Illinois Injury Law Blog

A recall could be on the horizon for the wildly-popular child Bumbo seat, as it could pose significant risk of injuries to children in Illinois and throughout the country.

An official with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission was recently quoted by a California media outlet as saying the number of injuries that children sustained while using the seat were concerning.

Our Illinois child injury attorneys know this isn't the first time this company has been spotlighted for putting children in potential danger.

In 2007, the Bumbo seats were recalled because parents weren't warned not to use them on raised surfaces, like kitchen counters or picnic tables. Before the seats were put back on the shelves, warning labels were printed on the sides, alerting parents to that danger.

Today, the makers of the South-African product insist the seat is safe when it's used the way it's intended. However, if that's the case, why do these injuries keep occurring?

A spokesman for the company was quoted by one media outlet as saying that parents need to supervise their children at all times anyway, and that if they are watching while the child is in the seat, there shouldn't be any problems.

But reports to the consumer product safety commission seem to indicate that's not always the case.

In fact, the commission reports that it has received at least 50 complaints of babies falling from Bumbo seats that were on the floor at the time. Of those, two fractured their skulls and one child had a concussion.

One mother who wrote on a recent message board said she had been seated right next to her son, on the floor, when he fell from the foam seat.

Another parent said his daughter was seated in the Bumbo on the counter, as he stood right next to her. He said he turned for just a moment, and heard a thwack. He turned to find his daughter injured on the floor.

The seats, which are designed to allow very young children to sit up, do not come with any buckles or restraints. Manufacturers of the seat say it wouldn't equip the seats with them now, because that might give people a false sense of security. A company spokesman said the number of injuries has decreased dramatically since it began printing the warning label. But the injuries have not ceased altogether. The company even admits that of the 45 reports of injuries it has received since the recall, 14 involved chairs that had the warning label printed on the side.

Some of the seats come with trays that can be placed in front of the children, but these are not intended to keep the child in place or increase the seat's safety.

A number of child advocacy groups have sent letters to the federal commission, requesting an immediate recall. They are waiting to hear back.

Still, a number of parents say they wouldn't want to give up their Bumbo. Other parents who have had close calls say the convenience isn't worth the risk. And despite the full title of the chair - Bumbo Baby Sitter - the seat should never be used unsupervised.

Continue reading " Child Injuries in Illinois a Risk with Bumbo Seat " »

As our Illinois drunk driving car accident attorneys recently reported, the second wrong-way, alcohol-related car accident in Illinois in just a week killed four people. According to ABC7, the accident happened on Interstate 80 in Hazel Crest around 2:30 p.m.

Despite such serious collisions, such as the drunk driving car accident in Hazel Crest, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is touting the recent reduction in the number of traffic accidents involving drunk drivers. The recent reduction was reportedly seen from 2006 through 2010. But perhaps they are calling it a victory too soon. There are still far too many innocent people dying on our roadways because of the actions of drunk drivers.

IDOT officials and law enforcement officers across the state say they're on it, increasing their enforcement efforts to target these irresponsible drivers.

“The reduction in impaired driving fatalities is due in large part to the team cooperation and dedication of IDOT, the Illinois State Police, and local law enforcement officers along with motorists who consistently comply with Illinois’ traffic safety laws,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider.

Schneider admits, though, that these improvements aren't entirely eliminating the problem. She says drunk drivers are still plaguing our roadways and taking the lives of innocent motorists.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and IDOT, the number of people killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents saw a steady decline from 2006 all the way to 2010. The largest reduction in the number of these fatalities was from 2007 to 2008, which saw a decline of nearly 100 fatalities. That's a reduction of nearly 20 percent. Between 2009 and 2010, there was a reduction in these types of accidents by about 5 percent. In 2010, there were nearly 300 people killed in alcohol-related crashes.

But we've still seen a lot of alcohol-related car accidents on our roadways in recent months. Drivers are asked to be cautious and drive sober. Alcohol-related traffic accidents are 100 percent preventable. We've already asked drivers to start off with a clean slate in 2012 and use the New Year to practice safer driving habits to make our roadways safer for everyone. It's never too late to turn around your driving attitude and pledge to be a safe driver. Being a safe driver could mean that you'll make a pledge to keep an eye out for irresponsible drivers along our roadways.

