Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

As an experienced Chicago personal injury law firm, we were not surprised by the results of a recent study conducted by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). The study results concluded that the number of fatal automobile accidents involving teen drivers increased in 2011. Over the past decade, the number of deaths resulting from car accidents involving teenagers was showing a steady decline. Why the sudden increase in 2011?

This makes one think, is it due to lack of experience behind the wheel or lack of attention? Distracted driving is a problem for drivers of all ages. As an experienced driver knows, handling multiple distractions while driving can be a difficult task. Now replace the driver with a naive teenager driver. The results could be catastrophic. Take a moment and think about the last time you were driving. How many drivers regardless of age did you encounter using a mobile device? Texting and talking on mobile devices has become the norm on our roads today. Few drivers seem to care that studies show, using cell phones while driving can have serious consequences. As experienced Chicago personal injury attorneys, we have been involved in a multitude of cases that involve distracted driving accidents.

Exactly, what is a distraction? It is defined as the deviation of one's attention. A distraction can be anything that takes the drivers attention away from the road. As a veteran Chicago distracted driving accident law firm we recognize, the number one driving distraction is talking on the cell phone. Texting while driving is a close second. Besides talking and texting on mobile devices, there are many other forms of distractions.

Types of distracted driving include:
• Talking on cellphones
• Texting
• Monitoring and programming GPS devices
• Computer use
• Eating or drinking while driving
• Use of alcohol or drugs
• Load music
• Load and excessive talking
• Yelling or disciplining children
• Applying makeup

In the State of Illinois, localities are tasked with determining their own laws regarding mobile phone utilization while driving. The City of Chicago has made using a cellular phone without a hands-free device illegal. The exception is school bus drivers and teenage drivers, who cannot use any type of mobile device while driving. The State of Illinois has banned texting while driving. It is illegal to talk on a mobile device in a construction or school zone while driving in Illinois.

Why do we continue to see cell phones being held in the driver's hands? Despite laws that prohibit such actions, many drivers continue to take the opportunity to talk or text while driving. Drivers may wonder, if an accident should occur, how can it be proven that I was using a mobile device? An experienced Chicago distracted driving accident lawyer can subpoena the negligent driver's mobile cell phone records. In a personal injury case, cell phone records can be used to determine if the at fault or negligent driver was talking or texting at the time of the accident.

If you are involved in a Chicago car accident that was caused by a distracted driver talking or texting, it is essential that you contact an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer to preserve the evidence of your case. Cell phone records are only available for a limited time. Rapid recovery of the cell phone records can be critical to your car accident case.

A crisis has been happening on the Chicago roadways. The incidence of accidents related to distracted driving has increased dramatically. What's of greater concern is the number of fatalities due to distracted driving is increasing every day.

While reading the Chicago Tribune online, I came across an article about teens and distracted driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2010, over 3,002 fatalities resulted from distracted driving crashes. The point of interest is that teen drivers were more likely to get into a fatal car crash where distracted driving was the cause. The NHTSA reported that over 15% of teen drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted. That's a cause for concern.

Anyone who has spent time any amount of time with a teen knows that they have hundreds of things going on at one time. Just think about the last time you were driving a group of teens in your car. Was it hard for you, the experienced driver to concentrate? Now think about a car full of teenagers. The car is filled with loud music, cell phones ringing, singing, talking and laughing. Multiple distractions all occurring at the same time. Couple this with an inexperienced driver, the result could be tragic. One driving mistake or error in judgment can change these teens' lives forever.

One concerned citizen is getting involved. Greg Vasquez, a Lombard firefighter has developed a program aimed to educate teen drivers on the dangers of Distracted Driving. It is a 45 minute classroom based program. It focuses on the dangers involved around being distracted while driving. He uses teen driving statistics, videos and personal stories to help get his point across. The stories are of families whose lives have been changed forever due to distracted driving.

A short documentary produced by AT&T was utilized. It features interviews with police officials and loved ones of teens injured or killed distracted driving related accidents. The documentary has graphic images of distracted driving crash scenes. It also contains heart wrenching interviews with victims and family members of victims. I stressed how just one second of distraction and lead to tragedy. The firefighter recently presented his safe-driving presentation to over 300 students in the Glenbard East High School driver's education course. His goal is to reach many additional schools.

As a Chicago personal injury lawyer, I have worked with victims and the family of victims involved in distracted driving related crashes. Again, I refer to these as crashes not accidents. The crash is a direct result of an individual's negligent conduct. This individual should be held accountable for the damages and injuries inflicted upon the victim. The injuries sustained from these crashes can be catastrophic. They can include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries or TBI, multiple fractures, neurologic injuries and death. Any one of these injuries could be life altering for the victim and the family of the victim.

As we all know that using your cell phone or texting while driving is extremely dangerous. Couple this with driver inexperience, these results could be tragic. Be careful this Holiday season, don't use your cell phone while driving! The life you save may be your own.

