Category Archives: Safe Driving

Illinois Secretary Of State And AAA Team Up To Promote Safe Driving For Teens

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Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White, was out and about this week promoting a new website that is focus on safe driving for teens. The website, which was built with partner AAA (Illinoisteendriving.com) interactive site helps parents and teens manage the complex coming-of-age process by providing users with specific information based on Illinois laws and where they are in the learning process – from preparing to drive (pre-permit) through the learner’s permit and solo driving.

“Parents and teens alike have many questions about all aspects of the learning-to-drive process,” said Brad Roeber, AAA Chicago Regional President. “AAA has partnered with Illinois‘ foremost leader on teen driving, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, to combine the resources of his office with AAA’s to provide a comprehensive, best-in-class tool before, during and after teens learn to drive.”

The website will provide information about Illinois‘ graduated driver licensing (GDL) system, selecting a driving school and choosing the right vehicle for their teens. Parents will also learn more about some of the common risks associated with teen drivers. Among other topics, teens can take interactive quizzes to prepare for the driving exam, learn the real costs of owning a car, and learn the Illinois laws and fines.

“I am pleased and encouraged that the number of teen crash fatalities continues to drop since my Teen Driver Safety Task Force issued recommendations that led to the strengthening of Illinois‘ graduated driver licensing (GDL) program,” said Secretary White. “Since the stronger GDL program took effect in 2008, teen driving deaths have dropped by over 50 percent. This Web site acts as a wonderful compliment to the GDL Parent-Teen Driving Guide my office developed and will further help parents and teens steer safely through the driving process for years to come.  I commend AAA Chicago for their ongoing commitment to highway safety.”

This is an excellent initiative by Secretary White and we will see if this will help contribute in the overall decrease in serious car accidents  around the state that we have seen the last few years.

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

Illinois Traffic Safety Leaders Urge Safe Driving Over Halloween Weekend

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The Illinois Traffic Safety Leaders (ITSL) recently posted an article discussing the for drivers and pedestrians over Halloween and what can be done to keep you and your family safe.

The ITSL reported that  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2008, 58 percent of all highway fatalities across the nation on Halloween night (6 pm Oct. 31 to 5:59 am Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, which is illegal in every state.

“One foolish decision can turn a fun Halloween into a real-life horror story,” said ITSL Vice-President
Mike Rompala.  “There are simple precautions partygoers can take such as designating a sober driver in
advance or taking a taxi.”

ITSL also recommends these simple tips:        
        Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
        Before drinking,  please designate a sober driver;
        If you’re impaired, and haven’t designated a sober driver, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family      
member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely;
        Use your community’s Sober Rides program
        If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement

If you or someone you know is involved in a car accident or truck accident, then call attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.

Two Studies Confirm Teens With Supportive Parents Leads To Fewer Accidents

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Philadelphia Children’s Hospital released results to two recent studies that showed teens who communicate with their parents about their driving are involved in less accidents.

The studies are based on the nationally-representative National Young Driver Survey of more than 5,500 teenagers. The first study shows that teens who said their parents set clear rules, paid attention to where they were going and whom they were with, and did so in a supportive way were:

  • half as likely to crash
  • twice as likely to wear seat belts
  • 71 percent less likely to drive while intoxicated
  • 30 percent less likely to use a cell phone while driving

These findings are compared to teens who said their parents were less involved. 

A second study found that teens who reported being the main driver of a vehicle were twice as likely to be involved in a crash, compared with teens who said they shared a vehicle with other family members. Nearly 75 percent of the teens surveyed reported being the main driver of a car.

“Once they’re behind the wheel, teens have ultimate responsibility for their behavior” says Kenneth Ginsburg, MD, MSEd, co-author of the study. “But kids who said their parents set rules in a supportive way were half as likely to crash compared with teens who saw their parents as less involved.”

According to the researchers, there are specific things parents can do to keep teens safer around driving: set clear rules about driving; talk with kids about where they’re going and who they’re with; and make sure teens know the rules are in place because you care about them and their safety – not because you wish to control them. This approach may make it more likely they will tell you what is going on in their lives, helping you better follow through on the rules you set.”

The key here is to talk to your kids, know where they are going and who is riding in their car. Also, it appears that practicing safe driving tactics with you children in the car (like wearing your seatbelt and avoiding your cell phone) will positively influence your children by the time they can drive.

To read the entire article about the studies, which was released by State Farm, click here.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto or trucking accident, then contact attorney Aaron J. Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.

Federal Safe Driving Summit Announced

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As I previously noted in my accident blog, Illinois has considering stricter restrictions on the use of cell phones and message devices while driving. The federal government has now announced that they will be holding a summit in Washington D.C. on September 30 through October 1 to discuss enacting stricter regulations for drivers.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced that the agenda  for the Distracted Driving Summit  will include over 200 safety experts, researchers, elected officials and members of the public will gather in Washington, D.C. to share their experiences, provide feedback and develop recommendations for reducing the growing safety risk that distracted driving is imposing on our nation’s roads.

The Distracted Driving Summit will bring together respected leaders from around the country for interactive sessions on the extent and impact of the problem, current research, regulations, best practices and other key topics. The two day Summit will feature five panels – on data, research, technology, policy, and outreach – with a range of experts discussing each topic.

One of the panels will include a discussion on advances in technology, specifically, text messaging and emailing, and how it has affected drivers.

It is clear that the government is believes cell phones and messaging devices can cause serious distraction to drivers and we could see even stricter regulations. To read more about the summit, click here, for the department of transportation home page.

If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto or trucking accident, then call Attorney Aaron J. Bryant for free consultation at 312-588-3384.