$12 Million Donation To Fund Separate Bike and Pedestrian Paths On Chicago’s Lake Front

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For once, some encouraging news came out recently from the City of Chicago. At the end of the year the city was announced the local hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, through urging from mayor Rahm Emanuel, will donate $12 million to the city to construct separated bicycle and pedestrian pathways on Chicago congested lakefront. The mayor’s office said in a statement the gift will help stretch the mayor’s earlier plan for creating the double paths on the North and South sides, between Fullerton and Ohio streets and 31st and 51st streets, along the whole lakefront. The work is already partially done and will be completed by 2018.

This is incredible news to thousand who bike and run up and down the pathway during Chicago’s warmer months. Anyone, who has spent time on the lakefront on a busy day can attest to how crowded it can be, and at times very dangerous. You can read here about a particularly nasty collision that took place in 2014.  As I have written in the past on this blog, there have been some dangerous collisions between bicyclists and runners on the lakefront. This new plan should hopefully provide enough space for everyone to safely enjoy that part of the city.

Interestingly though, the Chicago Tribune published an article last week that correctly points out that certain sections of construction plan may not be so easy. Specifically at areas like Belmont Harbor and Oak Street Beach, which are already very narrow stretches of pathway. It is something engineer and architects will have to study, and unfortunately may eat up some green space.

Regardless, as someone who frequents the lakefront path and someone who represents bicycle accident and pedestrian accident victims, I am incredibly encouraged by this news. I am also thankful to the generous donor. I think this will make the lakefront safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago bicycle accident or Chicago traffic accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

DePaul University Study Looks At Bicyclists Safety At Stop Lights

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The Chicago Tribune published an interesting story today regarding a DePaul University study that looked at the safety benefits of bicyclists stopping at all traffic lights.  DePaul’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development found that just 1 cyclist in 25 comes to a complete stop at stop signs, and 2 out of 3 go through red lights when there’s no cross traffic.

It must be pointed out the bicyclists in Illinois are required to obey the same rules of the road the vehicles follow and can be ticketed for the same violation. The question is whether it is safe for bicyclists to follow these same rules 100% of the time.

The study proposes that Illinois cities consider changing their laws and allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, and some red lights as stop signs, thus permitting cyclists to maintain their momentum. It’s known as the “Idaho stop” for a 1982 law in that state. The Idaho stop recognizes that sometimes it is safer for a cyclist to get out in front of traffic so he or she can be seen, rather than waiting obediently at the light and risk getting smacked by right-turning traffic when the light goes green. The DePaul study does not advocate the Idaho stop at all signaled intersections, and it suggests choosing those with lower traffic volumes or limiting it to late at night when traffic is light.

The Idaho Stop makes sense, especially in a heavily congested city like Chicago that has thousands of bicyclists commuting everyday. If every bicyclist came to a complete stop at every stop sign and every stop light, then I think we would see more traffic accidents. I think it would be more difficult for motorists to stop on time and we would see more vehicle and bicycle collisions.

If will be interesting to see whether the Illinois legislature takes a look at this study and decides to amend the current law.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago bicycle accident or Chicago traffic accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

 

IDOT Pushes “Winter Weather – Get It Together”

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If you live in the Chicago area, or really anywhere in the Midwest, you know that winter is upon us. We had our first snow last weekend and we are looking at upwards of 12 inches of snow through tonight in the Chicagoland area. The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) has been working hard to help drivers avoid traffic accidents and stay safe on the roads during the winter months. IDOT issued a press release recently called “Winter Weather – Get It Together,” which provides a list of driving tips to use when the roads are snowy and icy. Below is a list of driving tips:

