Author Archives: abryant633

Safety Tips For Halloween and Taking Your Kids Trick Or Treating

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Halloween is right around the corner
and you can bet that your neighborhood will be packed with vehicle traffic and children walking out and about. The Chicago Tribune reported
recently some safety tips provided by Lake County police to keep your children
safe. Although checking candy is important, police insist that traffic is the
biggest safety concern on Halloween night. 

The first tip is for drivers to be
cautious and wary of children crossing the streets. Do not speed and make complete stops and stop signs and pedestrian crossings. Pedestrians always should walk in crosswalks and be
aware of traffic.  In addition, parents should make sure costumes correctly fit their
children so they do not fall and that masks are not inhibiting kids’
vision. 

Finally, it is recommended
that children where some sort of reflective tape or fabric on their costumes so
that they are visible to drivers.

If you or someone
you love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago pedestrian accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384

Chicago Speed Cameras Began Issuing Tickets This Week

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CBS Chicago reported this week that the first ten speeder
cameras at various parks and schools began issuing tickets. Drivers who are
caught speeding by the cameras will be issued one warning before being issued
an actual ticket. The fines range between $35 and $100. Initially drivers will
be fined for driving over ten mph but that will eventually be lowered to six
mph. The city also has plans to expand the number of cameras up to fifty within
the next several months. The city has said the cameras will be placed only at
so-called “Children’s Safety Zones” within 1/8 mile of parks or
schools. Cameras placed at parks would operate only when the parks are
open. Cameras placed at schools would operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on school
days.

City officials continue
to refute that the cameras were installed as a money making venture. Chicago Department of
Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein disagreed with those who think the
city’s only trying to raise money with the cameras. “This idea that
speeding is not breaking the law is silly,” he said. Klein said, in other
cities that have installed speed cameras, speeding have gone down dramatically.

I am
eagerly awaiting the number of tickets that are issued and how much money the
city earns from these cameras. Further, I will be interested to see if the
number of car accidents and pedestrian accidents decreases in the areas
compared to parts of the city without cameras. 

If
you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago pedestrian accident or
Chicago car accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant
for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384. 

NTSB Issues Statement On Chicago Blue Line Crash

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The Chicago
Tribune reported over the weekend that the National Traffic Safety
Board (“NTSB”) issued a report on the rogue “ghost train” that slammed
into another train at the Harlem stop. According to the NTSB, the ghost train
that did not have a conductor or any passengers had
been left with the power still on in a storage yard by CTA workers.
 Apparently, the unoccupied CTA trains are “routinely left powered-up
while stored and with the brake setting that would allow movement.’’

The
runaway four-car train was parked in the yard, at the western terminus of the
Forest Park branch, with power to the propulsion system, lights and other
equipment activated for possibly days before the incident, said a source close
to the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity.


The new developments surfaced as the NTSB issued
two “urgent safety recommendations’’ Friday addressing “the need for redundant
protection to prevent unintended train movements on the CTA system.’’

CTA
officials have yet to make any comments regarding this report from the NTSB. I
think everyone from the injured passengers to the CTA should be grateful that
there were not any life threatening injuries as a result of the accident. No
other details have been released about the type of injuries involved in this
train accident. I think the CTA should expect lawsuits on this matter and will
need to re-evaluate its practices for their parked trains.

If you
or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago CTA accident or Chicago trainaccident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a freelegal consultation at 312-588-3384. 

CTA Blue Line Collision Leaves Dozens Injured

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As several local Chicago
news outlets, including CBS Chicago, reported Monday that two Blue
Line trains collided head on at the Forest Park stop, leaving dozens injured.
The puzzling part about this train accident is that one of the trains was
running without a conductor. 

According to a personal injury lawyer, police were investigating the possibility that somebody deliberately caused the train accident. However, CTA and federal officials believe the crash was likely an
accident. The National Transportation Safety Board was in charge of the
investigation. Suspicion that the train was stolen or hijacked was raised
because the train that caused the train crash only had four cars. Rush hour trains
typically have many more cars and would not have left the train yard with so
few cars. The CTA has confirmed
that the eastbound train was on the wrong tracks.

Of the 40 people that
were on the train sitting at the Forest Park stop, 33 were injured and treated
at local hospitals. 

The CTA will have
multiple questions to answer on how such an accident occurred. Apparently
surveillance cameras in the area where the rogue train would have taken off
were not working. I will update this once more questions are answered about
this unusual train accident.

Should you or someone
you love become injured in a Chicago train accident or Chicago bus accident,
then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384. 

