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Family of five survives serious car accident on I-294 in Illinois
One family recently suffered a shocking car accident on the Tri-State Tollway. The serious car accident occurred near Elmhurst during the middle of the night.
Five family members were travelling southbound on I-294. Just after midnight, a BMW, also travelling south, made an improper lane change from the land-hand lane. According to the Illinois State Police, the BMW hit the back left side of the family&s SUV in the center lane. The driver of the SUV lost control of the car as it rolled over. There were three children in the SUV at the time of the crash, including a 12-year-old girl and 4 and 6-year-old boys.
All three children suffered minor injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital. Their parents suffered serious injuries and were also taken for treatment. The driver of the BMW was also injured and hospitalized. Fortunately, everyone survived the car crash but the incident did shut down the interstate for roughly an hour. The investigation into the accident is still underway and the authorities have not filed any charges or citations as of yet, although authorities did point out the driver&s improper lane change.
Increased patrols reduce incidence of death from drunk driving
There&s no doubt that alcohol and cars just don&t mix. Alcohol-related car crashes occur in staggering numbers and many of the accidents end in death or serious injury. Across the country, nearly 10,000 people die every year from alcohol-related car accidents. The state of Illinois is tackling these statistics by increasing efforts to target drunk drivers, as well as distracted drivers. The additional effort and patrols can be especially effective over major driving holidays, like Labor Day weekend.
City, state and local police agencies planned to put more officers on patrol over the past holiday weekend. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, the additional officers, plus public relations campaigns and heightened awareness over drunk driving are improving the status quo.
In 2011, Illinois saw 233 people die from drunk driving accidents. This number was down from 374 deaths in 2007. The hours between midnight and 3 a.m. are most prone to drunk driving accidents, and from 2007 to 2011 there was a 41 percent drop in deadly accidents during that time frame.
Governor signs laws limiting premises liability
Property owners generally understand that they are responsible for the safety of the guests they welcome onto their property. Owners are liable for any unsafe or dangerous conditions, if they know, or should have known about the condition, and, subsequently, failed to fix it or warn their guests. Nonetheless, premises liability also extends beyond residential property.
Illinois property owners may be interested in a recent law passed regarding landowner liability for land used for recreational or conservation purposes. The governor signed a bill into law that upped the liability protections for landowners who allowed public access onto their property for things like biking, hiking, fishing and bird watching.
The new law was meant to mirror the premises liability laws in other states. As of seven years ago, Illinois was the only state that restricted liability protections for property owners who invited the public onto their land for recreational use. Over the course of time, this restriction slowly limited the number of recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts across the state.
Devastating truck accident kills seven relatives
Many of our readers may have heard that four young children, and seven relatives total, died recently in a fatal truck accident. The accident occurred at night, about 70 miles outside of Chicago. The family was travelling in a Jeep on Interstate 65 near Roselawn, Indiana, when traffic slowed due to road construction. The Jeep came to a stop behind the backed-up traffic, but a semi-truck travelling northbound failed to see the back-up and crashed into the Jeep. The impact pushed the SUV into a second semi. The Jeep immediately caught fire and the fire spread quickly to both semi-trucks.
Initially, first responders only noticed two bodies in the SUV because of the fire damage but later came to the devastating realization that seven people were killed inside the car. The deceased victims ranged from 3-years-old to 49-years-old and were all related.
The semi-truck driver that failed to stop also suffered some injuries and was transported to a nearby hotel. No one else was hurt in the crash. Officials are investigating the incident, but initial reports indicated that neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the accident.
Biker killed on way home from motorcycle rally
Every year avid motorcyclists from Illinois and around the country make the road trip for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. This year marked the 73rd annual rally. But for one motorcycle enthusiast, the year&s event would be his last.
A 54-year-old man who worked for the Arlington Heights Park Department in Illinois was killed on his way home from Sturgis. The motorcycle accident occurred in Woodstock on a Sunday. According to officials, the biker was travelling east on U.S. Route 41. As he approached an intersection in Woodstock he crashed into a minivan that was trying to make a left hand turn. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash and he was not wearing a helmet. The driver of the minivan was transported to a nearby hospital, treated and released.
It appears that the minivan driver and the biker both ran a red light at the intersection. The driver of the minivan was cited for failing to yield in a left turn at an intersection. Local law enforcement officials are continuing to investigate the crash, but ruled out weather as a factor. As more details come forward, the family of the victim may consider filing a wrongful death claim against the minivan driver.
