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Elderly drivers involved in Illinois car crash
As a person gets older, his or her eyesight may start to get worse and reaction times may slow down. These factors, in combination with decreased mobility as a person ages, can make it dangerous for elderly drivers to be out on the road.
Recently, a three-vehicle accident involving three people over the age of 75 occurred just after the morning rush hour, in Schaumburg, Illinois. The serious car accident left one woman dead and two others hurt.
According to Schaumburg police, an SUV was making a left-hand turn from Irving Park Road onto Mitchell Road when it crashed into a second car. The SUV struck the car on the passenger side. The 77-year-old woman riding in the car was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
The driver of the SUV and the driver of the second car were also elderly individuals, ages 78 and 82, respectively. Both drivers were injured in the car crash and treated, although the injuries were not life-threatening.
Deadly crash at site of previous fatal motorcycle accident
Driving is inherently dangerous but some intersections and stretches of road can be especially unsafe. Illinois residents may feel this way after a recent deadly crash at the intersection of Irving Park Road and Mitchell Boulevard in Schaumburg.
The fatal accident happened just before 11 a.m. According to the Schaumburg Police Department, one car was headed east and tried to make a left-hand turn when a second car hit the passenger side. A 78-year-old passenger in the first car died and the driver was injured. The 78-year-old driver of the second car also suffered injuries. Neither driver&s injuries were life-threatening but the men were transported to a local hospital.
The accident shut down the intersection until the early afternoon. Police officers are still investigating the incident but it is not the first time that the intersection has seen tragedy.
In the summer of 2011, there was a deadly motorcycle accident at the same place. A semi truck turned in front of a motorcycle and killed the rider. Car accidents always bear some amount of risk but when it comes to motorcycles and cars, especially semis, motorcyclists are likely to be hurt. A motorcycle injury can be extensive even when riders are wearing all of the necessary safety gear.
Illinois law fails to address premises liability issue
Most property owners understand the basics of premises liability. For the most part, an owner&s liability is tied to that owner&s negligence in failing to maintain safe premises or failure to addresses a dangerous condition on the property. Chicago owners are responsible for any number of dangerous conditions, like a vicious dog or an icy patch.
But a recent decision in an Illinois concealed carry law has some property owners questioning just how far their liability extends. The new law does not provide any answers because it does not specifically address who is liability if something happens because of a concealed carry in an otherwise "gun-free" zone.
Business owners, of course, have the option to post gun-free or no-guns-allowed signs but signs may not prevent someone from coming into the business with a concealed weapon.
Other states have concealed-carry laws but unlike those states, the legislation in Illinois does not contain any provision to limit liability to business or property owners. Under the law, as written, if someone is hurt on the premises with a concealed gun, the business owner may still be liable for damages even if they have no-guns-allowed signs posted at the entrance. Even a businesses& own employees may bring a liability suit because they were not allowed to carry a gun on site in order to protect themselves.
Fatal Illinois truck accident not forgotten
In January, an Illinois tollway worker was killed as a result of a semi-truck crash. Although the tragedy of the accident may have worn off for many, the victim&s family is far from forgetting their loss. The family has now filed a lawsuit against the truck driver charged in the man&s death.
On the night of the accident, the 39-year-old victim stopped his emergency vehicle to assist a disabled truck. At this point, a semi-truck crashed into the emergency vehicle, killing the worker. An Illinois State Police trooper was injured in the accident as well. The trooper had also pulled over to help with the disabled truck. The accident occurred on I-88 near Aurora.
Law enforcement filed criminal charges against the truck driver for felony violation of certain trucking laws. The laws at issue are those that regulate logbooks and how many hours a commercial driver can drive before taking a break. According to authorities, the driver had been on duty, working and driving, for over 36 hours with less than four hours of sleep. The driver may have also falsified his logbook.
Car accident in Chicago suburb
It was a scary moment last week in one Chicago suburb. A sport utility vehicle crashed into a car and then continued to drive into a home in southwestern Oak Lawn.
There were witnesses to the car accident. One man who lives nearby actually heard the collision inside his house. He described a big bang and the sound of metal on metal. A young boy saw the car crash. The 13-year-old also lives nearby. He said that a woman exited the SUV after it hit the house. She apparently apologized to the police before they took her into custody.
According to police, the accident occurred during the afternoon when the SUV ran through a stop sign and crashed into the east-travelling car. The impact did not stop the SUV, which continued on into the house on the street corner. Police did not yet know if the driver was speeding or why she disobeyed the stop sign.
Both female drivers of the car and SUV suffered minor injuries. Firefighters arrived at the scene and had to help the driver of the car. Fortunately, a baby in the SUV was not hurt. Another woman in the home also escaped the accident unscathed.