Data Shows Illinois Motorcyclists Are Drinking And Driving At Higher Rate Than Other Motorists

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The Illinois Department of
Transportation (IDOT) recently collected auto accident data which revealed that
motorcyclists involved in fatal automobile crashes in the late afternoon and
early evening are more than twice as likely to have been driving under the
influence of alcohol.  IDOT and National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows for the 3 p.m. to 5:59
p.m. timeframe that 15 percent of motorcycle fatalities occurring during that
time involve a drunk rider compared to 6 percent of passenger vehiclefatalities during the same time. Data shows from 6 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. to be even
worse as 24 percent of motorcycle fatalities at that time involve a drunken
rider compared to 11 percent of passenger cars.   

“Whether
you are traveling in a vehicle or riding on a motorcycle, safety should be the
number one priority,” said ISP Colonel Michael Zerbonia. “Every second counts
when it comes to road safety and our officers will be enforcing all traffic
laws and reminding motorists that seat belts save lives.”

In
2012 in Illinois, 148 motorcyclists died in motor vehicle crashes. That was a
slight increase from 2011 motorcycle fatalities when 145 motorcyclists lost
their lives. Motorcycle riders continue to be over-represented in Illinoismotor vehicle crash fatalities. In 2012, motorcycles made up 3 percent of all
registered motor vehicles, yet motorcycle riders represented more than 15
percent of all motor vehicle fatalities.

Obviously
drinking while driving any type of vehicle is incredibly dangerous but the
higher rates for motorcycle driver fatalities is incredibly alarming. The
penalties and criminal implications are the same whether driving drunk in a car
versus a motorcycle, but it appears that more awareness needs to be made for
motorcycle drivers as they are left exposed while riding atop their bikes
unprotected. I will be keeping an eye out to see if IDOT or any other entity
spreads awareness on the danger of drinking while driving a motorcycle.

If
you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago motorcycle accident or
Chicago car accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant
for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384. 

Chicago To Add 50 New Speeder Cameras Around City

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I have written multiple times in the
past about Chicago speeder cameras. Like many residents and media members, I
have been skeptical as to whether the cameras are a money grab for the city or
are actually being placed to make our city safer. Like them or not, NBC
5 reported last week that the city has approved 50 new cameras
throughout the city. You can see the complete list by clicking here. 

The first group of 4 cameras were installed on Monday August
26, the first day of classes for Chicago Public
Schools students. Another eight cameras were scheduled to be installed in
September. Another 50 will be installed by the end of the year. Drivers
will receive warnings for the first 30 days after a camera is activated in any
specific “safety zone” around a school or park. After that, drivers
will be fined $35 for travelling 6 to 10 miles per hour over the posted speed
limit, and $100 for travelling 11 or more miles over the posted speed limit.
 

Enforcement times will be limited to
7 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays in school zones, with a 20 mph speed limist from from
7 a.m.-4 p.m. when children are present, and a 30 mph speed limit from 4-7 p.m.
A 30 mph speed limit will be enforced from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. every day of the week
in park zones


As I have said before, I will be interested to see the accident rates in these
locations after the cameras are installed. Hopefully this will create safer
school zones, less car accidents and ultimately eliminate any pedestrianaccidents.

If you or someone you love has
been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago pedestrian accident, then
call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free legal consultation
at 312-588-3384. 

New IL Law Allows Electronic Proof Of Auto Insurance

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I wrote a few months back about a
new law that would raise the minimum requirement for Illinois auto insurance up
to $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident, up from $20,000 and
$40,000. This bill has not been signed by Governor Quinn yet, but another
interesting auto insurance bill was signed last week. According to the Herald-Review.com,
Governor Quinn did sign a bill that allows drivers to show proof of auto insurance
electronically from their phone. Country
Financial, a Bloomington, IL based insurance company said customers can
download a copy of their insurance card from the company website, said
spokesman Christopher Stroisch.  “We wanted to make it easy for our
customers to access their commercial truck insurance. Most people wouldn’t think of
leaving their house without their phone, but they may not remember to put their
newest insurance card into their vehicle,” Stroisch said in an email Friday.

Although I
primarily handle personal injury cases and auto accidents, I do represent
clients charged with traffic violations, including no insurance tickets. On its
face this seems like a logical bill to pass as often times drivers lose the
paper version of their proof of insurance. But what if drivers leave home
without their phone or forget to download the proof of insurance on their
phone? Well, the short answer is they will still receive a ticket and will have
to appear in court to show proof before having the ticket dismissed. My advice
is to download proof of insurance on your phone (if available) but also keep a
hard copy of your insurance in your glove compartment just in case you leave
home without your phone.