Continue reading " Officials Report Reduction in Illinois Drunk Driving Car Accidents, Recent Accidents Still Reported " »

Nearly $22 million is being handed out to various communities and schools across the state to help to reduce the risks of child injury in Chicago and elsewhere. The funds are coming from the Illinois Safe Routes to School program, according to Governor Pat Quinn. The program is federally-funded and is used to help school-aged children bike and walk to school safely.

“These projects enhance roads, sidewalks and other infrastructure within communities, which is important in keeping both drivers and pedestrians safe,” Governor Quinn said.

Our Illinois pedestrian and bicycle accident attorneys are mothers and fathers of young children who choose a healthy and eco-friendly way to travel to school everyday. While many of us are worried of their safety along our busy Illinois roadways, it's comforting to know that the state is taking steps toward making the streets safer for everyone. Walking and biking is an excellent way to reduce harmful emissions and improve the quality of life for residents. But we need to ensure that our children are safe when making their journey to and from school.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were more than 600 people killed in bicycling accidents in the U.S. in 2009. Another 51,000 people were injured in these types of accidents. Further, the NHTSA also reports there were nearly 4,100 pedestrians who were killed on our roadways during the same year. Another 60,000 pedestrians were injured in traffic-related accidents in the U.S. in 2009. A number of these injuries and deaths could have been avoided if the state was equipped with roadways that were more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.

The grants will fun nearly 250 projects around the state to help improve sidewalks and provide more crossing guards at some of our most dangerous intersections. Nearly $2 million of the funds will be used to provide various communities with public service announcements, educational materials and safety training to get more residents to walk and bike to school and work.

Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider says the grants are going to allow the state to build more pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and streets while providing young students and families with safe information regarding these forms of transportation.

Ron Burke, Executive Director of the Active Transportation, adds that funds are going to help communities start projects that can be used to reduce air pollution and to lower fuel usage.

The Illinois program is a part of the Federal Highway Administration. The program covers school-aged children, including those with disabilities. By providing our children with a safe way to bike and walk throughout our neighborhoods, we can help our young ones to grow to be young and healthy adults, all while helping to protect the environment. The program focuses on areas in the vicinity of primary and middle schools.

Continue reading " State Hands out $22 Million to Help Reduce Risks of Bike and Pedestrian Accidents in Illinois " »

According to Illinois State Police, alcohol is to blame for a recent car accident in Illinois that killed four people. The crash happened as a vehicle was heading the wrong way on Interstate 80 when it slammed into an oncoming vehicle at about 2:30 a.m. Both vehicles burst into flames upon collision. Officials report this was the second wrong-way, alcohol-related accident within a week.

A 31-year-old from Chicago, a passenger in the wrong-way vehicle, was the only one to survive the accident. He was last listed in stable condition at the Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Three people in their late 20s who were in the wrong-way vehicle were killed. The 35-year-old driver of the vehicle that was hit was also killed in the accident. Everyone was reportedly wearing a seat belt when the accident happened. Traffic was backed up from the Tri-State Tollway all the way to Kedzie. The congestion lasted till nearly 9 a.m.

Our Illinois drunk driving car accident attorneys understand the dangers posed by drivers who are under the influence of alcohol. These irresponsible drivers cause thousands of deaths every year. As a matter of fact, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) reports that about 30 percent of all Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related accident at least once in their lifetime. Every year, nearly 10 percent of all police-reported accidents are alcohol-related. In 2002, there were nearly 52,000 people arrested for driving drunk in the state of Illinois. Alcohol-related accidents are more likely to happen at night than during the day.

In the U.S., it's estimated that more than 300,000 people are injured in alcohol-related car accidents annually. This means that someone in injured in this type of accident every 2 minutes.

Some drivers are more likely than others to cause an alcohol-related accident. IDOT reports that drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 account for about 15.5 percent of the driving population, but are responsible for nearly 40 percent of all fatal, alcohol-related crashes.

In 2002, there were nearly 225 young drivers ages 16 to 24 who were killed in U.S. car accidents. Of these fatal accidents, nearly 100 of them involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. This means that nearly 35 percent of all of those teen drivers who were killed in these accidents were drinking just before the accident.

Back in 1995, the state of Illinois enacted a zero-tolerance law. This means that drivers who are busted drinking and driving will be arrested, without exception. Since then, there have been about 3,000 zero-tolerance violations recorded every year.

Continue reading " Wrong-Way Drunk Driver Kills Four in Recent Illinois Car Accident " »