Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog

Sure, tax day is grueling for many Americans, but deadly too? New research suggests that it might be.

According to a recent report by MSNBC, researchers who studied 30 years of data found that there was a significantly higher risk of fatal car crashes on the day of the IRS tax deadline than any other comparable day of the year. In fact, the study showed that across the U.S., there are approximately 13 more crashes on tax day, which may contribute to a 6 percent higher risk of dying as a driver, passenger, or even a pedestrian on tax day, said MSNBC.

Researchers believe that this risk stems from negligent driving caused by a rush to get taxes filed on time and an overall increase in stress and lack of sleep. Almost 20 percent of all taxpayers wait until the last minute to file taxes, and, “all of a sudden there’s one source of stress that’s onerous, synchronized, repeated and applies to a huge community,” said Dr. Donald A. Redelmeier, an internist and researcher at the University of Toronto and one of the co-authors of this study.

The analysis examined data on U.S. tax and traffic fatalities from 1980 to 2009. Each year, approximately 141 million individual returns are filed according to IRS figures. The stress people experience translates to auto accidents; though this particular study focused on traffic fatalities, the fallout likely spreads to non-fatal car accidents and property damage as well.

Every time a driver gets behind the wheel of a car, he or she is accepting responsibility for the safety of everyone else on the road. Although accidents can and do happen, when a driver's negligent behavior or careless actions lead to the injury or death of another person, the negligent driver must be held accountable. When a driver is stressed and, as a result, pays less attention to his or her driving and a car accident occurs, it may lead to an Illinois personal injury lawsuit in which the driver who caused the harm may be made to pay damages resulting from the injuries sustained in the crash.

However, when those car accidents cause fatalities, wrongful death lawsuits may arise instead. Under Illinois law, wrongful death is the legal concept that arises when a person’s death has been caused by the fault or negligence of another person or business. In cases of wrongful death, family members and loved ones of the decedent can file a claim to potentially make the wrongdoer pay damages for things such as the loss of companionship, monetary damages to cover the earnings the deceased person would have provided, and expenses associated with the death such as funeral and burial costs.

Injuries suffered as a result of these types of accidents can be severe and life altering. This year tax day is April 17, and our Chicago personal injury lawyers want people to be safe. Consistent with the recommendations offered by the study, we recommend that people buckle seatbelts, slow down, pay attention to driving and other harried drivers, and try not to be distracted by tax worries until you get to your final destination.

The saying goes that nothing in life is certain besides death and taxes; hopefully with a little care, we can reduce fatalities.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers were pleased to read that justice was attained on behalf of a man who was rendered tetraplegic – with no use of his lower extremities and partial use of his upper extremities – following a tragic accident on a Chicago expressway.

Every time a driver gets behind the wheel of a car, he or she is accepting responsibility for the safety of everyone else on the road. Although accidents can and do happen, when a driver's negligent behaviors or careless actions lead to the injury or death of another person, the negligent driver must be held accountable.

In this particular case, the defendants admitted liability for the crash ton the Eden’s Expressway, so the Cook County jury was left only to determine damages. In Chicago personal injury cases, when defendants are found to be liable for the harm caused, they may be made to pay compensatory damages to put the victim back in the position he or she was in before the injury occurred. This includes covering medical and hospital expenses, and in more serious cases, compensating the victim for a loss of normal life or lost wages. In some cases when the driver’s errors are egregious, he or she may also be made to pay punitive damages, which serve to punish him or her and to send a message to other drivers in the same position to be more careful in the future.

Prior to the jury verdict being returned, attorneys from either side reached a high-low agreement of $25 million to $50 million. A high-low agreement is a contract between parties in a personal injury case, which ensures that, no matter what the amount of damages the jury returns, the lowest amount that can be received by the victim, and the highest amount the defendant may be made to be paid are predetermined. As a result, when the Cook County jury awarded $23 million in damages, the final award was $25 million.

Injuries suffered as a result of these types of accidents can be severe and life altering. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers have successfully handled nearly every type of motor vehicle negligence case and recovered millions of dollars in accident lawsuit verdicts and settlements for victims and their families. Our attorneys have both the experience and knowledge to handle even the most complex car accident lawsuits.

