Chicago Accident Lawyer Blog
Chicago pedestrian accident attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer p.c. read in the Sun-Times that pedestrian deaths due to pedestrian accidents with cars have risen from 2012 to 48. There were 35 pedestrian deaths in 2011, 30 in 2010 and 31 in 2009.
A city of Chicago study found that 80 percent of vehicle-pedestrian accidents occur at intersections and mostly involve pedestrians walking in the cross walk. The study also shows the number one cause of pedestrians being hit by cars is drivers failing to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians. Drivers in Illinois are required by law to come to a complete stop when a pedestrian is in a crosswalk. (625 ILCS 5/11-1002)
Distracted drivers has been suggested as a possible culprit in the up-tick in pedestrian deaths. Both drivers and pedestrians are texting, on the cell phone or listening to music on their phone or I-Pod and are not paying attention to road hazards. Chicago injury lawyers, Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C.have handled cases where the defendant who caused the injury to the plaintiff was on a cell phone or was yelling at children in the car and was distracted when the accident occurred.
The Illinois Department of Transportation’s website reminds motorists that:
A driver must come to a complete stop
-When a pedestrian is in a marked crosswalk
-On school days, when children are in close proximity to a school zone crosswalk.
A driver must yield to a pedestrian:
-When a pedestrian is in an unmarked crosswalk on the driver’s side of the roadway and there are no traffic control signals.
-When making a turn at any intersection.
-When making a lawful turn on a red light after coming to a complete stop.
-After coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or flashing red signal at an intersection.
-When a pedestrian enters the crosswalk before the traffic light changed.
-When a pedestrian is walking with a green light, to a walking person symbol or a walk signal.
-When a pedestrian is leaving or entering a street or highway from an alley, building, private road or driveway.
The Chicago injury lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer have litigated many cases for pedestrians who were hit by drivers who failed to yield the right-of- way. Chicago seems especially bad for pedestrians because drivers do not stop nor yield the right-of-way to pedestrians as the law in Illinois requires.