  • Always wear a seat belt. It’s the law in Illinois.
  • Slow down. Slower speeds, slower acceleration, slower steering and slower braking all are required in winter driving conditions.
  • Drop it and drive. Put down the handheld devices – it, too, is the law in Illinois.
  • Don’t crowd the plow. A snow plow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see him, but he may not see you.
  • Avoid using cruise control in snow and ice.
  • Watch out for black ice on roads that appear clear but can be treacherous.
  • Be especially careful approaching intersections, ramps, bridges and shady areas. All of them are prone to icing.
  • Do not travel during bad weather unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to make a trip, check the forecast and make sure someone is aware of your travel route. Consider taking public transportation if it is an option.
  • Prepare an emergency car care kit that contains jumper cables, flares or reflectors, windshield washer fluid, a small ice scraper, traction material, blankets, non-perishable food and a first aid kit.
  • Carry a cell phone and a car charger in case of emergency.
  • Follow Scott’s Law. Slow down and move over for stopped emergency, construction and maintenance vehicles. ·
  • For more winter driving tips, check out this short IDOT video

Please be careful when driving in winter weather, but if you or someone you love is injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation. Call 312-614-1076 for a free legal consultation.

Chicago Announces Launch Of “Vision Zero” Aimed To Eliminate Traffic Deaths

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The Chicago Mayor’s office announced last month that it is launching “Vision Zero” action plan with the goal of eliminating all traffic deaths by 2026. In a press release may Rahm Emanuel state, ““Every day someone is injured or worse as the result of a car crash on Chicago’s streets… these crashes are preventable, and that is why we are stepping up our efforts, developing partnerships with communities and private industry. We are going to use all the resources at our disposal to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Chicago.”

All of the details of this new safety program will be released later this Fall, but the press release stated that the plan will look at traffic safety as a public health issue and identify priorities for the City’s engineering and education initiatives, as well as enforcement support for reducing crashes. City departments are currently working with stakeholders and the public to develop the final goals and strategies included in the plan. In 2016, more than 100 intersections will receive additional infrastructure to make it safer for people walking to cross the street. Among these is a Safe Routes to School project on the West Side that has installed 10 pedestrian refuge islands along Madison Street and Chicago Avenue. There are 10 schools located within a half-mile of these high crash areas. The City is also enhancing safety by making traffic signal improvements, resurfacing hundreds of miles of streets, installing speed feedback signs, and adding or improving 25 miles of bike lanes this year.

The city is treating this as a public health issue, as they should. Chicago has seen six bicycle traffic fatalities this year. That number equals the total number of bicycle traffic deaths from last year with three months still yet to go in 2016. Chicago is at a crossroads right now with bicycle safety. Chicago was recently named the top bicycle friendly city in country by Bicycling Magazine. We have more bicycle commuters than ever along with Divvy bike riders crowding our roads. This is a good thing. So are all of the dedicated bike lanes. But bicycle traffic accidents and fatalities are still prevalent. Bicyclers and motorists need to learn to co-exist. We need to be mindful of each other and always observe the rules of the road. “Vision Zero” is the perfect stepping stone to help lead to a better co-existence between bicyclists and motorists. I will be writing more about the initiative once the full plan is announced.

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

Should Rideshare Companies Track Car Accident Statistics

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I read an interesting article in the Red Eye this week, that investigated whether companies like Uber, Lyft and Taxi companies track the number of traffic accidents their drivers are involved in. You can read the article here.

The answer to the above question is no. Not only do rideshare and cab companies not track their driver’s car accidents, but neither does the state. All car accidents in Illinois that are reported to law enforcement must include an Illinois Traffic Crash Report. The investigating agency must fill out the report, which includes all of the driver information, whether medical treatment was required, whether traffic citations were issued and, most often, which driver was at fault for the traffic accident. The report also includes a box to check whether a driver was in a commercial vehicle (i.e. a tour bust or commercial van etc..) The report does not include a rideshare or taxi company classification. So, in theory, it is incredible difficult to to track the number of car accidents are caused by rideshare and taxi companies each year.