In fact, our attorneys obtained $6.5 million settlement in a trucking accident case for the family of a 32-year-old woman who was killed when their pick-up truck was rear-ended by a semi-truck. Our client and his son both suffered significant personal injuries in the collision. The defendant truck driver was found to be under the influence of marijuana and operating an over-loaded, unsafe truck. In violation of federal regulations, the defendant truck owners failed to drug-screen or perform background checks on their drivers.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a motor vehicle accident that is the result of another driver’s negligent behavior, contact an attorney to better understand your rights under the law.

While the season to celebrate is upon us, our Chicago personal injury attorneys want to take the time to remind people to be especially cautious on New Year’s Eve.

Though spirits may be bright, devastatingly 2007 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that drunk-driving related fatal crashes rise significantly in the two-week period encompassing Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Frighteningly enough, that’s not even counting non-fatal accidents in which the drivers and passengers – and even pedestrians – may be devastatingly injured but not killed. Statistics show that the number of these type of accidents is also increased during the time period surrounding New Year’s Eve.

Every time a driver gets behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, he or she is accepting responsibility for the safety of everyone else on the road. Accidents can and do happen, but when a driver's negligent behaviors or careless actions lead to the injury or death of another person, the negligent driver must be held accountable. These situations may lead to Illinois personal injury lawsuits and the driver who caused the harm may be made to pay damages resulting from the injuries that arise.

Fortunately, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tells us that the number of drunk-driving related incidents have significantly decreased since the 1970’s; according to research done on behalf of the Institute, when comparing the Blood Alcohol Content percentages of drivers stopped in 1973 to those of drivers stopped in 1996, the rates of intoxicated drivers was nearly half in 1996 of what it had been in 1973.

Nevertheless, we must be extremely careful, especially around this time of year. Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or M.A.D.D. has estimated that more than 11,700 people died in drunk-diving related accidents in 2008 alone.

So what can we do to stay safe?

Our Illinois personal injury attorneys offer some tips for being safe on New Year’s Eve:

• Don’t drink and drive! It’s never a good idea to drink and drive, but when your driving is impaired, and the odds of other drivers on the road being impaired is increased, it is more than double the recipe for disaster.
• If at all possible, stay off the roads. Even if you drive sober or designate a sober driver, drunk drivers are still a danger to all other vehicles on the road. Try to get where you need to be, and if at all possible, stay in one place
• If you do need to go somewhere, make sure you have a sober, experienced driver to take you there. Public transportation, such as the el train, also provides a great alternative.

Please beware of the potential dangers, but have a safe and happy New Year’s celebration!

Automobile accidents can happen at any time – one of the reasons why they are called “accidents” is because they are unexpected. Questions arise if one or both of the drivers do not have car insurance. But, Chicago drivers certainly hope that if they are victims in an Illinois motor vehicle accident that the other driver has insurance. As Chicago personal injury lawyer Susan Novosad reported, she recently represented five motor vehicle accident victims in Chicago motor vehicle lawsuit settlements for the limits of each policy. She pointed out that often times, defendants do not have sufficient coverage to compensate the plaintiffs for their personal injuries and advised drivers to protect themselves with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to their policies. While Ms. Novosad addressed the underinsured, what if the motorist has no insurance at all? Across the United States, chances are roughly one in seven that a driver is uninsured, according to estimates released in April.

Continue reading "Almost 1 in 7 drivers uninsured" »

Our Chicago motor vehicle accident lawyers recognize that drugged driving is at least as dangerous as drunken driving and is not a risk worth taking on the road when operating heavy and dangerous machinery. A recent ruling issued by the Supreme Court of Illinois supports this contention and has given prosecutors a new weapon in driving-under-the-influence (DUI) cases. Now, prosecutors in the State of Illinois have the ability to upgrade charges against Illinois defendants when small traces of drugs are found in motorists’ systems after a crash, even if there is no evidence that they were impaired at the time. The Illinois Supreme Court Justices stated in their ruling that drivers even with the slightest remnant of an illegal drug in their bodies should be found guilty of a felony if their bad driving caused a Chicago car crash.

Continue reading "Illinois Supreme Court ruling allows upgraded charges in drugged driving cases" »

Our Chicago car accident lawyers encounter a lot of sad incidents of wrongful death resulting from Illinois car accidents, but the ones that could have been prevented simply make us incredibly sad. The Chicago Tribune reported on one such case this week. The Illinois car accident happened when a 66-year-old Illinois man was driving his tractor in an unincorporated area near Harvard, Illinois at around 11:00 AM. The 66 year-old man was ejected from his McCormick Farmall tractor as he was making a left turn after being hit by a 2006 Ford Taurus whose driver was trying to pass the tractor. The Illinois car accident victim was sent to the hospital, where he died. The other driver received no personal injuries.

