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Articles Tagged with car accident

Many accidents on the road involve more than one car, especially accidents that occur in hazardous winter conditions or on the highway.  These multi-car accidents often result in more serious injuries and greater liability than two car crashes. In addition, autobahn-837643_1920-300x199once the accident has happened, the danger has not necessarily passed. Moreover, liability—or who is responsible—can be especially difficult to determine. So, how can you figure out who is at fault, and what should you do if you have been involved in a multi-car accident?

Make Safety Your First Priority after a Multi-Car Accident

If you have been in a multi-car crash, your first priority should be staying safe. Stay in your car with your seat belt fastened until the police or EMTs tell you it is safe to exit. The biggest risk at this point is getting hit by another car after leaving your vehicle.

Taking an evening stroll should not cause you to fear for your life, but the sad reality is that this scenario is becoming more common, as pedestrian accidents become a growing safety issue in the U. S. The fact that these accidents tend to result in more serious, life-threatening injuries and fatalities than other kinds of car accidents, combined with the fact that they have risen significantly in recent years, is extremely concerning.Pedestrian-accident-1024x683

Pedestrian Deaths Are on the Rise

 Between 2010 and 2019, pedestrian deaths increased a shocking 45% in the U.S.,  with 53,435 pedestrians being hit and killed by vehicles. The last four recorded years, 2016 through 2019, were the deadliest years on record, with more than 6,000 people killed in each of those years. That breaks out to more than 16 deaths a day, which is unacceptably high.

car-accident-337764_1280-300x169July proved to be a dangerous month for car accidents in the Chicago suburbs. Multiple car accidents in Oswego, Naperville, Plainfield, Brookfield, Aurora, Schaumburg, Morton Grove, and Hoffman Estates resulted in serious injuries and fatalities. Pedestrians and motorcyclists were especially impacted by these car crashes. Please keep yourself safe this summer by maintaining your car in good working order, following the rules of the road, and refusing to drive while impaired or distracted.

Fatal Oswego Pedestrian Accident –  Police are investigating a fatal crash involving a pedestrian that occurred in the early hours of July 1st on Mill Road on the west side. The pedestrian, a 32-year-old man from Oswego, was attempting to cross Mill Road at Washington Street when he was struck by a Nissan Sentra traveling eastbound on Mill Rd. Paramedics transported the pedestrian to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead from his injuries. The driver of the Nissan was cited for failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

Fatal Motorcycle Accident in Morton Grove, IL A 41-year-old man from Mount Prospect was killed in a traffic accident in Morton Grove on Friday, July 2nd. The crash occurred at the intersection of Oakton Street and Gross Point Road at approximately 10:30 p.m. when a motorcyclist riding east on Oakton Street at Gross Point collided with a Nissan Altima traveling west on Oakton. The motorcyclist was found unresponsive by police at the scene and was transported to St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Nissan Altima was driven by a 74-year-old man from Skokie. The accident is still under investigation.

winter-driving-300x200Winter is here with a bang and so are its dangers. While snowstorms may bring an abundance of beauty, they also bring an abundance of hazards: iced-over, slippery, or snowy roads, poor visibility, and broken-down vehicles all pose an extra threat during this magical time of year. As a result, 17% of all crashes occur during winter weather. Research done by AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that, within the United States alone, nearly half a million crashes and 2,000 road deaths are caused every year by bad weather or poor road conditions. Being aware of these dangers and preparing properly for them can ensure your safety and the safety of your loved ones on the road.

Winter driving dangers are in large part caused by terrible road conditions, poor visibility, and neglectful vehicle maintenance.

Terrible road conditions can be caused by one of three things: rain, snow, or ice. Rain can decrease visibility and cause hydroplaning, snow can make it difficult to accelerate and decelerate your car, and ice can be so thin it’s not even visible (black ice) and can make the roads extremely slippery. All 3 of these things can lead to accidents because they make it more difficult to stop, start, or turn your vehicle.

car-commuter-driver-driving-7433-1024x682Coronavirus put a halt to the world as we know it, and it also put a stop to driving for many of us. We started working from home, getting groceries and meals delivered, avoiding gatherings, and staying home in the evening. With everything closed, there really was no need to drive. Now that states are starting to reopen, however, more people are out and about, and more drivers are getting back on the road. Some of the drivers out there, however,  haven’t driven in nearly 4 months! Given that many of us are out of practice, the roads might look a bit like they’re full of 16-year-old kids who just got their driver’s licenses. It’s important that we drive carefully and do whatever we can to make the roads safe for everyone, as we get back into the swing of things. The good news is that there are steps we can take to ensure that our roads are as safe as possible while we shake the rust off of our driving abilities.

