a large number of deaths, pedestrians are over-represented in accident data sets, constituting more than 13% of fatalities while making up only 10% of total trips. (WalkingInfo.org)