Both drivers under the influence in rare accident in Illinois
With all the public awareness out there about the dangers of driving while impaired, and the serious criminal consequences of a DUI, it&s shocking to discover that people fail to heed these warnings and that drunk driving accidents still occur.
In a recent accident on the Stevenson Expressway, there was not one, but two, drunk drivers. Both of the drivers now face DUI charges following the rare incident.
According to Illinois State Police, the 21-year-old female driver stalled her car in the middle of the expressway. At that point, her car was rear-ended by a 24-year-old male driver. Authorities aren&t quite sure why the first car stalled in the middle of the road in the first place. The accident occurred just after midnight and tied up the expressway for hours while the scene was cleared.
Two people were injured in the crash. The female driver was listed in stable condition and a passenger from the second car was in serious condition. The damage could have been much worse considering there were four passengers in both cars.
Illinois sees increase in number of motorcycle fatalities
Our lives can change in a split second, and no one is more aware of that reality than someone who has lost a loved one in an accident. The family of a 30-year-old man is recovering after losing the man who was their son, brother, fiancé and friend. The man was killed in a fatal motorcycle accident in Lakewood this summer. The accident occurred when a female driver turned in front of the man&s motorcycle. Police issued the 43-year-old woman a citation. The man died two days later.
The family is devastated by the loss and unfortunately accidents like this are becoming all too common. Motorcycle deaths are on the rise in Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2010 there were 131 motorcycle-related deaths. In 2012, this number jumped to 148, which is an increase of 13 percent.
The accident above occurred in McHenry County. Archives show four other serious motorcycle accidents in the same area in just this summer alone. From those accidents, three people were injured and two people were killed.
Dog attacks pits Illinois pet owners against each other
It must be true what they say about man&s best friend. Two former neighbors in Milton Township, Illinois were friends for 17 years but after a recent fight between their two dogs, the two are siding with the dogs. The incident occurred when one neighbor&s 13-year-old akita escaped through the front door and ended up in a fight with the other neighbor&s shih tzu. The shih tzu lost his right eye in the fight.
The owner of the akita paid for the shih tzu&s medical bills through her insurance company. But the shih tzu&s owner is not satisfied. The owner is a magician and uses the shih tzu in his acts and he says that the injury impacts his business.
The incident is still under investigation. Authorities in DuPage County are somewhat limited in what they can do but if a dog is found "dangerous", they can force owners to muzzle the animal and keep it on a short leash when off property. The next step is to make a "vicious dog" declaration, which means a dog has received three findings of being "dangerous."
Four-car accident on the Southwest Side leaves one dead
Speed limits are in place for a reason. People often forget that when they are driving and trying to get somewhere quickly. Going over the speed limit all of a sudden doesn&t seem like a big deal. But tell that to the victims of a recent serious car accident in Chicago.
Five people were injured and one person died following a four-car accident in the city. The accident occurred on the Southwest Side on South Cicero Avenue just before 1 a.m.
According to police, the car that caused the accident was speeding when it hit a pedestrian. The vehicle then proceeded to hit three other cars. One of the drivers of the three cars was killed as confirmed by the Cook County Medical Examiner&s office. Authorities did not immediately release information on the deceased&s age or gender.
Five other people were transported to nearby hospital. They all suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Thankfully, police apprehended the driver that caused the car crash. The driver is in custody at a local hospital.
Driver and passenger flee scene of motorcycle accident
Running from trouble is usually never a good idea and will most likely lead to other consequences, sometimes even worse penalties than if a person did not flee. In addition to criminal penalties, the defendants could also face civil liabilities and claims.
Suspects in a recent motorcycle accident in Illinois may end up facing rather serious consequences. The accident occurred on a Sunday evening and resulted in two severe motorcycle injuries. According to law enforcement, a car was driving westbound at a fast speed when it allegedly lost control and hit another car. The speeding car then crossed the lane and struck a motorcycle travelling east on the roadway. Luckily, the couple on the motorcycle that was hit were both wearing helmets, but they both still suffered severe injuries and were transported to the hospital for treatment.
It was reported that both the driver and passenger in the vehicle that struck the motorcycle took off running from the scene of the accident. As the local lieutenant stated, "if you are involved in an accident and choose to run, it only increases the number of charges you face." Fleeing could also be used to strengthen the case against the accused on the underlying charges.
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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