Illinois Injury Law Blog

Chicago is well known for scenic riding tours enjoyed by so many bicycling residents and visitors. The Lakefront Trail alone brings the peacefulness of nature to the big city and a picturesque view for all to enjoy. According to the City of Chicago , there are 30 miles of shared lanes, 117 miles of on-street bike lanes, and many more miles of off-street paths. Plus, more than 12,000 bike racks and bike-parking areas make it convenient for riders. Plenty of reasons why bicycling is such a popular mode of transportation in our area.

Like with most good things though, there are certain dangers involved when bicycling on congested roadways in a vastly urban area. So-called "doorings" are probably the most common cause of Chicago bicycling accidents, which is when motorists open their vehicle door into a bicyclist riding along the street.

Cook County bicycle accident attorneys know that distractions caused by texting is another common cause of bicycle accidents in Chicago, which is why some thought is being given to banning the dangerous behavior.

The Chicago Tribune reports that state officials want to hold all roadway users to the same standards and principles in order to reduce distraction-related fatalities on Illinois roadways. The Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee is proposing to make it illegal to text or talk on a cell phone without a hands-free device while riding a bike. In 2010, there were more than 1,600 crashes that involved a cyclist, five of which resulted in fatality. The bike text ban ordinance proposes that violators be fined $20 to $50 for the first offense. A second offense would incur a $50 to $75 penalty, and three or more cited violations would be fined $75 to $100. Any bicycling texter involved in a crash could be fined as much as $500.

Even with separate bike-only lanes and off-road bike paths, bicyclists have a considerable amount of fear for accidents while riding. Common fears that can lead to a serious accident include: inclement weather causing icy conditions, aggressive drivers, distractions, car doors opening, and motorists or pedestrians veering into a bike path.

The City of Chicago Department of Transportation hopes to erase some of these fears by developing safety strategies in the Bike 2015 Plan. The plan was adopted in 2006 but is a work in progress. With more than 150 strategies, the bicycle program looks to improve three areas of bicycling: bikeways, parking, and safety and education. By placing emphasis on these three areas, Chicago can become safe for more and more bicyclists.

If you want to enjoy the sites of Chicago while building a healthier you, visit City of Chicago online for bicycling information, bike maps, bike parking and bike safety. Having a bike map, knowing where to rack your bike, and keeping a few safety tips in mind can make riding more enjoyable and safer for everyone.

Continue reading " Car Door Openings, Distractions Are Common Causes of Bicycle Accidents in Chicago " »

Halloween night is the most dangerous evening of the year for child pedestrian accidents in Chicago and statewide. Children are not only at risk of being struck by a motorist, but they may also be involved in a trip-and-fall accident that could lead to a variety of injuries.

Illinois child injury lawyers know that parental concerns are magnified on this particular holiday, which is why talking to your children about Halloween dangers is important before they head out to trick-or-treat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 1975-1996 and published the results. During that time period, there were a total of 89 child pedestrians between the ages of 5-14 killed on October 31 from 4 to 10 p.m. On average, four children died every year on Halloween during these hours from 1975-1996 compared to an average of one death every other day of the year. It can be surmised that children are four times more likely to be involved in a pedestrian accident on Halloween night than any other day.

AAA Chicago offers these Halloween reminders to motorists:

-Watch for mid-block crossers. Children may want to get to a house across the street rather than wait for an intersection so stay alert for children appearing in odd places.

-Pay special attention to traffic signs or markings in neighborhoods on this particular day of the year.

-Reduce your speed to 5 mph below the posted limit.

-Children dressed in costumes or wearing masks may not see you, so it is important to notice them. Look for bright costumes or reflector tape that makes children more visible.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) in Rosemont, Ill., reports that Halloween is one of the top three holidays for children requiring a trip to the emergency room. In looking at ER reports from 1997 to 2006, finger and hand injuries were the most common types of injuries treated on Halloween visits (17.6 percent). Children between the ages of 10-14 accounted for more than 30 percent of visits needing medical attention on Halloween during this time period. The study indicated that lacerations (33.3 percent) and fractures (20.1 percent) were the most common types of finger and hand injuries.

AAOS offers these injury prevention tips to parents this Halloween:

-Send your children trick-or-treating in comfortable, slip-resistant and exact-sized shoes.

-If a costume doesn’t contain bright features, sew on reflective tape or put a flashlight in their treat bucket to make children more visible.

-Make sure the costume your child chooses is flame-resistant and fits properly. Fall accidents and burn injuries are common on Halloween.

-Instruct children to stay on sidewalks and driveways rather than cut through yards or dark alleys.

-If carving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition, help children to hold a knife and never leave them unsupervised.

-Remind children of the dangers of talking to strangers and instruct them to only go to well-lit houses and homes they are familiar with.

-Children should only trick-or teat with adult supervision. Send a cell phone with your children if they are trick-or-treating in a group with others.

