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Construction Worker Fatalities Account for Twenty Percent of All Workplace Deaths
In 2016, 4,693 workers were fatally injured while on the
job. Of those who suffered fatal injuries, over 20
percent worked in the construction industry. In all,
over 900 construction workers lost their lives while working.
Due in large part to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor, workplace fatalities have dropped drastically over the past few decades. Worker deaths in the United States have dropped from just under 40 deaths per day in 1970, to 14 deaths a day in 2016.
OSHA’s efforts to implement safety regulations in the workplace have monumentally altered the landscape of safety in the American workplace, yet construction workers still face incredible danger every time they go to work. If you or a loved one suffer a workplace injury, contact our knowledgeable team of Waukegan personal injury attorneys.
Pedestrian Fatalities Rising as Smartphone Technology Continues to Distract
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association
(GHSA) pedestrian fatalities rose by 11 percent from
2015 to 2016, and smartphone technology was considered the
primary culprit.
As drivers and pedestrians continue to utilize their mobile devices while traveling, the fatality rate for pedestrians continues to climb. The 11 percent increase in fatalities from 2015 to 2016 marks the largest single year rise in the history of the United States. Equally concerning, the overall death count of just under 6,000 is the single largest annual pedestrian fatality count in over two decades. The commonly held notion that pedestrians are choosing a safer method of travel by electing to walk has become factually incorrect, as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that pedestrians are 1.5 times more likely than than automobile occupants to suffer fatal injuries each trip.
Englewood CTA Bus Accidents Remind Us That Bus Collisions Do Occur
In the span of one week, two Englewood bus accidents
have reminded Chicagoans of the reality of public transit
accidents. On Saturday, March 3, a negligent driver
collided with a CTA bus early in the morning, and
suffered fatal injuries. Less than one week later,
six CTA bus passengers suffered injuries in another
Englewood collision, as a white SUV collided with the
Englewood bus on Wednesday, March 7. The collision
directed the passenger bus into a tree before ultimately
forcing the bus off the road and then colliding with
a CTA bus stop shelter.
While the two instances were unrelated, the accidents serve as a reminder that bus collisions occur more regularly than many of us would assume. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, upwards of a 1,000 motor coach accidents occurred between the five year span between 2005 and 2010. In those accidents, over 500 passengers suffered injuries that required hospitalization, and just under 10 percent proved fatal.
Safe Driving Tips in High Speed Winds
The greater Chicago area experienced gusts of winds as strong as 50 miles per hour throughout the final weekend of February. According to ABC 7 Chicago, the damage was immense and a number of streets were temporarily shut down due to falling debris.
For drivers, wind represents one more dangerous element of driving throughout the greater Chicagoland area. Heavy winds can increase the likelihood of a driver losing control of his or her vehicle, thus increasing the likelihood of a side-swipe collision, a vehicle roll over, or even a head-on collision.
Understanding the risks of driving in less than ideal weather can ultimately be the difference between a safe journey and an automobile collision. If you or a member of your family are involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is important that you speak with a Waukegan personal injury attorney to discuss your case and legal options.
Tips for Driving in Windy Conditions
Drivers Under the Influence of Marijuana Continue to Endanger those on Roadways
Most people relate driving under the influence to alcohol consumption. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marijuana users are roughly 25 percent more likely to be involved in an automobile collision in comparison to drivers with no traces of marijuana in their system. Therefore, as recreational marijuana becomes more prevalent throughout the country, roadways are becoming increasingly more dangerous.
If you or a member of your family are injured in automobile collision due to another’s negligent driving or drug use, please contact an experienced and compassionate Waukegan personal injury attorney to discuss your case and your legal options.
Nighttime Drivers and Marijuana Use
Studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2015 indicated that nearly 13 percent of nighttime drivers operated their vehicles with marijuana in their system. Since then, however, a number of states have elected to legalize recreational marijuana, and the use of recreational marijuana—legal or otherwise—continues to rise nationwide.
Cycling Injuries and How to Avoid Them
Cycling is rapidly growing into a legitimate means of transportation in the United States. In metropolitan areas throughout the country, more and more commuters are electing to ride their bikes to work. Cities such as Portland, Oregon have even reprogrammed their traffic light infrastructures to encourage citizens to ride their bikes.
The benefits of biking as a means of commuting are easy to see: you save money that would be spent either on gas or public transportation, you get a workout before and after work, and you contribute to an environmentally sustainable future. However, cycling to work does come with risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2015 biking only accounted for 1 percent of travel throughout the United States, yet cyclists face a steeper risk of injury and even death than motorcyclists. If you or a member of your family are injured while riding your bicycle, contact our experienced team of personal injury attorneys to discuss your options.