Should this change? Should the city of Chicago or the state alter the traffic crash reports to include a section regarding rideshares and taxi companies? I think the answer is yes. How do we know how safe these companies and their drivers are? I think it would be beneficial to start tracking these accident and classifying the type of drivers involved. This type of data would help local and state legislators determine if stricter driver qualifications are required for Uber and Lyft drivers. Should background checks and stricter driver testing be required? I don’t know the answer but we could learn a lot more if there were actual statistics taken on the number of car crashes occur every year.

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

Chicago Area Amusement Park Lists Its’ Safety Precautions Following String Accidents At Other Parks

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It has been a dangerous summer at amusement parks around the United States. In a span of about ten days a boy died on a waterslide in Kansas City, three girls were injured after falling from a Ferris wheel in Tennessee and a boy was critically injured after falling from a roller coaster in Pittsburgh.

These recent accidents, no doubt, have amusement park operators around the country on edge. The Chicago Tribune reported last week that Six Flags Great America Park in Gurnee Illinois touted their daily safety procedures for all of their rides. According to Director of Park Operations Dameon Nelson, each ride goes through a full inspection process during the park’s offseason.  Ride tracks, trains and the ride system are checked daily before the park opens by maintenance technicians and operations staff. Each ride is put through a series of sessions to simulate different aspects of the ride, according to the park’s website.

A 2013 study by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital states that 92,885 children under 18 were treated in the U.S. for amusement ride injuries from 1990 to 2010. The study states an average of 4,423 are treated per year and 70 percent of the injuries are during the summer.  The data was collected from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for overseeing temporary parks, such as a county fair. Fixed-site facilities are overseen by state and local agencies. In Illinois, the state’s Department of Labor inspects all rides, and no rides can operate until they are insured and meet safety standards.

Inspections like those performed at Six Flags are necessary and it is refreshing to hear, but obviously that isn’t always enough. Especially in the four cases discussed above. Assuming inspections were made on all of those rides, something still went wrong and injuries were caused by either a defect in the design of the ride or a failure to find something faulty during inspections. The families of these children will most likely file personal injury claims based on premises liability. If lawsuits are filed they will most likely allege that there were dangerous conditions within the parks that the owners either knew or should have known about to protect their guests. I foresee a wrongful death lawsuit from the death of the young boy at the water park in Kansas City unless they are able to agree on a settlement outside of court.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago premises accident or an Illinois amusement park accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

 

Self-Driving Tesla Involved in Fatal Traffic Accident

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Self driving cars are the wave of the future. That is what you will hear from the people at Google and electric car manufacturer, Tesla. Manufacturers state that the technology is foolproof and completely safe. Unfortunately, this may not be true as of yet. News hit the wires over the weekend that a motorist whose Tesla vehicle was on autopilot while driving in Florida, was involved in a fatal car crash with semi tractor trailer.  According to news reports On May 7th at 3:40 p.m. on U.S. in Williston, Florida, 45-year-old Joshua Brown was killed when his Tesla Model S went under the trailer of an 18-wheel semi and the roof of his car was torn off by the impact.

According to Tesla’s press release, this is their assessment of what happened:

“Autopilot engaged when a tractor trailer drove across the highway perpendicular to the Model S. Neither Autopilot nor the driver noticed the white side of the tractor trailer against a brightly lit sky, so the brake was not applied. The high ride height of the trailer combined with its positioning across the road and the extremely rare circumstances of the impact caused the Model S to pass under the trailer, with the bottom of the trailer impacting the windshield of the Model S.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also responded fatal traffic accident on twitter. He stated that the Tesla’s radar did not detect the truck because of its height, and thus the radar probably confused it with an overhead traffic sign.

This is obviously a sad and tragic event. But it also proves that self driving cars are not immune to car accidents, let alone traffic fatalities. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating the accident. How does this event affect the family and/or estate of the deceased driver? Well, if it is found that the truck was at fault for negligently pulling out in front of the deceased, then the truck driver could be held accountable in a normal negligence and wrongful death cause of action. The family could also sue Tesla under a product liability or auto defect count. Their attorneys could plead and argue (with expert testimony) that Tesla’s safety system was defectively designed and built because it could not properly detect the difference between a truck and an overhead highway traffic sign.

