Articles Posted in Auto Accidents

The Chicago personal injury law firm of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. takes note of a crash test study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety which found that many of the subcompact cars sold in the United States failed the crash test.

The IIHS tested 11 subcompact cars and mini cars in crash tests and only one car rated even reasonably well, the Chevrolet Spark. None of the 12 subcompacts got the highest rating of “good” from the IIHS. The Chevrolet Spark got an “acceptable” rating. The cars earning the lowest “poor” rating were the Nissan Versa, Toyota Prius, Hundai Accent, The Misubishi Mirage, Fiat 500 The Honda Fit, the Mazda 2, the Kia Rio the Toyota Yaris and the Ford, Fiesta.

The overlap crash involves a car hitting a barrier at 40 mph on just the side of the bumper. Many cars that do well on crash tests directly to the front of the bumper do poorly when the impact is to the side of a bumper or to the front corner of the car. Statistics show that a quarter of the crashes causing serious injuries or death are these type of front crashes.

The Chicago injury law firm of Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. notes a study appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine which notes that novice drivers are more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors over time as they become more accustomed to driving. The study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute compared the driving habits of experienced drivers vs. novice drivers. The drivers were videoed and drove cars equipped with data collecting computers.

The data from the study showed that during the first six months driving novice drivers engaged in tasks like texting, dialing, reaching for a phone, reaching for other things, eating and adjusting controls less than the experienced drivers. During the period between 7 months and 15 months, the novice drivers matched the experienced drivers in the amount of distracted behaviors. Then, during the period of 16 months and 18 months after starting to drive the distracted driving behaviors shot up two-fold.

The study had significant findings that have important implications as far as Illinois driving laws. The study found that tasks involving hand -held cell phones increases the risk of crashing by three times. Equally important, use of hands-free cellphones is not that much safer than hand held phones. It is interesting to note that Illinois banned the use of hand-held cell phones while driving beginning in January of 2014 but still allows the us of hands free cell phones while driving.

The Chicago auto injury lawyers of Zneimer and Zneimer note that new laws changing the way people drive on Illinois roads went into affect at the beginning of 2014. Starting January 1, 2014, a new Illinois law makes it illegal to use a handheld cellphone while operating a motor vehicle. Residents of Chicago already had an ordinance which forbid handheld cellphones while driving but now the practice is forbidden statewide. However, a driver may still legally use a hands free headset, speaker phone or other hands free device when using a cell phone while driving.

Another new law passed by the Illinois General Assembly would raise the speed limit on interstate expressways to 70 mph outside of metropolitan areas. In metropolitan areas around Chicago, St. Louis and Springfield the speed limit will remain 55 mph.

The dangers of traveling on Chicago’s busy roadways were demonstrated once again in an accident occurring on June 28, 2013, in the 10300 block of South Stony Island Avenue. According to officials, a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus was attempting to make a right hand turn, when it violently collided with a dump truck traveling westbound, thereby resulting in collision with two other motor vehicles.

Upon arriving at the accident scene, the severity of the accident became immediately apparent, as is evidenced by an ‘EMS Plan I’ being placed into force. An EMS Plan I is a type of response plan, reserved for major incidents, in which the emergency response team consists of 5 Ambulances, 1 ALS Engine or Truck, 1 Truck, 1 Battalion Chief, 1 Paramedic Field Chief, and 1 Assistant Deputy Chief Paramedic. Officials reported that the driver of the CTA bus had to be cut out of the wreck, and was subsequently transported by ambulance in serious-to-critical condition. A passenger in the CTA bus, as well as the driver of the dump truck were also transported in serious-to-critical condition, and a motorist in another vehicle was taken to the hospital in fair-to-serious condition.

Details regarding the precise cause of the accident were not immediately available, however, the investigation is still ongoing. The bus accident and truck accident attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. have witnessed the devastating effects that serious motor vehicle accidents, like this one, can have on the injured. Often, the tragic consequences of such tragic accidents have a profound impact on not only the injured, but the family members of the injured as well. The fear of work loss, mounting medical bills, as well as general emotional trauma, are common familial after-effects suffered as a result of a severe motor vehicle collision. Therefore, it is important to discuss your legal rights with a legal professional specialized in personal injury as soon as possible following the accident. A Chicago truck or bus accident attorney will safeguard your legal interests, by ensuring the preservation of important evidence, communicating with the insurance companies, and seeking, on your behalf, the compensation that is deserved.

