Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

Stop at a crosswalk to yield for a pedestrian? Yes, that's what Chicago drivers are required to do under the pedestrian law. Drivers are required to stop at crosswalks even when there are no traffic control devices or stop signs.

Pedestrians have the right of way when they are crossing the street at an intersection. Despite this law pedestrians and bicycle riders even when crossing at a designated crosswalk as instructed are being hit by motor vehicles and injured. Many motorists are busy while driving and fail to look for pedestrians or bikers. They usually look for approaching car traffic. When this occurs, that's when, crosswalk accidents occur and can lead to injuries. These injuries can be serious or fatal.

Results from a recent study concluded that 80 percent of vehicle-pedestrian crashes in Chicago happen at intersections. The majority of these accidents involve pedestrians crossing the street with the green walk signal. What is happening on the streets of Chicago?

This is an alarmingly high statistic for pedestrians being hit at crosswalks. They are predominantly being hit by turning vehicles. Many pedestrians assume that they are in a safe haven of crosswalks. This result surprised researchers. Results from this Chicago based study concluded that over 75 percent of all accidents and over 80 percent of fatal and serious accidents crashes occurred within 120 feet of the midpoint of an intersection crosswalk or nearby. The No. 1 cause of pedestrian accidents in the US was drivers failing to yield to pedestrian in a crosswalk. This study results were published in the Chicago Tribune and was the city's most detailed analysis of crashes to date.
The study revealed that the number of hit-and-run accidents increased over a five-year period. There were 17,487 crashes all involving pedestrians. In Chicago motor vehicle-pedestrian crashes are at a rate of approximately 3,000 a year. The statistic that caught my eye was that approximately two hit-and-run pedestrian accidents result in death daily in Chicago. Hit-and-runs account for 33 percent of vehicle-pedestrian collisions. Alarmingly, 41 percent of those hit and run accidents are fatal. That is double the national average for fatal hit and run accidents.

As a Chicago injury lawyer, some of the statistics were alarming. The study statistics revealed that Chicago had 5,534 hit-and-runs over the five-year period. These accidents resulted in 3,683 deaths and injuries. Taxi or cab drivers were involved in 28 percent of pedestrian crashes. Over 34 percent of pedestrian accidents occur in downtown Chicago. A 2010 state law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. The previous law required drivers to yield and stop when necessary for pedestrian traffic. Illinois become the 12th state in the country, to enforce a law requiring a complete stop at pedestrian crosswalks. These are crosswalks that do not have traffic control devices or stop signs.

Source:
City study: Chicago pedestrians in crosswalks

Over the past month, I have written two blogs regarding Pedestrian Cross walk safety and uninsured motorists. Just last week, a 6-year-old girl was struck and killed by a car. What was tragic was that she was walking in a crosswalk. Diamond Robinson died from the injuries she suffered as a result of this fatal car accident. Her companion a 16-year-old girl suffered a fractured arm. Designated crosswalks are supposed to be an area of safety for pedestrians. Why are more and more accidents occurring in crosswalk? Are drivers more distracted?

As a Chicago car accident and injury lawyer, I have handled multiple pedestrian crosswalk accident claims. Why does it seem that motorists fail to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks? Are drivers more distracted? The driver of the car that struck and killed Diamond Robinson was driving on Loomis St when the accident occurred. The driver was ticketed for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk which resulted in death and personal injury. He was also cited for excessive speed for conditions and driving without insurance.
Let's take a moment to discuss pedestrian safety in a crosswalk.

Just last week, several mannequins were placed along Wacker Dr to represent those pedestrians killed in pedestrian related car accidents last year in Chicago. There were 33 pedestrian related fatalities in Chicago last year. Most of us assume that if we cross the streets in a designated crosswalk we are safe. Not the case anymore. More and more accidents are occurring in these designated areas. As a result, the City of City will be placing heightened law enforcement surveillance of these areas. As pedestrians we can take some safety steps to better protect ourselves when in and entering a pedestrian crosswalk. Always, enter when the traffic control devise advises pedestrian traffic. Do not try to beat the warning device when is signaling against pedestrian traffic. Be alert, when crossing traffic. This means, stay off your mobile devise. Whether its texting or talking, this leads to distraction. Stay safe and keep of the mobile devise.

Another issue in this car accident is the driver is uninsured. Why would someone choose to drive an automobile without proper insurance? It is required by law that all Illinois law motor vehicles registered and operated in Illinois to be covered by liability insurance. Liability insurance covers property damage and injuries that may happen as a result of an accident. An individual driver is in compliance with the Illinois law if you they have liability insurance in the following minimum amounts:

• $20,000 coverage for death or injury of a person an individual person in an
accident.
• $40,000 coverage for death or injury of more than one individual person in an accident.
• $15,000 for cover for damage to property of individual person.