Here are some suggestions for staying safe on the road.

  1. Possibly the most important thing we can all do is watch our speed. With fewer people out driving, roads have been less congested. This lack of traffic has led to an increase in speeding. The issue here lies with the combination of increased speed and rusty drivers on the road. Rusty drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident. Increased speed means that, if accidents do happen, they’re going to be more serious than if everyone had been following the speed limit. Take a deep breath and slow down.

speeding-toine-g-iRnUeA04kUY-unsplash-1024x589Illinois is moving to a new phase in an effort to reopen the economy. As shelter-in-place orders are lifted and more cars are on the road, however, we must not forget to do our part to prevent car accidents.

Unfortunately, some drivers thought that having fewer cars on the road this past couple of months gave them a license to speed and drive recklessly. As a result, in many areas around the country, despite overall accidents being down, fatalities have gone up. Fatal accidents in Connecticut are 40% higher than last year, even though traffic is down 50%. And in Minnesota, fatalities are twice what they were last year. Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Missouri are likewise reporting that fatality rates for car accidents have risen during the pandemic.

Speeding has always been a leading factor in car crash deaths and highway officials say it is a big contributor to the current increase in fatalities. In many parts of the country, speeding tickets for people driving 20-40 miles per hour over the speed limit are up from last year. Highway patrols in California alone issued 2500 tickets to drivers going over 100 miles per hour.

snow-3916172_1920-300x200Winter is a time many people look forward to every year. It can be beautiful outside and cozy inside, with warm nights spent by the fire with good food and better company. However, getting to those warm nights can be a slippery slope. Snow, ice, and sleet can make for a disastrous day when it comes to driving.

Seventy percent of the roads and the population in the United States are in snowy regions and 17% of all crashes occur during winter weather. Research done by AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that almost half a million crashes and 2,000 road deaths are caused every year by poor road conditions or bad weather conditions in the United States. With scary statistics like that, it is important to take as many precautions as possible to keep yourself safe during these bad weather months. So, we’ve compiled a list of do’s and don’ts to help you avoid a serious winter car accident.

Do:

The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day is a time for sun, fun, and vacation for many. Summer is here, and while this is a great timeadult-1866883_1920-3-300x225 for families to take it easy, it is not time for parents to relax when it comes to keeping their kids safe. In fact, the AAA Foundation refers to the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the “100 Deadliest Days” of summer because, on average, two teenagers die every day during these 100 days – an increase of 26% compared to other months of the year.  Car crashes are the leading cause of death for these teenagers, who also have the highest crash rate for any age group.

According to statistics, the primary cause of these deadly car crashes is distracted driving, which accounts for 60% of all teen crashes. And teens report that distracted driving involves more than just cell phones. In fact, the top distraction for teens—accounting for 15% of all crashes— is passengers distracting the driver. Cell phones are the second biggest distraction, causing 12% of all teen-related crashes.

Other than distracted driving, impaired driving, and a failure to follow the rules of the road also account for a large percentage of teen crashes, injuries, and fatalities.

Winter is here and accidents are already on the rise. Here are a few basic tips as we navigate the busiest time of year for auto accidents.car-3013041_1920-thumb-300x192-107996-thumb-300x192-107997-300x192

If you’re involved in an accident during a snowstorm, you may be asked to file a report at a later time since police may be unable to respond to every auto accident. Do file a report with the police right away and be sure to notify your insurance carrier immediately. In addition, it is important that you seek medical help right away if you’ve been injured. Having a gap or lapse in your medical treatment will prolong your recovery time and make insurance carriers wary of your claim.

If you have been injured and you have group health insurance coverage, you need to use it to pay your medical bills. Your group health insurance has contracts with the medical providers and typically obtains reductions of about 50% from the medical providers. Use your auto insurance med-pay coverage to cover anything your health insurance does not cover!

Thumbnail image for car-831928_1920.jpgCar crashes happen thousands of times a year and can have devastating impacts on families throughout Illinois. In fact, the past few years have been some of the deadliest years for drivers in American history. If you get in an accident, there are a few things you need to do to ensure that you are making the best of a bad situation and protecting yourself. I deal with these issues in my practice every day. Here are some helpful tips in the event that you are in an accident.

Be Prepared

  • Make sure your insurance information, photo identification, and a copy of the registration to your vehicle are easily accessible. I also suggest that my clients have a photograph of their license, insurance information, and registration on their smartphones.
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