As a Chicago personal injury and accident lawyer, when I read about new tasks forces developed such as The Safe Driver Advisory Council, this makes me smile. As a victim of a drunk driver over 25 years ago, I know that the roads can be a dangerous place for everyone. One negligent or careless driver can change an individual's life forever. This happened to me, it can happen to you.

Just this week the Illinois State Senate passed a resolution proposed by Jesse White the Illinois Secretary of State to make our roads a safer place for all. The Safe Driver Advisory Council will soon be a task force in the state of Illinois. This council's main mission will be to reduce the number of car accidents and fatalities on Illinois roadways. The council will be composed of ten members. All will bring different job experience and life experience to the Council. Jesse White has spent many years working on initiatives in the State of Illinois to do just that. Make Illinois roads a safer place for all motorists and pedestrians. Many of the initiatives implemented by White have saved thousands of lives.

As a Chicago car accident and injury lawyer, I know that the roads are a dangerous place for both motorists and pedestrians. One of the riskiest activities that a Chicago resident can do is getting behind the wheel of the car. Thousands of individuals are killed on the US roads daily. Many of these fatalities could have been prevented. Let's take a closer look at some of the initiatives that have been implemented in the State of Illinois. All these have been done with the intention of making the roads a safer place.

The issue of distracted driving is a hot button for many. Every day when I am in my car I see other motorists talking and texting while on the road. Thinking to myself, what could be so urgent? We have become a society of instant gratification. We cannot even drive in the car without resisting the mobile devise. Bans have been implemented across the country to stop the use of any mobile devise while driving. Statistics have shown that fatalities from distracted driving are coming close to those of drunk drivers. What's happening to our society? Many drivers would never entertain the thought of drinking and driving. Despite this, many of these same individuals will talk, text and review e-mails while driving. Initiatives across the country are working to implement laws that will reduce the number of injuries and fatalities from distracted drivers.

Other Illinois programs that have made the roads safer for drivers include the GDL and the Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID) program. The GDL program also known as the graduated driver licensing program. This program was aimed at improving our teens driving skills. Making our teens, better and more aware drivers. The program was implemented in 2008 by the Secretary of State. Since 2008, teen driving fatalities have been reduced by 50%. These task forces can reduce the number of car accidents and car accident fatalities.

Every day while driving in my car, I see other drivers chatting and texting while driving. I think to myself, what in the world is so important that the person driving cannot wait until they reach their destination to read or send messages. Texting while driving is increasing in popularity. Every day distracted drivers are jeopardizing the safety of others to send a message.

Distracted drivers are talking and texting while driving. They are taking their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel. This practice is very dangerous and puts every motorists and pedestrian on the road in danger. In the past ten years, cell phones or mobile devices have become an integrated part of everyday life for many Americans. Imagine not being able to call someone while walking down the street? Just this week in Chicago, a twenty three year old driver hit and killed a pedestrian while reading messages from her cell phone.

A Chicago man was killed this week after sustaining catastrophic injures on Aug. 1 . The victim was changing a flat tire on his car when he was struck by a distracted driver. A 23 yr. old distracted driver, searching and reading texts from her cell phone hit and kills a pedestrian changing a tire. The auto accident happened in the suburb of Rolling Meadows.

The victim was changing the tire on his car. He was in the safety zone on the shoulder of the road. The distracted driver admitted to scrolling through her cell phone while driving. In an instant, she lost control of her car. Her car swerved into the middle lane and hit a tractor-trailer truck. She lost control of the car and proceeded to rear ended the victims vehicle on shoulder. The victim was struck outside his car. The victim died from the catastrophic injuries he received on impact. The distracted driver received three tickets. One for improper lane change or usage, one for driving on the shoulder, and the last for texting while driving.

Across the US many states have banned the use of hand-held cell phone use while driving. Many states have prohibited drivers under the age of eighteen from using cell phones. Factor these together, the inexperience of a teen driver, coupled with using a hand held device while driving. This move is to protect both the teen driver and other motorists on the road. Reports have indicated that over 30 states have enacted texting bans. State legislatures are hoping that these new laws and bans will reduce the amount of accidents related to distracted driving. Other reports have shown that texting and driving carries the same risk as drinking and driving.

According to Chicago injury lawyer David Nemeroff, texting while driving is an increasing and rampant problem. It has and become an "epidemic "on the roads. This increased use of mobile devices has caused numerous car accidents. Texting is even more dangerous than talking on your cell phone. We need strict laws that will carry steep fines if you disregard the hand held devise rules. In order to make our streets safe, we need to ban hand held devices.

The message is simple - Put it down! The life you save could be your own.

Source:
Man dies month after texting driver crashes into his vehicle, Sun Times, September 1, 2011
http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2276224&spid=