Author Archives: abryant633

Chicago May Lightfoot Introduced New Parking Ticket Ordinance

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According to various news outlets, including the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced a new city ordinance aimed at cracking down on drivers that are blocking bus and bike lanes.

If passed, the new law would allow parking enforcement aides to take a picture of a motorist parked in a bus or bicycle lane and mail the violation to the address of the license plate holder. The fines will range from $60 to $150. Currently, the ticket can only be issued if the vehicle is parked in a bus lane or bike lane. If someone drives off to avoid the ticket — even while a citation is being written — the parking enforcement aide is out of luck.

According to Mayor Lightfoots office, the purpose of the law to help decrease traffic congestion in the downtown loop. We already know that this has been a major focus for her office as she passed sweeping changes to downtown traffic laws in her most recent city budget. These changes included rate hikes for ride share companies in the downtown area and during peak rush hour time periods.

I applaud this new law as it aims to protect public transportation and bicyclists in the city. The whole purpose of designating lanes for buses and bicyclists is to encourage more people to use public transportation and to make life safer for bicyclists. How can that mission be protected if motorists continue to ignore the laws by blocking these lanes? I will be following this closely to see if the city council passes this proposed law.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago injury attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Illinois Legislator Wants To Increase Speed Limits

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Illinois State Senator, Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, has introduced two (2) bills that would increase the speed limit on Illinois interstates and highways. Senate Bill 2565 would raise the speed limit to 75 mph on interstates outside urban areas. Senate Bill 2564 would increase the speed limit on highways outside urban areas to a maximum of 60 mph from 55 mph.

These bills have faced opposition from safety groups and insurance companies, including AAA.

The Institute for Highway Safety found there is an 8% increase in fatal traffic accidents for every 5 mph increase in the speed limit. And the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says speed is a factor in 39% of fatal crashes in Illinois. The national average is 28%. The American Automobile Association, or AAA is opposing the bill releasing the following statement to the media: “This would be a dangerous step in the wrong direction, putting Illinois’ recent gains in traffic safety into serious jeopardy.”

These bills were assigned to the Transportation Committee last month. The bills cannot be voted on until they pass through committee approval before being voted on by the Senate or House. I have not seen any news recently that these bills will voted on or that there is a push to have these measures passed.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an Illinois Traffic Accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago accident lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Illinois Adds Zipper Merge To Its’ Rules Of The Road

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I wrote in the my last post about the new Illinois traffic laws that went into effect at the beginning of the year. One of those new laws is the inclusion into the Illinois rules of the is is known as the zipper merge. The Illinois Rules of Road handbook for student drivers will now include an explanation of a zipper merge.

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”), a zipper merge is when there is a lane closure due to the recent construction by a DX2 or a traffic accident, drivers are to fill in both lanes all the way up to the merge point, at which point motorists will then have to take turns merging into the single lane. Traffic experts believe that is the quickest way to get through construction sites and entrances on highways during busy season. According to a 2013 Minnesota study, using the zipper merge reduces the length of traffic backups by as much as 40%, reduces congestion, creates a sense of fairness with everyone moving at the same speed, and reduces road rage.

This is the opposite of how most drivers have been operating for years. Typically, most drivers will get in line the lane that remains open after the merge. The challenge for the state is re-training drivers that the most efficient and safe way to drive is to fill both lanes. That is why all new drivers are learning this new method in the Rules of the Road handbook.

It will be interesting to see if motorists follow this new method as we see road construction all over the Chicago area during the spring and summer. I will also be looking to see if IDOT includes specific signage at construction sites that indicates to drivers that both lanes are available and should be used up until the merge point.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

New Illinois Traffic Laws For 2020

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It is 2020 and several new traffic laws took effect at the beginning of this year. Most significantly, Scott’s Law, a traffic measure to protect police and safety workers, was provided some new tweaks. The original law, also known as the “move over law,” requires drivers to reduce speed and switch lanes to give first-responders on the side of the road more space when their hazard lights are flashing. Due to the tragic deaths of 2 Illinois State Troopers in 2019, the Illinois general assembly made the following changes to Scott’s Law:

-The minimum fine for violating Scott’s Law will increase from $100 to $250 for the first violation, and $750 for the second violation.

-Those who violate Scott’s Law and cause an injury or death will be charged with a Class 4 felony.