Let's look at what can happen if you are convicted of driving without insurance in Illinois. Failure to adhere to this law is enforced two different methods. If the driver is found guilty and convicted of operating an uninsured vehicle, the conviction is then submitted to the Secretary of State for processing. A license plate suspension will be instated and a three-month driver's license suspension will occur as a result of the conviction. The second method is a random selection by the Secretary of States computer for proof of insurance. The computer selects a random license. You will receive insurance
Verification form from the Secretary of State. The computer will ask for verification of proof of insurance and the driver's liability coverage will be verified with the insurance company. If you are uninsured on the date of the form or if you fail to return the form, a license plate suspension will occur. Many ask, what are the penalties that can happen for operating an uninsured? In the State of Illinois the minimum fine is $500 for driving an uninsured vehicle. The fine for driving a vehicle while the registration is suspended for no insurance is a $1,000 fine.

Was I seeing things, or was that a mannequin standing in the bushes on Wacker Drive? It was a mannequin. After reading the Chicago Tribune online, I saw the article regarding The City of Chicago's new safety campaign. It is a safety campaign aimed at keeping pedestrians safe on our streets. Wacker drive is lined with 32 mannequins. They are symbolic for the 32 pedestrians that were killed in pedestrian related car crashes last year in Chicago.

The City of Chicago is initiating a campaign to keep our pedestrians safe on the streets. Last year, there were 32 pedestrian fatalities in the city. What was alarming was that there were over 3,000 injured related pedestrian accidents in Chicago. Many of those injuries were serious and life threatening. Chicago residents will begin to see public safety messages in the least expected places. They will show up on trash can, inside taxi cabs, on benches and buses. Also, in an effort to keep pedestrians safe on the streets, cameras are being installed all over the city.

Yes, you can expect to see an increase in the number of cameras at intersections all over the city. They will be placed in areas that have been designated with high pedestrian traffic. Camera's in an intersection, that's a topic for my next blog. Cameras that have the ability to ticket drivers at intersections. This comes to my mind. What happens when you loan a car to a friend? They go through the intersection when the light is changing. You are the registered driver, so you get the ticket. Fair or unfair? I will discuss that issue in an upcoming blog. I don't want to diminish the importance of cameras for pedestrian foot safety.

The police department will be out in full force to ticket drivers that fail to yield to pedestrians. Motor vehicle operators who fail to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk will be ticketed. The fines vary from$50 to $500. A new IL state law requires drivers to stop for a pedestrian. Yes, they must come to a full stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk. The majority of pedestrian automobile crashes in Chicago occur at intersections. They more often than not involve people attempting to cross the street. Most accidents occur with a green walk signal. The leading cause of pedestrian accidents was the failure of motor vehicle drivers to yield to pedestrian traffic.

Just think about the injuries that can occur when a car, truck or bus strikes a pedestrian. The injuries can be catastrophic due to the sheer weight of the motor vehicle. Pedestrians are an exposed target. By this, they have no protective armor to shield them from the crash. If you are riding a bicycle, your head is protected by a helmet. Walking on the street you have no protective gear. A pedestrian when struck by an automobile could sustain injuries such as a Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI. Pedestrians are also vulnerable to a spinal cord injuries, such injuries can lead to paraplegia and quadriplegia. More often than not, pedestrians have a high incidence of fractured bones from these crashes.

As a Chicago car accident and injury lawyer, I understand that motorist negligence is one of the most common causes of pedestrian-car accidents. It is a motorist's duty to obey to the rules laws of the road. Thousands of pedestrians are killed every day due to a driver's negligence

Source:
Mannequins help kick off pedestrian safety blitz, Chicago Tribune, Oct 26, 2011

As a Chicago personal injury lawyer, I understand that every time you place yourself in the vicinity of automobiles an accident can happen. Just this week a Chicago woman who lived in the Brighton Park area was killed after a car struck her as she unloaded groceries from her car. The victim was doing something many of Chicago residents to everyday. She parked her car and was loading or removing packages from her trunk. It is estimated that may accidents occur in the close proximity of one's home. The accident victim was identified as Tina Ramirez. She was 40 yrs. old and resided in Chicago. She died from the serious injuries suffered from the accident.

The driver of the car that struck Ramirez was ticketed for failure to reduce speed and failure to take due care of a pedestrian. According to the Illinois Rules of the Road, motor vehicle operator needs to take caution when in areas of high pedestrian traffic. This includes driving through the car lines streets of Chicago.

As an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer knows there are many driver errors that cause accidents, the number one cause is disregarding pedestrians entering a crosswalk. Drivers today are in a hurry and sometimes feel that they can beat a pedestrian through a crosswalk. Other times drivers are trying to beat a traffic control signal before it changes status. They speed through or disregard the traffic Control signals. Many times a driver can be fatigued or distracted while driving. Many times I see drivers doing various activities while driving that can distract them. Many are talking or texting, eating and some are putting on makeup. The others just have a blatant disregard for the safety of other and are drunk or drugged while driving.