Passing another vehicle is always dangerous and passing an individual so vulnerable in a tractor is even more so dangerous! The Illinois Rules of the Road, published by the Illinois Secretary of State, warns that a driver “must use caution when passing another vehicle.” On a two-lane highway, the left lane is supposed to be clearly seen and free of oncoming traffic for a distance great enough to permit passing. You are allowed to pass on the right of a vehicle when the car has enough room on a two-lane roadway and the vehicle that you are passing is about to make a left turn, like the Harvard car accident victim was.

Continue reading "Car trying to pass kills Illinois tractor driver" »

Our Chicago injury lawyers read an article that the Chicago Tribune reported today about a 42 year-old 911 operator who was killed in a a Chicago car crash while driving home from work. The person who hit her vehicle was fleeing from the police in a stolen luxury SUV when he hit the woman’s vehicle in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. The deadly Chicago car accident happened shortly after 6:00 a.m. near the intersection of Armitage Avenue and Hoyne Avenue. The accident victim was pronounced dead less than an hour later at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

The driver of the stolen SUV was stopped at Blackhawk Street and Elston Avenue after the driver blew through a red light. After police stepped out of their vehicle, the suspect in the SUV reversed the car and struck the car of a police supervisor who was on the scene. The suspect then fled the scene in the vehicle. Chicago police officers followed the SUV, which was later reported stolen, as the suspect blew threw another stop sign and then struck the 911 operator’s vehicle when the Chicago car crash victim was traveling westbound on Armitage, only slightly over a mile from the original police stop.

Continue reading "Chicago 911 operator dies after fugitive hits her vehicle in Bucktown" »

A Chicago tour bus accident on the Dan Ryan Expressway on the south end of Chicago recently sent twenty people to area hospitals. Fortunately, the bus accident victims received only minor personal injuries, according to officials. According to the Illinois State Police, the northbound lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway at 47th Avenue were shut down because of the Chicago bus tour accident. The spokesperson stated that officials were still investigating and did not have any details about the bus tour accident circumstances as of Sunday evening. A total of thirty four people were reported to refuse medical treatment on the scene.

Our Chicago injury lawyers have successfully handled almost every single type of motor vehicle negligence case and have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for the victims and their families. Our Chicago injury lawyers’ resolutions include a record-setting $10 million Chicago car accident settlement for a young boy who was hit by a city Fire Department truck while playing in an open fire hydrant on the Independence Day holiday. The Chicago car accident resulted in the loss of his leg and half of his pelvis.

Continue reading "Chicago tour bus accident sends 20 people to area hospitals" »

With Memorial Day passed and the “unofficial” start to summer here, our Chicago personal injury lawyers want to share some tips to our neighbors on how to avoid personal injuries this summer. Many Chicagoans and Illinoisans hit the road to the lake or other roadtrip destinations, so driving safely is essential. Please drive defensively and always wear your seatbelts to avoid serious personal injuries in motor vehicle accidents.

While you cannot control other drivers’ behavior when they get behind the wheel, you can control your own. Pay attention to the road; do not fall victim to distractions. Please do NOT text or call and drive! Using a cell phone while driving, whether its hand-held or hands free, delays a driver’s reaction as much as have a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent!! According to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Distraction.gov, twenty percent of motor vehicle accidents resulting in personal injuries in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. Of those who were killed in distracted-driving-related crashes, nearly a thousand of the wrongful deaths involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction! Further, some astounding numbers from 2009 should give you pause before you pick up that cell phone behind the wheel. 5,474 people were killed in U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving.

Continue reading "Injury attorney advice to Chicagoans: have a safe and injury free summer!" »

Over the weekend, our Chicago personal injury lawyers read about another tragic motor vehicle accident that involved a man driving under the influence. On Saturday afternoon, a Chicago nanny was walking with a stroller carrying a 20 month-old when she saw a white pick up truck swerving toward her on the sidewalk downtown. According to reports, the driver was a 61 year-old Chicago Streets and Sanitation laborer; he plowed into a group of people into the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago. He was driving a city Ford F-150 pickup truck with an open bottle of E&J Brandy next to him, said the Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney. His blood alcohol level was .183, more than twice the legal limit for driving in the state of Illinois. In addition to the nanny and the baby, five other people received personal injuries. All seven were hospitalized following the Chicago drunk driving accident.