-Remind children to watch for moving cars and use extra caution by walking slowly across the street. Use crosswalks whenever possible.

Continue reading " Halloween Risk of Child Pedestrian Accidents Resulting in Injuries in Chicago " »

Most Illinois teens learn to drive by taking a driver's education course at school or by taking lessons from a private driving school. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune has our Illnois injury lawyers concerned about teen safety considering what kinds of vehicles are being used to teach inexperienced young drivers the rules of the road.

Parents have a right to be worried about the high risk of teen car accidents and child injuries at Chicago schools while their teen is practicing their driving skills with a school employee.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the quality and crash ratings of the cars being used for driver's education class by some school districts are subpar. School districts may not be able to afford a car with an excellent crash rating, so they cut their costs by providing low performance and fuel-efficient smaller vehicles while putting teens at risk of severe injury if they are involved in an accident.

The Chevy Cobalt is an example of one car being used, which has poor side crash ratings but most cars are just plain outdated. Chicago Public Schools use cars classified as the worst-rated driver's education cars in the state. Apparently where you live has a lot to do with what kind of car you take lessons in, according to an analysis which indicated 1,300 different cars are used in almost 60 different school districts.

The analysis has raised some eyebrows at the state level. The fact that some districts opt to not purchase a car with airbags or utilize a vehicle more than 10 or 15 years old to teach teens how to drive is cause for discussion. Senator Susan Garrett intends to schedule a hearing to look at driver's education in public and private schools.

As part of the analysis process, the Tribune filed approximately 60 Freedom of Information Act requests with different school districts throughout the state to get the year, make and model of driver's education cars used in classes. The next step was to get the crash test ratings for each car used in 2010 and 2011 from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Key findings concluded that some school districts do not keep comprehensive records, including when an accident occurs in a driver's education vehicle. When school districts were asked about car safety, most indicated that it was not a priority compared to fuel efficiency and actual price of a vehicle.

Chicago Public Schools use several poorly rated cars according to IIHS crash and safety ratings despite being the largest provider of driver's education courses in the state. The school district has 163 cars available in the fleet of which only 113 are used on roadways. The oldest car in the group is a 1990 Dodge Shadow, but most of the cars used are Plymouth Breezes, Chevy Cavaliers and Plymouth Neons dated with a 2000 make year or older. The majority of the cars rate poorly because they lack airbags.

As parents, we do our best to ensure our children's safety. Before you enroll your teen driver in a driver education course, don't be afraid to ask questions and make sure you feel confident with the teacher's abilities and that the vehicle being used will keep your teen safe if an accident occurs while they are learning to drive.

Continue reading " Vehicles Used in Driver's Education Classes Put Teens at High Risk of Injury in Chicago Car Accidents " »

Illinois personal injury lawyers hope that children getting involved with International Walk to School Day on October 5th use extra caution to avoid injury in a child pedestrian accident in Chicago or the surrounding areas while they walk to school that day.

Children are at risk of broken bones, head trauma or other serious injuries when they are walking to school if they are hit by a speeding vehicle running a red light or are hidden in the blind spot as a vehicle is backing out of the driveway.

The Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Board of Education have asked schools throughout the state to participate in the worldwide event.

The goal is for kids to have some fun while they make strides to save the earth with green transportation methods and form a healthier lifestyle. The International Walk to School event originally began in Chicago in 1997, but has evolved into international status over the course of celebrating its 15th year. In 2000, Canada and the United Kingdom joined the U.S in celebrating the event. In 2005, $612 million in funding was granted to the National Center for Safe Routes to School in order to provide pedestrians and bicyclists a safer alternative to travel to school.

The 2011 slogan for the event is "Hike it. Bike it. I like it!" For the first time in the lifetime of this event, students were encouraged to come up with a slogan to be submitted in an online contest. Anyone visiting walktoschool.org online could submit a vote for the winning slogan. Students at Horace Mann Elementary School in Oakpark were selected by popular vote for the winning slogan. As the winners, the winning school will receive a mini-grant to be used towards a week-long campaign to promote safe walking to school.

More than 140 Illinois schools have joined the event this year. For a list of schools that are registered to host an event, click here.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is offering a downloadable booklet written for kids to help students learn the basics about pedestrian and bicycle safety. If you want to obtain a copy of any of the published pamphlets geared towards pedestrian or bicycling for children and adults, visit IDOT online.

There are several event ideas that can be implemented in promoting International Walk to School Day, even for students with disabilities. Schools can organize a 'ped safety dance', incorporate bike and pedestrian safety into the classroom, or reach out to local merchants to sponsor refreshments. More event ideas and how to get started with planning an event can be viewed at walktoschool.org.

Creating awareness is the first step to keeping children safe as they walk to school. Teach children about the importance of pedestrian and bicycling safety so that they can begin to establish healthier habits by walking or biking to school each day.

Continue reading " "Hike it. Bike it" Day Aimed to Reduce Child Pedestrian and Bicycling Accidents in Chicago, Statewide " »