When a pedestrian is struck by an automobile it carries a high potential for serious or catastrophic injuries. It's man vs. automobile. More often than not the automobile wins. As a pedestrian there are some common simple tips that may help you avoid a collision with a motor vehicle. When entering a crosswalk be alert and attentive. I see many pedestrians walking and texting or talking on their call phones. This very activity takes their eyes of the road, making them an easy target for a distracted driver. Please hold the calls for a time when you are not walking.

Pedestrians should avoid entering a crosswalk, when the traffic control signal indicates no walking. Many times pedestrians are in hurry, and try to beat the light. Just as a car should exhibit extreme caution, so should a pedestrian. As pedestrians we need to take the necessary steps to avoid car crashes. Remain alert and attentive while walking on the Chicago streets. This may save your life!

Source:
Woman dies when vehicle hits her as she was loading car trunk, Chicago Tribune, October 6

Just last week, I posted a blog regarding the high incidence of pedestrian accidents in crosswalks. We are all at risk when we step on the road? Whether it's for a leisurely stroll, jog or bike ride. Just yesterday, the Academy Award winning actress Reese Witherspoon was involved in a pedestrian accident. She was struck by a car while out for a run along a street in Santa Monica, California. The actress was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital. She was entering a pedestrian crosswalk when she was hit by an automobile. Police say the driver was an 84-year-old woman. The driver was ticketed for failure to yield in a designated crosswalk to a pedestrian.

As a Chicago personal injury attorney, it is a known fact that marked crosswalks have a high incidence of pedestrian accidents. Although, a marked crosswalk is designated to serve as a pedestrian safety devices, many accidents occur in them. In most jurisdictions the pedestrian has the right-of-way when within the designated crosswalk. Research has shown that pedestrian have a strong sense of security when entering a crosswalk. Many pedestrians have a false sense of security when using a marked crosswalk. In many cases due to this heightened feel of security, pedestrians put themselves in a dangerous position with respect to vehicles. Often times the pedestrian thinks in their head that the car will stop. What driver wouldn't stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk?
Pedestrians need to utilize due caution when entering a crosswalk.

Source:
Actress Witherspoon hit by car, not seriously injured, CNN, September 07, 2011

Imagine walking down a street at night time, when suddenly you are struck by a car? This happened in Joliet in 2009, due to improper lightening on the city street. Kathy Brockett's has worked for over two years to have new street lighting installed on this segment of road. Her son, Mark Brockett was walking in the street near a viaduct in the dark during the early morning hours of Aug. 23, 2009, when he was hit by two cars.

This portion of the Joliet roadway currently has no street lights. It is projected to have nine lights when the project is completed. It is estimated that the project will be completed by mid-August 2012. Many additional improvements will be made to Route 53 by the state, to make it safe for pedestrian traffic. Mark Brockett was walking near the viaduct in the darkness of the evening when he was hit by two cars. He died from the injuries sustained from the car impact.

Many pedestrian accident victims die as a result of traumatic brain injuries. It is estimated that each year in the US over 1 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury as the result of an accident. The results from a brain injury can vary dramatically. Some of the symptoms include mild to severe headaches to seizures. Results from a severe injury can leave victims in a coma. If this victim suffers a severe TBI, this could require a long hospital period and perhaps time in a rehabilitation or commitment to a long term care facility. The most severe cases can result in death.
Twenty percent of the victims with traumatic brain injuries die from the injury, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates also show that greater than five million Americans are left with permanent disabilities from traumatic brain injuries. Requiring long term care, which can be extremely expensive.

According to Chicago injury and traumatic brain injury attorney David Nemeroff, injuries that result from a TBI can be severe to mild concussions, seizures, coma and death. Traumatic brain injuries cause the death of an estimated 50,000 individuals each year. Severe head or brain injuries or traumatic brain injury, commonly referred to as a TBI, are caused by a severe and sudden hit to the head. Car accidents are the number one cause of traumatic brain injury. Other causes include near drowning's, apoxia accidents or an obstructed airway, myocardial infarcts or heart attack, stroke and aneurysm.

In some cases, brain injuries result from negligence. They can be a result of an auto accident, defective manufactured products, construction accidents or neglected and poorly maintained workplaces. If the brain injury is the result of an error caused by a health care provider this is considered medical malpractice. If this is the cases, a medical malpractice lawsuit should be filed.

If you are considering filing a traumatic brain injury or TBI lawsuit as a result of an accident, it is best to contact a knowledgeable Chicago personal injury and Traumatic Brain Injury lawyer. At Nemeroff Law Offices we have handled many cases traumatic brain injury cases.

Source:
Officials to put lights on Joliet Street where son was killed in '09, Chicago Sun times, and August 23, 2011