Chicago's New Awareness Campaign: Mannequins for Pedestrian Safety
Our Chicago personal injury attorneys were interested to read about the city of Chicago’s newest safety campaign focusing on pedestrian well-being.
The Chicago Department of Transportation has put together a movement intended to raise pedestrian safety awareness throughout the city. Last year in Chicago alone, 32 pedestrians were killed, and another 3000 injured in traffic crashes. According to studies funded by the federal transportation department, almost 80 percent of Chicago automobile accidents involving pedestrians occur when pedestrians are crossing the street with the light in their favor.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Wacker Drive in Chicago has been lined with 32 mannequins to symbolize the 32 pedestrians killed in automobile accidents last year in Chicago. The mannequins are intended to raise safety awareness, and each is dressed in a black tee shirt that reads “ONE of 32 Pedestrians Killed last Year in Chicago.” In addition to the mannequins, Chicagoans will see informational messages on busses, bus shelters, trashcans, and other common visible areas.
Furthermore, pedestrian safety warnings will be placed on sidewalks in busy areas, and small crossing flags will be placed at intersections. Cameras will also be installed in intersections across Chicago to protect pedestrians, deter negligent driving and, if need be, catch drivers who are involved in hit-and-run injuries of pedestrians.
The flag project allows pedestrians to take a flag from a bucket, cross the street and place the flag in a bucket on the other side, says Kiersten Grove, pedestrian safety coordinator at the Chicago Department of transportation. The initiative will be tested first near neighborhood parks and senior centers.
Moreover, new laws in Illinois require drivers of motor vehicles to stop for pedestrians. Chicago police will be on the lookout for careless drivers who don’t yield to pedestrians. If found to be in violation of pedestrian protection laws, drivers will be fined between $50 and $500.
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 – including pedestrians. Accidents can and do happen, but when drivers are found to have been negligent, they can be held liable for the injuries they have caused. If a car fails to yield to a pedestrian and that pedestrian is injured or killed, the driver of the car is responsible.
Injuries suffered as a result of these types of accidents can be severe and life altering. Damages can result in the form of death or serious personal injury, disability, disfigurement, future medical bills, lost wages and a number of other costs incurred as a result of the accident. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers understand how devastating these accidents can be. They have handled a number of automobile accident cases across Illinois, and have the knowledge and experience to be your best advocate.
In fact, our Chicago personal injury lawyers obtained a $10 million settlement for a 5-year-old boy who was run over by a City of Chicago Fire Department truck while playing in an open fire hydrant on the Fourth of July, resulting in the loss of his leg and half of his pelvis. If you or a loved one have been injured because of another driver’s negligence, contact an attorney to better understand your rights.