Pursuant to the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act, all child passengers under the age of 8 years old are required to be restrained by a car or booster seat. However, use of a child restraint system is only the first step in protecting your most precious cargo in the event of a motor vehicle accident. As the National Institute of Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated, the key to safety is “the right seat, the right size, the right use.” Our injury and accident attorneys understand that it may be difficult for parents to determine if they are using the appropriate car seat in the proper manner. The foregoing is provided by the lawyers of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. to guide Chicago parents in protecting their child passengers, in hopes that it may aide in the reduction of child car seat injuries and fatalities that occur as a result of a car accident.

Choosing a car seat that is both age and size appropriate for your child can drastically decrease the likelihood of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Further, considerations as to age and size must be an ongoing process as your child grows. Our injury and accident lawyers recognize that although a car seat might be suitable for a child of a certain age, it may not be suitable for that child’s size. The safety risks involved encompass both car seats that are too large for the child, and therefore may not protect against injuries in the event of a collision, as well as car seats that the child has outgrown.

The NHTSA, and the injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. as well, urge parents to fill out the manufacturer’s registration form, and submit this form to the manufacturer immediately following the purchase of a new car seat. By submitting such registration, and keeping all contact information current, you can ensure that you will be notified of important safety recalls pertaining to your specific child restraint device.

Recent tragic accidents, which took the lives of 15 teenagers, and numerous others, are a reminder to the Chicago attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. of the dangers of teen driving.

In one of the accidents, which occurred on March 12, 2012 in a small Illinois community in Will County, 4 teens ages 14 to 17 drowned after their vehicle plunged off a bridge. It is uncertain as to whether road conditions or speed played a role in this accident .

On the same day, another accident occurred in Ohio, which took the lives of 6 teens, ages 14 to 19, when the SUV, being operated by one of the victims crashed into a guardrail and flipped over into an adjacent pond. It was later discovered that the SUV, which was only equipped for 5 passengers, was carrying 8 passengers, none of whom were wearing safety belts. Investigators also reported that the driver was traveling faster than the posted speed limit.

There has been a growing awareness of public safety concerns in Chicago, and other surrounding Illinois cities concerning child safety seats and the laws and regulations associated with their use. Although safe driving campaigns and heightened enforcement of child passenger regulations have led to increased use of child restraint seats, surprisingly, so have the occurrence of child car seat related injuries. This can be attributed to factors such as car seats that may be improperly used, or are unsuitable for a child’s particular age or weight, as well as in cases of defective or faulty child restraint devices. The Chicago injury attorneys of Zneimer & Zneimer, P.C. urge all parents to not only restrain their child passengers, but also ensure that such children are restrained properly.

As stated in the Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act:

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children of every age from 4 to 14. The General Assembly further finds that the safety of the motoring public is seriously threatened as indicated by the significant number of traffic accidents annually caused, directly or indirectly, by driver distraction or other impairment of driving ability induced by the movement or actions of the unrestrained passengers under the age of 8 years.

Chicago auto accident lawyers, Zneimer Zneimer note a recently released study by the Center for Disease Control which found that 4 percent of U.S. adults admit nodding off while driving within the last month. The study found that men were more likely to report that they nodded off while driving than women. The estimates of fatal car crashes caused by drowsy drivers run from 3 percent to as high as 32 percent. The CDC urged drivers to watch for the warning signs such as having trouble keeping ones eyes open, not remembering landmarks and drifting on to the rumble strip.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that there are currently no tests available to quantify levels of drowsiness there are noted characteristics according to the NHTSA such as:

a) The crashes occur during late night/early morning or midafternoon.

Chicago car accident lawyers, Zneimer & Zneimer P.C. applaud the Illinois Legislature for passing a law amending the Illinois Vehicle Code to prohibit anyone from using a wireless cell phone while driving a vehicle within 500 feet of an emergency scene. An emergency scene is defined as one where an emergency vehicle has its emergency lights activated. (House Bill 5099/PA97-0828)

The Illinois Legislature also passed a law amending the Illinois Vehicle Code prohibit commercial drivers from texting and driving. It also prevents motor carrier’s from allowing its drivers to text and drive. The amendment also prohibits a driver from using a hand held mobile phone while driving. (House Bill 5101/PA 97-0829)

Chicago’s ordinances are more restrictive than state law. It is illegal to hold a cell phone to your ear and mouth while driving in Chicago. Texting is also illegal while driving in Chicago. Hands free cell phones and Bluetooth devices are allowed except for teens and school bus drivers. A police officer can pull a driver over immediately if he sees a driver using a cell phone in Chicago. Offenders can be fined up to $200 for texting or talking on a hand held cell phone while driving in Chicago.