The child’s father called the nanny an angel on earth and stated that there is no question that from the eyewitness accounts, she pushed the stroller away and took the hit herself. The nanny instinctively pushed away the stroller carrying the 20 month-old child, in a move that spared critical personal injuries to the infant. The 25 year-old nanny remained in serious condition yesterday. The Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney described that the nanny’s bones from the waist below were basically shattered. She fractured her pelvis, hips, and legs and her skin tissue was torn off her legs. She had hardware put in her body and is currently in traction. Additionally, there were a number of other people injured in the Chicago pedestrian accident.

Continue reading "Chicago man causes pedestrian accident with injuries while driving drunk" »

A Chicago car accident early this morning resulted in two deaths and four receiving serious personal injuries. Early this morning at 5:15 a.m., two vehicles crashed into a PLS Check Cashiers store in a Chicago neighborhood on the Northwest side of the city. The two who were killed in the Chicago car accident were two individuals in their fifties who were on a cleaning crew that had been working downtown and were heading back to their homes. Both were pronounced dead at a Chicago hospital shortly after the Illinois car crash.

Police reported that two cars were involved: a beige Hyundai and a black Honda. The Honda vehicle hit a street light and both cars then hit the PLS Check Cashiers store. Emergency personnel responded shortly thereafter and everyone was listed as being seriously to critically injured. Six ambulances responded to the accident scene. A nearby neighbor, who lives only one block away from the accident site, was awakened by the sound shortly after 5:00 a.m. this morning. He recalled that three young people were in the Honda and three older people were in the Hyundai; he stated that one was really seriously hurt and the other person was not really moving at all. He stated that emergency personnel had to use the jaws of life to remove a person from the car and CPR was being performed on another victim that he observed. The neighbor stated that the other three victims were sitting next to the car trying to figure out what happened with the Chicago car accident. All six individuals were treated at local hospitals.

Continue reading "Chicago car accident results in two deaths, four injured" »

An Illinois wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family of the woman who was struck and killed by a tour bus in the Steeterville neighborhood of Chicago earlier this month. The young victim was a Polish immigrant who grew up in Germany. She graduated from the school of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree. The Chicago wrongful death lawsuit is filed against the bus company, alleging that the bus company was negligent in hiring the driver. The driver in the Chicago car accident was arrested after the wrongful death of the 24 year-old Chicago victim and remains in jail on aggravated DUI charges. Chicago police and Cook County prosecutors report that the driver, who was 47 years of age, had cocaine in his system at the time of the May 3 Streeterville car accident. Additionally, the driver’s commercial driver’s license was suspended in August 3, 2008 when he was cited for speeding and driving without insurance, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

The Chicago Tribune reported that when the driver was arrested, officials also learned that the driver was the subject of a police investigation accusing him of sexually assaulting two girls. He was charged in those incidents. The Chicago wrongful death lawsuit alleges that the bus group should not have hired the driver because of the investigative alert and the driver’s two prior convictions. Further, the Chicago wrongful death lawsuit contends that the bus group should have known of the driver’s alleged cocaine use.

Continue reading "Family of car accident victim files Illinois wrongful death lawsuit" »

While deaths on roads nationwide have decreased over the past several years, the overall number of victims who are injured or killed in car accidents still remains too high to simply ignore. Any Chicago personal injury attorney will be able to notice that there remains much room for improvements. That is why local law enforcement officials continue to use different techniques to make our roadways safer and more secure. Similarly, state lawmakers address the problem of road safety by enacting new laws which address growing issues, like distracted driving bans and construction zone requirements. Yet, obviously those requirements have no effect if motorists do not abide by them.

Raising awareness of enforcement of traffic laws is the goal of an annual Chicagoland road safety initiative involved 15 area law enforcement agencies. The Naperville Sun reported last week on the road safety project which involved a 65 mile stretch of Route 59 on May 9th. The location and timing of the project was widely publicized in the hope that motorists would get the message, alter their conduct, and ultimately make the roadway safer for travelers. However, even with the stepped up publicity, a record number of drivers were issued tickets in the effort for violating a variety of traffic laws.

