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Driver Fatigue Has Serious Consequences
Driver fatigue is a serious issue that can result in
tragic
accidents. The risk of driver fatigue is, of course, greater for
drivers who are covering long distances or driving through
the night. And this, of course, means that the risk of
truck drivers experiencing severe driver fatigue that can
result in a fatal accident is higher than with average
drivers who are not expected to chart long distances in
short time periods, often requiring overnight driving. The
consequences for such negligence are strict. According to
the Chicago Tribune, trucker who fell asleep behind
the wheel, subsequently causing an accident near Aurora
that killed a tollway worker and severely injured a state
trooper was sentenced to three years in prison in
mid-April.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of adult American drivers — a staggering 168 million people — admit they have driven a vehicle when they were perhaps too drowsy to have done so. More than one-third of people admit to having had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving. Approximately 11 million drivers — four percent of adult drivers — admit to having had an accident because they were too tired to have been driving.
Defective Product Injuries and Manufacturer Liability
A frightening recall for parents was recently announced
by Beech-Nut Nutrition, the makers of Beech-Nut baby food.
The company is recalling approximately 2,000 pounds of
baby food after receiving a report of an oral injury
caused by a
glass shard found in one of its products.
According to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the company is recalling only one of its baby food products, the four ounce jars of Stage 2 Beech-Nut CLASSICS sweet potato and chicken. The affected jars contain the number “P-68A” inside the mark of inspection from the USDA, as well as any product numbers between 12395750815 and 12395750821. The jars all have an expiration date of December 2016 and were sold nationwide.
Under Illinois law, a person who is injured by a defective product can bring a lawsuit against the manufacturer if they can prove one of the following factors existed:
Two More Auto Makers Issue Ignition Switch Recalls
The minivan has become one of the most popular family car models. Many parents find the comfortable seating, cargo room and third seat removal perfect whether or not they are transporting a vehicle full of children or groceries. However, a recent recall announcement by one minivan manufacturer reveals that there may be a hidden deadly danger in some of these family vehicles.
Volkswagon has issued a recall for almost 21,000 minivans which were manufactured by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The company’s Routan minivan, from model years 2009 and 2010, have been shown to have the same ignition switch issue that have affected millions of vehicles sold in this country.
The faulty switches can suddenly go into the “off” position, which cuts off power to the engine, and shutting down function of steering, brakes, and airbags. Automakers say that any sudden jarring or bumpy road conditions can cause the ignition switch to move to the off position. They also advise car owners to remove all items from the key ring – including the key fob – except for the vehicle key, until they are able to get it to a dealership in order to have the problem fixed.
Preventing Work Zone Vehicle Accidents in Illinois
After a long, nasty winter, spring has finally arrived.
The good weather also means that drivers all over Illinois
will encounter work zone areas as road, construction, and
utility crews head outside. But work zone safety is an
issue – there are typically 4,300 work zone
vehicle accidents
every year in this state. Last year, work zone crashes
took the lives of 29 people, including three workers who
were only doing their job.
A work zone is defined by any roadway which has ongoing maintenance work, utility work, or construction which is taking place. Work zones are required to have posted signs, with flashing lights, indicating where the zone begins and where it ends. Illinois, like all states, requires that there be reduced speeds in work zones and violators face stiff penalties. A first offense for speeding in work zone will get a person a $375 fine. Subsequent offenses are $1,000 each. If a driver hits a worker in a work zone, they face a $10,000 penalty and up to 14 years in prison.
Illinois Lawmakers Seek to Ban Red Light Cameras
Many communities have instituted the use of red light
cameras. These cameras are installed at intersections with
the intent of catching drivers who fail to stop at red
lights. The camera captures the image of any vehicle which
enters the intersection after the light has turned red.
The photo is then used as evidence of the driver’s failure
to stop and the driver then receives a ticket or citation
in the mail. Many independent studies, however, have
concluded that these red light cameras actually contribute
to more
traffic accidents, and there is movement in many states, including
Illinois, to ban the cameras.
The Illinois House of Representatives recently approved House Bill 173 by a vote of 79-26. The bill, if passed, would ban red light cameras non-home rule communities. Currently, the cameras are in 35 different non-home rule communities in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair and Will counties. If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law by the Governor, it would not affect the red light cameras which are in Chicago, since that city is a home rule community.