Regardless, I believe it is fair to say the self driving vehicles are not completely safe and there may need to be modifications as the technology moves forward.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or from a Chicago auto defect, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Star Trek Actor Died In Vehicle That Was Recently Recalled For Auto Defect

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Multiple news outlets reported over the weekend about the freak and tragic death of Hollywood actor, Anton Yelchin, who died when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backwards in his driveway and pinned him against his mailbox pillar and security fence.

It turns out that the 2015 Jeep Cherokee was recently recalled for an auto defect based on complaints from drivers who had trouble telling if they had put the automatic transmissions in park. If they were not in park and a driver left the vehicle, it could roll away.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles was announced by automaker Fiat Chrysler in April.  As of April, the company had reports of 212 crashes, 41 injuries and 308 property damage claims potentially caused by the shifters, it said in documents filed with the government.

The recalled vehicles, including nearly 812,000 in the U.S., have an electronic shift lever that toggles forward or backward to let the driver select the gear instead of moving along a track like a conventional shifter. A light shows which gear is selected, but to get from drive to park, drivers must push the lever forward three times. The Grand Cherokee gear shifters were changed in the 2016 model year so that it works like those in older cars.

It is unclear at this time as to whether the defective gear shift was involved in Mr. Yelchin’s death or whether he had received the recall letter from Chrysler.

If you drive a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, it is highly urged that you take the vehicle into your dealer for defective gear to be replaced.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago auto defect case or Chicago traffic accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

IDOT Urging Pedestrians & Motorists To Pay Attention In Order to Avoid Accidents

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As I wrote recently, traffic accident and traffic fatalities were up in Illinois in 2015 from 2014 and appear to up again in 2016. More specifically, car accidents involving pedestrians are up in Illinois from this time last. The Chicago Tribune took note of these recent trend in article asking the question why? According to the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”), they are urging both pedestrians and drivers to put their phones down and focus on the the road in front of them.

“We urge pedestrians to use caution and common sense when crossing the street — use crosswalks where available and make sure to pay attention to your surroundings. We urge motorists to be cautious as well — be alert for pedestrians, especially when approaching intersections,” IDOT Secretary Randall Blankenhorn said in a statement.

Some local suburbs, including Naperville, are making an effort ticket distracted drivers. Naperville joined several other suburbs recently along the Route 59 corridor, including Aurora and Plainfield, as part of a joint enforcement campaign that gave out 32 citations for cellphone violations in a single day.

Is this enough? Probably not. It seems every time I’m driving around town I see drivers around me with their noses in their phones. This occurs all the time, and not always when at a stop light. So what is the solution? As I have written many times before, I believe Illinois needs harsher penalties for distracted drivers. Especially when there is a traffic accident, injury and certainly a fatality. This means higher fines and the threat of jail time.

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

Special Traffic Enforcement Coming For Memorial Day In Illinois

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The weather is warming up and the number of motorists on the road is increasing. This is especially true with the Memorial Day holiday weekend coming up. According to the Chicago Tribune, several area police department and the Illinois State police are instituting their annual traffic enforcement policies “drive sober or get pulled over” and “click it or ticket.”

Specifically, the Arlington Heights police department from May 16 through the 30 will be implementing seat belt enforcement zones, impaired driving saturation patrols, and a Roadside Safety Checkpoint. The checkpoint will take place of Saturday, May 21, 2016 on Arlington Heights Road south of Algonquin Road.

Officers working the campaigns will be attempting to identify and cite motorists who choose to drive without using their safety belts, are driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or are committing other traffic-related offenses. The campaigns are funded with federal traffic safety funds, which are administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation – Division of Transportation Safety.

Be careful over the coming holiday weekend. There will be a lot of travellers on the road and unfortunately some of them will be drinking and have their heads in their phone.

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 J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.