Deer Crashes Account for Five Percent of Collisions in Illinois
Illinois residents are fortunate to have access to
spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities. From
snowmobiling and nordic skiing in the winter months to
hiking, hunting, and boating in the warmer months, there
is no shortage of outdoor exploration possibilities. Yet
these incredible natural activities can result in run-ins
with wild animals—rural roadways have no shortage of
critters, especially deer.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, collisions involving deer account for 5.1 percent of all vehicular collisions. In fact, in 2015 alone, 540 passengers suffered injuries in collisions with deer throughout the state.
If you or a family member are injured in an it is important to discuss your case with a knowledgeable Chicagoland attorney.
Illinois Accidents Involving Deer
Throughout 2015, 15,975 vehicular accidents involving deer occurred throughout the state of Illinois. Of those accidents, over 60 percent occurred during dark hours. When getting out into wilderness areas for outdoor activities, it is wise to be cautious of deer, as the Illinois Department of Transportation states that nearly 80 percent of crashes involving deer occur on rural roadways.
Ensuring Child Safety While Driving
As we continue to work our way through another tough Illinois winter, most of us have experienced less than ideal road conditions. Whether it is fluctuating temperatures resulting in an abundance of black ice, or the huge snowfall we experienced in early February, we know that road conditions can become less than ideal at any moment. Winter is a stressful time for most drivers, and that certainly holds true for drivers with small children.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 600 children ages 12 and younger were fatally injured in automobile accidents throughout the United States during 2015. In 2014, upwards of 120,000 children suffered injuries in automobile collisions nationwide. Understanding the precarious nature of winter driving, it is important to understand how to keep small children safe while driving.
Tips to Keeping Kids Safe While Driving
With a few months left of sub-standard road conditions this Winter, it is important to know what steps parents can take to keep their children safe while traveling.
Greater Chicagoland Witnesses Extreme Winter Weather in Early February
Over the past few days, Illinoisans have been abruptly reminded that it is in fact winter. After a recent trend of rather warm weather, the greater Chicago area was pounded by nearly a foot of new snow. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport was forced to cancel upwards of a thousand flights over the weekend of February 9- 11. While accidents piled up on roadways throughout the Midwest, we were all reminded just how drastic winter weather can be.
If you or a member of your family are injured while driving this winter, please do not hesitate to contact our knowledgeable and compassionate team of personal injury attorneys to discuss your case and options.
Tips for Driving in Snow
While driving in high levels of newly fallen snow is a dangerous proposition altogether, there are a few simple tips that can help to ensure drivers make it to and from their respective destinations safely.
- Limit Your Speed: When driving in the midst of winter road conditions, it may be wise to avoid driving as quickly as the maximum speed limit posted would suggest. After a large snowfall, roads can be covered in ice that buried beneath the snow, and the heavy snow can steer your vehicle in unpredictable directions. Keeping your speed to a minimum, especially while directing your vehicle around curves in the roadway, can keep all passengers safe.
Off The Rails: Commuting Via Train Still Comes with a Risk
In the midst of a winter with incredibly treacherous
road conditions, commuters continue to look for
alternative means of getting to work. Perhaps no
alternative commuting strategy benefits from the dangers
of winter driving more than commuter trains. But while
commuting via rail is generally thought of as a much safer
method of travel in comparison to driving, we have
recently seen a number of disturbing crashes nationwide,
ultimately resulting in fatalities. If you or a member of
your family
suffer an injury while riding on a commuter train, contact an experienced personal injury attorney today.
Recent Train Crashes Cause Concern
On December 18, 2017 a commuter train in Washington State went off the rails in the South Puget Sound area. The Amtrak train was making its inaugural trip on a new rail line designed to help commuters travel efficiently from Seattle to Portland. The train, traveling at excessive speeds, went off the rails as it approached a curve in the rail line. More than 100 passengers suffered injuries, and three of the passengers were fatally injured.
Contact a Lake County Vehicle Accident Attorney Who is Ready to Help You
If you or a member of your family has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office. Call 847-662-3303 to set up a free initial consultation at one of our four convenient locations. There is no risk because we only collect fees if you collect compensation. With offices in Libertyville, Waukegan, Richmond, and Chicago, we represent clients in Lake County, Cook County, DuPage County, and McHenry County.
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