For example, in Naperville alone, over 182 tickets were issued to drivers and passengers. 93 of the Naperville tickets were issued for seat-belt violations, 47 for speeding, 15 for no insurance, 4 to unlicensed drivers, and the remainder for a variety of other issues.

When the other 14 participating agencies add their citation figures, it is likely that the total will be higher than the 548 citations issued in the 2009 enforcement effort.
Bu the “record” is not exactly a satisfying achievement for those involved. A local law enforcement official explained his concern, noting that “we’d actually like for the totals to have been lower. We were hoping people would pay more attention than this.”

Continue reading "Chicago Road Safety Project Issues Record Number of Traffic Tickets" »

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers recently reported about a puzzling Chicago-area car accident that resulted in Illinois personal injuries. The automobile accident occurred last week and involved a police officer in the Southwest Suburb of Chicago of Tinley Park. The police officer rear ended another vehicle in Frankfort, Illinois at around 1:00 in the morning and then fled the scene. The Tinley Park police officer was subsequently pulled over about ten miles away from the scene of the hit-and-run crash by local area police. At the time of the accident, the police officer involved in the motor vehicle accident was driving an unmarked squad car. Recent news reveals that the officer is a veteran Tinley Park police officer and has been charged in the hit-and-run personal injury crash. It further reveals that the officer had been drinking and driving and had a handgun between his feet when he was stopped in his unmarked vehicle by those local police.

Continue reading "Update: hit-and-run driver had been drinking" »

During yesterday morning’s commute, a serious collision occurred between the Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line and a trailer truck in the Mount Prospect neighborhood. The Union Pacific Northwest Line (UPNW) runs from Harvard to downtown Chicago and already makes several stops before reaching Mount Prospect. The collision between the truck and the train killed the truck driver and caused the front train car of the Metra train to derail. All of the train cars remained upright, but a few dozen passengers received personal injuries from the train accident and were taken to area hospitals or treated on the scene. None of the personal injuries received by the train passengers were believed to be life-threatening.

The derailment of the train car was caused by the impact from the trailer of the truck, which landed to the side of the intersection. The train came to a stop after clearing the crossing. However, the second car of the train was blackened from soot because the truck had caught fire. Passengers reported that the cars filled up with smoke; passengers popped out windows on the upper level of the train to exit. Many passengers apparently feared that the accident was a terrorist attack, but Mount Prospect Police Commander dismissed those fears, stating that the situation appears to be “a driver in a hurry.” One passenger noted that the impact was like an explosion.

Continue reading "Suburban Metra train collision; 1 dead and several injured" »

A young girl, only five years of age, died this afternoon after being a victim of an Illinois car accident in Tinley Park. Tinley Park, Illinois is a popular suburb on the Southwest side of Chicago. The Tinley Park car accident occurred this afternoon on the 6500 block of 175th Street. The Tinley Park police announced that the vehicle that hit the young girl was driven by a 16 year-old boy. A neighbor reported that the young girl had run into the street to chase a ball when she was hit by the car. The Illinois car accident victim was taken to a local hospital and it was unclear if any charges are pending against the teenage driver of the other vehicle.

Continue reading "Child dies after Tinley Park car accident" »

A 74 year-old man passed away over the weekend on Saturday morning after a car crash on I-57 in Chicago. The senior citizen Chicago car crash victim died of multiple personal injuries from a sport utility vehicle (SUV) crash. The death was ruled an accident with the secondary cause of death listed as a heart condition. Illinois State Police are currently investigating.

Though SUVs are advertised most frequently as tough vehicles, few have bumpers that are equipped to withstand a minor bump in a low-speed collision. Many SUVs earned poor ratings in crash tests. Almost 6 million car accidents occur yearly in this country. While these car accidents cause more than 3 million personal injuries, about 2/3 of these injuries are extremely dangerous and not reversible. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were 950 fatal car crashes in Illinois in 2008. In 2008, there were 1095 fatalities resulting from auto accidents in Illinois. The types of Illinois auto accidents that are most likely to be deadly include those wherein the driver is intoxicated or distracted, occupants are not wearing their seat belts, occupants are ejected from the vehicle that they are in, heavy trucks are involved in the accident, or seat backs or breaks fail when the driver loses control.

