Category Archives: Distracted Driving

Number Of Distracted Driving Tickets In Illinois Has Tripled

Date
Posted by

According to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, the number of cell phone tickets issued by Illinois State Police have tripled from this time last year. According to the report. From January 1 to April 30 of this year, state police wrote 3,307 tickets for distracted driving, nearly triple the number during the same period of 2013. 

A first offense for driving and using a cell phone draws a $75 fine. If the distracted driver causes a car crash that injures someone, they can be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable up to a year in jail. In Chicago, which had a total ban on cell phone use while driving prior to the state ban, police have issued 16,500 tickets so far this year.
I have written on this subject numerous times in the past and continuously called for stiffer penalties. I was happy to see the state step up and issue the complete ban, which started in 2014. I think a Class A misdemeanor charge is appropriate for distracted drivers cause a traffic accident that results in an injury (this is the same level of charge for a first time DUI). I think a $75 fine for a first time offense may be a little bit too lenient. Drivers are not putting down their phones, which is obvious by the increased number of tickets. If the state (and city of Chicago) want to prevent distracted driving then they should increase the fine and/or make it a moving violation.
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 legal consultation at 312-588-3384. 

Does ADHD Increase The Chance Of Car Accidents

Date
Posted by

As we all know there are multiple
causes for auto accidents. Causes can range from texting and driving to
drinking and driving. Another cause is simply not paying attention while on the
road. According to psychcentral.com, a major cause for drivers not focusing on
the road is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD). The website believes that
medication that treats this condition will help adults to pay attention to the
road and help prevent car accidents. 

 The site a Swedish study discovered that up to half of the
traffic accidents involving men with ADHD could be avoided if the men were
taking medication for their condition.  Investigators studied 17,000
individuals with ADHD over a period of four years (2006-2009) using various
population health’ registers.

They then
analyzed the risk of traffic accidents for individuals diagnosed with ADHD
and how ADHD medication influences this risk. 

“Even
though many people with ADHD are doing well, our results indicate that the
disorder may have very serious consequences,” said Henrik Larsson, Ph.D.,
associate professor at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and
Biostatistics.

The study
also demonstrates in several different ways that the risk of traffic accidents in adult men with ADHD significantly reduces if their condition is
treated with medication.

In the
study, researchers discovered the incidence of traffic accidents was lower
among men with ADHD who received medication than among men with ADHD who did
not.

This is an
interesting study, which raises multiple questions. Why do drivers feel the
need to pick up their phones while driving? Also, is the lack of medication
causing drivers to lose focus on what is in front of them? I think the answer
to the second question is yes. The first question is less clear. Not every
driver that uses their phone while driving has ADHD, but is constant phone use
making the condition worse, or worse, causing ADHD drivers to pick up their
phone more often. I don’t think there is an easy answer but there would
definitely need to be more research done. I do think it is clear that if you
have been diagnosed with ADHD and you plan on driving, then please take your
medication. You could help save your own life and the lives of others.

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

Illinois State Police Cracking Down On Distracted Driving

Date
Posted by

The
Chicago Sun-Times reported
recently on the efforts of the Illinois State Police to crack down on
distracted driving, including a warning issued to a man who was shaving while
driving down the Kennedy Expressway. Yes, just like texting, shaving while
driving is distracting and can cause auto accidents. Spotters were looking down
on the southbound lanes of the Kennedy at both Montrose and Addison, alerting
other troopers which cars to stop. One trooper also was shooting video of
distracted drivers, said Illinois State Police Lt. David Byrd.  135 motorists were ticketed for distracted driving
between 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. in one morning last month, said Monique Bond, a
spokeswoman for the Illinois State Police. The tickets carry a $120 fine.

Electronic
signs on the Kennedy warn drivers of the anti-texting operation. A Chicago
ordinance bans drivers from talking on their phones, but state police don’t
enforce it, Byrd said. State troopers will enforce a statewide ban when it
takes effect Jan. 1, he said.

That’s right. Starting
January 1, 2014, a state-wide ban of hand held devices while driving goes into
effect. This will require any driver to use a blue to tooth or hands free phone
device when driving.

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

Oak Park, IL Considers Ban On Eating & Driving

Date
Posted by

It is illegal to text and drive and Illinois. The law was enacted to prevent distracted drivers from causing car accidents. It was reported today in the Local Trib online site, that the town of Oak Park, which is located just west of Chicago, is considering an ordinance that would outlaw eating and driving. This is another step by local governments to help curb distracted driving accidents in their communities. A benefit that the town pointed out was that if tickets were issued, and are contested, they would be heard at the Village court call rather than the Cook County court call in Maywood. This apparently apparently would help the officer logistically attend court.