-The Scott’s Law Fund will be created to educate motorists on the importance of Scott’s Law. This will be funded by a $250 assessment fee for any violation of Scott’s Law.

-The Illinois Secretary of State will be required to include at least one question about Scott’s Law on the written driving test.

Below are some of the other new traffic laws:

Construction Zone (SB 1496) – Increase the maximum penalty for hitting a construction worker to $25,000 (Currently $10,000).

Vehicle Code-Use of Video Devices (SB 86) – Clarifies that people cannot stream videos on a cell phone while they are driving.

Vehicle Code-Tinted Lights (SB 87) – Bans tinted headlights from being installed on cars.

Non-Highway Vehicle-55 MPH (HB 2068) – Provides that a person may operate an all-terrain vehicle or recreational off-highway vehicle on a roadway with a speed limit of 55 MPH or less (rather than 35 miles per hour or less).

Illinois Vehicle Code-School Buses (HB 1873) – Raises the mandatory fines for illegally passing a school bus from $150 to $300 for an initial violation and $500 to $1,000 for a future violation.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an Illinois traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Major League Baseball To Extend Netting At All 30 Ballparks

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Multiple news outlets, including ESPN.com, reported this week that all 30 Major League Baseball (“MLB”) parks will extend their protective netting beyond where they currently sit as of the end of the 2019 season.

While at the Winter Meetings, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, told reporters that the netting at all ballpark stadiums will extend beyond the duguouts (where the teams sit), but that each stadium will be different. “Seven clubs will have netting that extends all the way to the foul pole,” Manfred said. “Fifteen additional clubs are expanding netting for the 2020 season. There is some variation in this group of 15, but, in general, they are extending netting past the end of the dugout to the elbow in the outfield where the stands begin to angle away from the field of play.”

The Chicago White Sox were the first team to extend netting all the way to the outfield foul poles, which essentially protects all fans on the lower level from foul balls and broken bats that inadvertently fly in the stands.

There have been calls from the media and fans to extend netting at all the ballparks after a series of fan injuries, including the serious injury to a young girl this past season in Houston. MLB is doing the right thing in this situation. I have discussed on this blog in the past that Courts throughout the country have rarely held the MLB or individual teams liable for fan injuries from fly balls. This has been referred to in common law as the baseball rule which says that fans by buying a ticket they are assuming the risk that they could be injured at a game by a ball or a bat flying into the stands. I have criticized this rule over and over again because as the injuries continued, many teams were reluctant to expand their protective netting. The MLB, which knows they probably won’t be held liable in court, is still doing the right thing by expanding the netting at all the stadiums.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago personal injury accident or Chicago truck accident, then Call Chicago accident attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076

Chicago City Counsel Passes Tax On Ride-Shares

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I wrote several weeks back about Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s budget proposal and her ideas to help reduce traffic conditions downtown. Her idea to increase taxes on ride-shares in the downtown loop area passed this week by the Chicago city counsel when they approved the 2020 budget.

Lightfoot’s office foresee’s this tax revenue will raise $40 million for the city, which will then be used to improve the busing lanes that lead in and out of downtown. The entire purpose, according to Lightfoot’s office, is an attempt to decrease congestion in the downtown loop during peak rush hours. The increased downtown fees would apply between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., when traffic is worst. The rest of the time, trips downtown would have the same fees as the rest of the city.

The combined city taxes on a solo Uber, Lyft, of Via trip that starts or ends downtown will rise from 72 cents to $3. The taxes on a shared ride downtown would rise from 72 cents per trip to $1.25 per trip.

For the purposes of the congestion tax, the boundaries of downtown would be North Avenue from Lake Shore Drive to the north branch of the Chicago River, the north branch of the Chicago River from North Avenue to Grand Avenue, Grand Avenue from the north branch of the river to Ashland Avenue, Ashland from Grand to Van Buren Street, Van Buren from Ashland to Desplaines Street, Desplaines from Van Buren to Roosevelt Road, and Roosevelt from Desplaines to Lake Shore Drive.

Both Uber and Lyft have criticized this tax as they have stated it hurts low income passengers who need the app to travel downtown. This did not deter Lightfoot or the city council as the budget passed 37 to 11.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago CTA accident or Chicago truck crash, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

How To Prepare For Thanksgiving Travel Week

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According to AAA, the 2019 Thanksgiving Holiday will be the busiest travel week of all time. AAA estimates more than 55 million travelers this year. 49.3 million Americans are expected to travel by automobile, which would be the most since 2005 and a 2.8% increase from last year.