Study Shows Increase in Alcohol Tax Leads to Decrease in Drunk Driving Deaths
According to the most recent statistics, drunk driving
crashes in America kill more than 10,000 people every year
and leave more than a half million others injured.
However, a new study has found that when alcohol taxes are
increased,
drunk driving deaths
are decreased.
The study, “Effects of a 2009 Illinois Alcohol Tax Increase on Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes,” was conducted by researchers from the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy and the Institute for Child Health Policy, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville. It was published in the American Journal of Public Health.
The study used statistics from the state of Illinois, which raised the alcohol tax in 2009. The tax on beer was raised by 4.6 cents per gallon, 66 cents per gallon on wine, and $4.05 per gallon on distilled spirts. The team looked at accident data from the previous 104 months before the tax was enacted and then the 28 months following its institution. This data was gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
New Study Shows Distracted Driving by Teens Four Times More Prevalent than Previously Thought
There has been a myriad of information regarding the
dangers of
distracted driving. According to federal statistics, almost 11 percent of
all fatal accidents which occur on the nation’s highways
are caused by distracted driving. A new study, however,
reveals that distracted driving is responsible for more
than 50 percent of moderate to severe crashes involving
teenage drivers. This is significantly higher than the 14
percent the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) had previously reported.
The study was conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Researchers examined almost 1,700 videos from crashes involving teen drivers. The videos were taken from in-vehicle event recorders. The research team watched the six seconds preceding the crash of each video and found that in six out of 10 crashes, distracted driving was a factor of the accident. Distracted driving was responsible for 89 percent of all accidents in where the vehicle left the road and 76 percent of rear-end crashes.
Transit Crashes: NTSB Announces Safety Recommendations for CTA
In late April, the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) issued its report on the Blue Line crash at
Chicago’s O’Hare station last year. The Board found
that the decades-old Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
safety system that can trigger a train’s brakes should be
completely replaced by new technology that allows a train
to detect potential danger much earlier in the case of an
emergency.
The March 2014 crash has been attributed to driver fatigue, but ultimately fault lies with the CTA for failing to properly oversee employee work schedules. The crash was not fatal, but resulted in injuries for 33 of the approximately 50 passengers on board, and caused more than $11 million in damage. The Board’s report, however, is non-binding, and CTA officials have yet to announce that they will take the Board’s recommendation and install the new technological safety measures. The cost is yet unknown, though the price tag to install such a new system is likely high.
How Bad Weather Driving Increases Accident Risk
It is no secret that bad weather can create severely
dangerous driving conditions that lead to an increased
chance of a
car accident. For victims of car accidents caused by bad weather, it
is imperative to immediately speak with insurance agents
as well as an attorney. In some instances, in the event
that the accident was caused by bad weather and not driver
negligence — and this can be proven — a person could avoid
liability for the crash, often leaving a victim without
much financial recourse.
Knowing where these accidents are likely to occur can help to decrease your chance of being involved in one. According to WGNtv.com, due to geographical factors, when it rains in the Chicago area, drivers are even more prone to accidents than in other areas due to the increased risk of flooding and road closures.
Drunk Driving Accidents Usually Caused by Repeat Offenders
There is no shortage of stories of
drunk drivers
who caused major accidents and then got behind the wheel
again — drunk. According to the National Highway Traffic
and Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately one-third
of people driving drunk on the road are repeat offenders,
meaning that they have been arrested for or convicted of
DWI in the past. The problem appears to compound itself as
well: the NHTSA reports that drivers with prior DWI
convictions are also more likely to be in fatal crashes.
Only 3 percent of all licensed drivers had one prior
arrest for DWI within the previous three years;
disproportionately, 12 percent of all DWI drivers involved
in a fatal crash were repeat offenders.
Such is the recent case in Chicago, in which a man, who served a five-year prison term for a drunk-driving crash that killed a teenage girl in 2003, was found slumped behind his steering wheel after hitting two parked cars. According to the Chicago Tribune, however, because of sentencing guidelines, the man could spend less than a year in prison, and remain on parole only a year after his release; despite the fact that he was also driving on a suspended license at the time of arrest.
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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