The ordinance was referred to the village’s legal department and it is not known when it will come back to the board. Trustees will be planning the 2012 budget for the next two months before going on their annual December hiatus, so the ordinance might not be addressed until next year.

It will be interesting to see if other Chicago area towns follow in Oak Park’s footsteps if this new law passes.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago injury attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com.

Illinois Hosting Distracted Driving Summit This Week

Date
Posted by

I have written numerous times in the past about distracted driving and the dangers of texting and driving. The National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has hosted a distracted driving summit the past two (2) years, which has been aimed at sharing research and statistics and also spread the word about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. Illinois is getting into the act as they are hosting their own summit on Thursday April 21 in Addison, IL. 

The speakers for this event include:

Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation                                                                                                             

Jesse White, Secretary of State, Illinois                                                                                                                               

John D. Cullerton, Illinois Senate President                                                                                                                     ]

John D’Amico, Illinois Representative

The summit will include a victim impact panel, updates on new  and proposed changes in legislation, updates on research and, of course, keynote speeches by Secretaries LaHood and White.

It will be interesting to hear the outcomes from this event.

Remember, if you have been injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call
Chicago accident attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com.

Study Shows Texting And Driving Has Drastically Increased Amount Of Distracted Driving Accidents

Date
Posted by

A recent study from the University of North Texas revealed that the total number of distracted accidents has dramatically increased since 2001, the year text Messaging began.  The Chicago Tribune recently reported that the study showed that if text Messaging had never been invented, there would have been 1,925 traffic fatalities  per year due to distracted driving between 2002 and 2007. But in real life, they rose from 4,611 in 2001 to 5,988 in 2007. Below are some other startling statistics from the study:

  • The percentage of all traffic deaths  caused by distracted driving rose from 11% in 1999 to 16% in 2008.
  • Distracted-driving crashes are more common in urban areas. Overall, 40% of all crashes happened in urban areas in 2008, up from 33% a decade earlier.
  • Only one-third of Americans had a cellphone in 1999. By 2008, 91% of us did.
  • The average monthly volume of text messages was 1 million in 2002. By 2008, it was 110 million

    • If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident  or Chicago truck accident , then call Chicago personal injury attorney , Aaron Bryant, for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website at www.blgchicago.com

    AAA And Seventeen Magazine Team Up To Prevent Distracted Driving

    Date
    Posted by

    A survey by AAA and Seventeen magazine turned up some startling results on teen drivers. Of those surveyed, almost 90 percent admitted to partaking in distracted driving, including texting, talking on the phone and eating while driving. The teen drivers admitted this despite, 84 percent of them knowing that this is a dangerous practice.

    Of those surveyed, 73 percent have adjusted their radio/CD/MP3 player, 61 percent have eaten food, and 60 percent have talked on a cell phone while driving. The reasons teen drivers think it’s fine to engage in these distractions are varied: 41 percent think their action will only take a split second; 35 percent don’t think they’ll get hurt; 34 percent said they’re used to multitasking; and 32 percent don’t think that anything bad will happen to them.

    “It’s great that so many teens are able to identify the bad driving habits that will put them and their friends in danger. But the bigger challenge we face now is to give them the tools they need to stop driving while distracted,” says Ann Shoket, editor in chief of Seventeen magazine. “It’s our responsibility to keep our 13 million readers out of harm’s way.”

    This is a dangerous trend that needs to be addressed.  “Traffic crashes  are the leading cause of death for teen drivers and the proliferation of distracted driving among teens is a challenge all of us must face head-on,” said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet. “Because of their lack of driving experience and penchant to take risks, it’s imperative that teen drivers – like all drivers – remain focused behind the wheel at all times. AAA is pleased to partner with Seventeen to spread the anti-distracted driving message and help keep teen drivers safe.”

    Obviously I believe the key is to continue to preach to teens (and drivers of all ages), to put down their phones, soda bottles and snacks and focus on the road. As AAA points out in their studies, it only takes 2 seconds of looking away to cause a car crash .

    If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident  or Chicago truck accident , then call Chicago accident attorney  Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the law firm website at www.BLGCHICAGO.com