With that in mind the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Illinois State Police have provided the following travel tips, including what to bring with you before you hit the road. This is incredibly important this year as parts of central and southern Illinois could be hit with a couple different winter storms.

Cell phone and charger
• First aid kit
• Water and high-calorie, non-perishable food
• Boots, hats, gloves and extra clothing to keep dry
• Blanket
• Crank radio and flashlight
• Sack of sand or cat litter
• Shovel
• Windshield scraper and brush
• Tool kit and tow rope
• Booster cables
• Compass and road maps

Be careful this week if you are traveling by car to see family and friends. You could be faced with nasty weather along with an abnormal number of vehicles on the road.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago truck accident or Illinois traffic accident, then call Chicago accident attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076

Chicago Traffic Fatalities Down In 2019

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There is encouraging news in Chicago traffic news. Traffic fatalities are down 30% in the city compared to this time last year. There were 108 traffic deaths through October 2018 compared to 77 so far this year.

This is good news for the city and particularly the cities’ transportation department which implemented “Vision Zero,” a plan aimed to eliminate all traffic fatalities in Chicago by 2026. Vision Zero’s plan includes changing intersections to make them safer, road user education and improving transit use in high crash areas, is an international road safety project.

The plan is also using used crash data to identify high-crash corridors and areas, which were prioritized for safety improvements. The areas include downtown Chicago and seven neighborhoods, such as Belmont-Cragin on the Northwest Side and Englewood on the South Side.

I don’t think anyone can say at this point what has caused the decrease in traffic deaths. I think we all hope that the money and time spent by Vision Zero is making our streets safer. I think a more detailed look at the data on the type and location of the traffic accidents will help us answer those questions. Let’s hope this trend continues.

If you or a loved one has been seroiusly injured in a Chicago truck accident or Chicago car crash, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J . Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Suburban Chicago Police Departments Focused On Driver Safety Over Halloween

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According to Patch.com, the St. Charles and Crystal Lake, Illinois police departments are cracking down on drunk drivers and taking extra precautions to promote safety for Halloween on Thursday.

The St. Charles and Crystal Lake police departments announced they will be conducting DUI and seat belt enforcement, in support of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP). According to a police department news release, motorists are reminded to fasten their seat belts or risk receiving a ticket, during the campaign period, which continues through Nov. 3. The enforcement campaign is taking place along with the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over/Click It or Ticket programs.

The Crystal Lake police also provided the following tips to help make everyone’s Halloween more safe:

Plan a safe way to get home before you attend a party.
-Give your designated driver your keys before you go out.
-If you are drunk or impaired by marijuana or other drugs, call a taxi, take mass transit, use your favorite ride-sharing service, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
-Promptly report drunk drivers to law enforcement by pulling over and dialing 911.
-Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears their seat belt. Not only is it the law, it’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation.

Chicago Mayor Proposes Rideshare Tax Increase

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot addressed the city council and the media earlier this week to discuss her proposed budget. I wrote about part of her plan in my last post. As discussed, Lightfoot has earmarked $20 million towards Chicago’s department of transportation to help improve bus lines in and around downtown. The goal is to make bus trips quicker and to encourage for CTA riders, which in turn will hopefully decrease the amount of traffic congestion downtown.

Lightfoot also proposed drastic increases to rideshares that take place in the downtown loop corridor. Her reasoning is first to raise money to fill a budget gap, and also to hopefully decrease the amount of Uber and Lyft vehicles clogging the dowtown area.

Chicago Curbed provided a nice of summaary of the proposed increases: ” Across the city, single riders will pay $1.25, about 53 cents more than they do now. In a special downtown zone, single trips fees will add up to $3 which will total to $2.28 more than riders pay now. Opting for a shared trip in the downtown zone will cost riders $1.25 in fees, about 53 cents more than now. The only riders to pay less in fees, only 7 cents, are those selecting shared rides in neighborhoods outside the downtown zone. “

I understand that many local residents will be upset about this new fees should the proposal pass. But similar fees are already going on in big cities like New York and San Francisco. There is a clear traffic congestion problem downtown, which has been caused, in party, by the increase in the number of rideshare vehicles swamping the loop during rush hour. I understand Lightfoot’s reasoning hear and would not be opposed seeing this within the new budget.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076