Illinois considers change to DUI laws
Illinois does not mess around with repeat drunk drivers. After a fourth conviction for DUI, the state permanently takes away a person&s driving privileges. The law makes sense for the most part because it keeps dangerous drivers off the roads, in theory.
But certain anti-drunk driving groups are hoping to change the law and do away with the permanent ban. The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists and Mothers Against Drunk Driving-Illinois believe that there is a better way to monitor these repeat offenders and keep roads safe.
The groups point out that even though Illinois may take away a person&s license, most of these people eventually get behind the wheel of a car anyway. A new bill addresses this concept and a state legislative committee voted recently to send the legislation to the Illinois House.
Under the proposed legislation, repeat offenders would essentially get another chance. The driver has the option to go through a formal hearing process to obtain a restricted license. The hearing would take place at the later of five years after the driver&s last offense or five years after the end of a sentence. The restricted license includes a car equipped with an interlock ignition device. This device would lock the car and prevent it from driving if the driver blew over the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration.
Chicago-bound truck driver pleads guilty in accident
The victims of a trucking accident from last fall may finally feel like the criminal justice system provided some closure for them. A semi-truck driver recently pleaded guilty to the charge of felony reckless driving. The charge comes from a fatal accident that occurred last year. The accident injured a number of people and killed one man.
The 67-year-old truck driver admitted in court that he had ignored several warning signs on the road that he was about to enter a work zone. The driver&s negligence caused his truck to crash into a row of cars that were stopped due to the road construction. He was en route to Chicago in order to pick up cargo for his employer.
The man pleaded guilty to reckless driving causing death. The charge has a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years. The sentencing is scheduled for the end of March and the driver is out on bond until that time. The guilty plea was part of an agreement with prosecutors, who decided to drop another charge of reckless driving causing bodily injury.
Snow removal ordinances and premises liability
The snowstorm hit hard and quickly during the early morning of February 1 this year. Chicago residents know how to handle snow but the conditions of this storm were perfect for slippery paths and sidewalks and a number of individuals were caught off guard.
Just 20 minutes into the storm, first responders saw head injuries, a broken arm, and one person knocked unconscious. Roughly 135 miles south of Chicago at the University of Illinois in Champaign, were it is not uncommon to have busy sidewalks at 1 a.m., students were falling all over the place.
Police officers acted quickly and started to spread salt on the sidewalks to avert more falls. Officers hoped to prevent additional injuries to pedestrians. The number of injuries may have been much worse if law enforcement had waited for businesses to open and take care of the salting and clearing of sidewalks themselves.
But businesses and property owners do have some responsibility to clear slippery and dangerous conditions. For example, in Champaign, once a snow removal ordinance is issued, businesses have 48 hours to clear their walks. Failure to comply means the business will be charged a fee for outside removal services.
Well-known SNL actor involved in drunk driving accident
Drunk driving is an issue that impacts everyone, not just Chicago residents, not just irresponsible partiers. With alcohol so readily available and so much a part of social interaction, even the most well-intentioned drivers can cross the dangerous line into drunk driving. But once the line is crossed, there are potentially serious and tragic consequences like DUI accidents. Victims of these car accidents are often unsuspecting and undeserving.
A well-known actor and comedian was recently arrested after a drunk driving accident. Chris Kattan, known for his time on the hit show, "Saturday Night Live," went to jail after officers suspected he was driving drunk.
According to authorities, the 43-year-old was travelling on a freeway through a designated work zone, crashing into a Department of Transportation vehicle that was part of the road work. The work zone was marked with orange cones and other signs to warn driver to avoid the area. It seems that Kattan did not heed these warnings. Luckily, there were no injuries as a result of the crash.
Poor record for trucking company involved in truck accident
Large commercial trucks, like semis, are often considered more dangerous on the road because of their sheer size and mass. But in addition to size, trucks can be dangerous because of who is behind the wheel as well. Truck drivers often push the limits when it comes to length of trips and sleep requirements.
Lack of sleep may have been a possible factor in a recent truck accident in Illinois. The accident occurred on a cold Monday night and left on person dead and another critically injured.
According to authorities, there was a stranded semi on I-88 near the western suburbs of Chicago. An Illinois Tollway worker stopped to help the stranded truck. An Illinois State Trooper also stopped to help. The trooper had his flashing lights turned on but it was not enough of a warning.
The second semi crashed into the trooper's car and the stranded semi. The impact caused the vehicles to catch fire. The state trooper was able to get away from the fire but he did suffer extensive injuries. Unfortunately, the toll worker did not survive.
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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