Continue reading "Chicago man dies after car crash on I-57" »

A recent car accident in the southwest suburbs resulting in Illinois personal injuries left many Illinois residents puzzled. A local police officer in the Southwest Suburb of Chicago of Tinley Park has now been placed on administrative leave after he fled the scene of a car crash that caused another Illinois victim personal injuries. Over the weekend, the officer is alleged to have rear ended another vehicle in Frankfort, Illinois around 1:00 in the morning. He was pulled over roughly 10 miles away from the scene of the crash by local police. At the time of the Illinois car crash, the police officer was driving an unmarked police car. Charges are currently pending. According to the Tinley Park police department, the police officer is on administrative leave while the police department conducts an internal investigation. The village of Tinley Park is investigating whether the vehicle was being improperly used at the time, in violation of any department policies.

As for the Illinois car accident victim, the 49 year-old passenger of the vehicle that was rear ended was transported to a nearby hospital for the personal injuries sustained. The driver did not seek medical attention.

Continue reading "Chicago-area police officer on leave after fleeing scene of crash" »

Chicago personal injury lawyers are just one of a growing chorus of voices that continue to call for changes to address the deadly problem of distracted driving. Last week saw even more advocacy for driving safety as a My Fox Chicago author published a story raising increased attention on the distracted driving issue. The article pointed to the large number travelers who have been injured and even killed following these accidents.

On top of that the Chicago area was recently the home a gathering that specifically address the deadly roadway problem. The Illinois Distracted Driving Summit drew a wide range of safe driving advocates ad policymakers. The speakers at the gathering put the problem into perspective. For example, cell phone use remains the most common form of driving distraction. As it now stands twenty five percent of all car crashes are caused by a driver who is on a cell phone and not paying attention to the road. Expectedly, the drivers who send text messages while behind the wheel are the most likely to be involved in a traffic accident.

One of the summit attendees, U.s Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood explained how he believed that distracted driving has reached epidemic proportions. Legislation may be needed to curb the dangerous problem. The Illinois General Assembly is considering dual legislation that calls for a two-year study. Many advocates deem the legislation too little too late. Less studying and more action is needed.

As the problem grows a variety of sources are seeking innovative ways to help improve road safety. For example technology already exists that sends cell phone calls directly to voicemail when the phone is in a moving vehicle. While not yet capable of distinguishing between drivers passengers, the technology is a step in the right direction. Of course a perfect solution to the problem exists right now without any tech improvements necessary: the will to turn off cell phones whenever one is behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.

Continue reading "Chicago Injury Victims Continue To Grow Following Distracted Driving" »

A middle-aged man faces DUI charges after his vehicle hit a motorcycle, injuring a grandfather and his 6 year-old granddaughter. The car accident resulted in personal injuries to the two individuals and the driver was arrested and charged with aggravated driving under the influence. Local police stated that the man was crossing a center line where the car crash occurred and neighbors describe that the area is tricky with “blind curves.” Blind intersections are not uncommon in the Chicagoland area – often times, buildings, trees, walls, or other features may prevent us from seeing cars entering the intersection. Sometimes even traffic can “screen” out oncoming traffic, creating a large curved wall you cannot see beyond.

In this motorcycle accident, the grandfather was taken to the hospital with leg injuries and chest pains; his six year-old granddaughter was transported to a Children’s Hospital with a serious leg injury. The driver charged with the DUI called 911 himself and was remorseful about the car crash. Motorcycle accidents are always especially worrisome because passengers on motorcycles are so vulnerable, not protected by any sheets of metal forming car walls. As our Chicago car accident lawyers recently reported, studies showing decreases in motorcycle deaths may be misleading. Wrongful deaths due to motorcycle accidents dropped two percent, but that may only signal a blip in the safety trend and not a lasting improvement in motorcycle safety. Fatalities started to climb during the last three of the nine months reviewed, which has safety advocates worried.

In 2009, there were 130 motorcycle fatalities in Illinois, which is far too many. Start Seeing Motorcycles.org offers several resources, information, and training needed to make motorcycling experiences safer, more pleasurable, and help reduce fatalities and personal injuries. Next month, May 2011, has been proclaimed Motorcycle Awareness Month in the State of Illinois to keep Illinois roadways safe through proper motorist awareness.

Visit My Fox to read more about the injured child.
To read more about Illinois motorcycle safety, visit Startseeingmotorcycles.org.