If you or someone
you love has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident,
then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant for a free legalconsultation at 312-588-3384. 

  

IL Governor Quinn Signs Bill Increasing Speed Limit To 70 MPH

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I discussed on this blog
in the past about the bill increasing the Illinois speed limit on interstate
highways to 70 mph. As the Chicago Tribune reported last week,
Governor Quinn signed the bill into law. Quinn signed the measure despite opposition
from the Illinois Department of Transportation, state police and leading
roadway safety organizations, who feared increased mayhem on the highways,
especially between cars and trucks. 

The speed limit in
Illinois is 55 mph in metropolitan areas and 65 on rural highways. But on
January 1, 2013, Illinois will become the 37th state to approve
limits of 70 mph or higher since the national speed limit was repealed almost two
decades ago. Under the measure, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will
counties could keep their maximum speed limits below 70 mph if they so choose.
Opponents argue that higher speeds will lead to an increase in trafficfatalities and make it more difficult for large trucks to stop to avoid vehiclecollisions.

I believe this is a
legitimate concern raised by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Some of
the most violent auto accidents occur when a 16 wheeler truck is unable to stop
on time and they end up rear-ending much smaller vehicles. The chance for
injuries as a result of these auto accidents are much higher now as trucks will
be driving at higher rates. I will be interested in seeing a year or two of
studies that will tell us whether (a) there are more auto accidents on highways
that have the 70 mph limit, and (b) whether significant injuries and fatalities
rise.

If you or someone you
love has been injured in a Chicago truck accident or Chicago car crash, then
call Chicago personal injury attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384. 

Cook County Traffic Courts To Review Driver Backgrounds Much More Closely

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The Chicago
Tribune reported last week that the city and county prosecutors are
going to provide traffic court judges with a more detailed driving background
for those charged with speeding tickets. Typically in the past drivers who were
charged with a speeding ticket in Cook County would only have their Illinois
driving record examined before a plea offer was made. As long as the driver had
less than three (3) speeding tickets within a year’s time, then they would be
eligible for court supervision. Court supervision is a limited type of
probation, which if completed (no other traffic or criminal violations within a
set period of time), then the ticket was removed from the driver’s records and
it was not considered a conviction. Typically, a plea agreement involving
supervision also involves the payment of a fine and court costs, and
occasionally community service. 

The Tribune reported that traffic judges will now have
a driver’s complete driving history at their disposal, which will include any
out of state tickets received within the last year.

Under the new process,
which is scheduled to begin next month, county clerk’s office will
electronically transmit the names and driver’s license numbers for all the
minor traffic cases to the secretary of states’ office, which will run the
driver’s name through a national database.

Prosecutors will then
have the information available to present to the judge when the defendant
appears in court. “This is a tremendous leap forward in (judges’) ability to
help keep the public safe by keeping dangerous drivers off the road,” said
Lynda Peters, who supervises Chicago’s traffic court prosecutors.

This creates an issue
for many Cook County drivers who like to speed and are prone to tickets. Three
(3) speeding convictions within a year can result in a suspension of the driver’s
license. Time will tell whether this new process actually leads to fewer
speeders on the road and, more importantly, leads to less car accidents.

If someone you love has
been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident,
then call Chicago personal injury attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384

Chicago Officials Deem Speeder Light Cameras Effective

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The Inquisitr reported recently that Chicago officials have
come out to say that the much maligned speeder cameras are working better than
expected and could earn the city much more money than they initially
envisioned. Officials in the city are now
preparing to install the programs first permanent cameras at four neighborhood
parks. Those cameras will be followed by eight additional locations, including
three near schools over the next month. The December trial, which included two
companies vying for the city contract, caught 93,000 speeders at four
locations. Based on those numbers and a five-year contract with Chicago could
mean upwards of one million tickets per year or over five million over the
five-year contract. 

The
system comes with a warning for a driver’s first violation followed by a ticket
of $100 if they travel 11MPH or more over the posted speed limit. A $35 ticket
will be issued for second time offenders who travel 6 to 10MPH over the speed
limit.

This is interesting information that The Inquisitr has
reported, but there is almost no comment from the city regarding safety. Are
parks and school areas safer due to these cameras? Mayor Emanual scoffed at the
notion that these cameras were being placed to earn extra revenue for the city.
He has been quoted over and over that these were being implemented to protect
children. I will believe that these cameras are a success once the city or some
independent entity publishes actual statistics that car accidents – – and more
importantly – – pedestrian accidents are down in these designated areas.

If you or someone you
love has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago pedestrianaccident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney Aaron Bryant at
312-588-3384 for a free legal consultation.