Bicycling Magazine Ranks Chicago No. 2 Among Most Bicycle Friendly Cities

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According to Bicycling Magazine, Chicago now ranks as the second best city in the United States for bicyclists. Chicago was previously ranked number 5 in 2012 and number 10 in 2010.

The magazine cited the city’s Navy Pier Flyover construction project, the recent hike in fines for dooring cyclists, and the plans for new protected bike lanes as a few of the reasons Chicago rose in the rankings. It also applauded the city for helping Chicagoans “re-discover” cycling.  Although the magazine did not cite the rise in bike sharing, credit must be given to the city for its’ partnership with the company Divvy. Divvy bikes are available throughout the city for short term rentals, which has definitely increased the interest in bicycling in Chicago.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been taking a lot of heat for various issues such as the red light and speeder cameras, but credit must given for following through on his bicycling initiatives. He has made it a point to make the life for bicyclists much safer and has made bicycling much more accessible 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 attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

 

Odds Of A Vehicle – Deer Collisions In The U.S. Doubles In October, November & December

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State Farm insurance company released a study today that says that the odds of a U.S. driver colliding with a deer is about 1 out of 169. According to the study, those odds double over October, November and December due to deer hunting season.  “Periods of daily high-deer movement around dawn and dusk as well as seasonal behavior patterns, such as during the October-December breeding season, increase the risk for auto-deer collisions,” said Ron Regan, executive director for the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “Changes in collision rates from year to year are a reflection of changing deer densities or population levels – more deer in a given area increases the potential for collision. Deer populations are also affected by conditions such as new or improved roads with higher speeds near deer habitat, changes to hunting seasons to manage wildlife, winter conditions, and other related factors.”

State Farm provided a list of precautions when driving in areas that are high in deer population:

-Use extra caution in known deer zones.

-Always wear your seatbelt

At night, when there is no oncoming traffic, use high beams

-Avoid swerving when you see a deer Scan the road for deer and other danger signs

-Do not rely on devices such as deer whistles

Remember, if you are unfortunate enough to collide with a deer, and you are injured, you can be compensated for your injuries, medical bills and lost wages if you have uninsured motorist coverage. This is why it is so important to pay for full insurance coverage: including uninsured and underinsured.

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

New Illinois Bill No Longer Requires Ticketed Drivers Hand Over License As Bail

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The Chicago Tribune reported last month about a new bill that was signed into Illinois law that no longer requires drivers cited for traffic violations hand over their license to the Court as bail bondsman insuring they attend court or pay their fine. According to bail bond agents, certain speeding violations and other moving violations such as causing an accident would require the ticketed driver hand over their license to the police officer as bail. The arrest bail bonds said the driver would have their license returned to them by the judge at court after either pleading guilty or after the ticket was dismissed.

Senate Bill 2583, sponsored by Sen. Michael Noland, D-Elgin, and State Rep. John D’Amico, D-Chicago, goes into effect Jan. 1, 2015. “A driver’s license is an important form of identification, and without it many residents may run into problems during everyday situations when a valid ID is required,” Gov. Pat Quinn said in a statement. “This common sense legislation will allow law enforcement officials to continue doing their jobs while letting motorists hang onto a vital piece of identification.”

I think this bill makes sense and held little leverage over the heads of ticketed drivers. Drivers know, or at least soon find out, that failing to show up for court or paying their fine could lead to a suspended driver’s license or sometimes a warrant for their arrest.

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

Driver Cited In Chicago O’Hare Bus Crash

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There has been an update in the Chicago bus crash that injured 15 passengers as it approached O’Hare airport early Friday morning. According the NBC News Chicago, the bus driver was cited by Chicago police for failing to produce a valid license and failure to maintain her proper lane as she is alleged to have swerved into a median.

The failure to produce a license at the scene is not a serious charge as long as she can produce a valid license on her court date. If so, the ticket will be dismissed. The ticket for failing to stay in her proper lane will be more difficult to fight if the driver is unable to show there was an intervening cause for needing to swerve out of her lane. Further, pleading guilty to this ticket could be admissible as evidence of negligence in a civil case by the injured passengers. I think it is more than likely that we will see multiple civil lawsuits for personal injuries by the passengers against the bus driver and the bus company. I have not seen any news reports on who actually owns and operates this shuttle company. It is possible that a private company runs the shuttle, which is then hired by O’Hare airport. If that is the case, then both O’Hare airport and the shuttle company could be liable for the negligent actions of the bus driver. The owner and or employer are liable to the negligent actions of its employees if the actions were performed within the course and scope of their employment. This is referred to as respondeat superior.

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

15 Passengers Injured This Morning On Shuttle Bus Accident Near O’Hare Airport

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NBC Chicago, among other outlets, are reporting this morning that 15 passengers were injured during a shuttle bus accident on I-190 while heading in to Chicago O’Hare airport. Apparently the bus crashed into a median around 6:30 a.m. this morning, tossing passenger around in the bus. A total of 10 ambulances were called to the scene and 15 passengers were injured and taken to various hospitals around the city. Fire officials said four people were transported in critical condition, five in fair-to-serious condition, four in good condition and two people refused treatment.

Robert Gembala, another firefighter who also witnessed the crash, immediately rushed onto the bus and began assisting injured passengers.

“It was unbelievable what they did,” said firefighter Steve Siavelis, who was on the first fire truck to arrive at the scene.

Injuries varied, Sampey said, with passengers at the front of the bus experiencing the greatest impact.

“People were thrown around the bus,” he said. “Some were more critical than others.”

This is the second major accident that has happened in or around O’Hare this year. This Spring, a CTA blue line bus failed to stop when arriving at the airport and crashed up and over the tracks into an escalator. Several passengers were injured in that accident as well. Hopefully those critically injured this morning heal quickly and that there are no fatal injuries.

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

Illinois Governor Quinn Vetoes Ride Share Bills

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The Chicago Sun Times, Early & Often, political website reported yesterday that Governor Quinn had vetoed the controversial ride share bill that would have put restrictions on companies like Uber, Sidecar and Lyft.

The bill would have required rideshare companies to closely track how many hours each of their drivers averaged on their platforms. Those who offered rides more than 36 hours every two weeks would have to comply with safety regulations similar to taxi drivers — namely, obtaining a public chauffeur’s license, getting fingerprinted and submitting to a criminal background check. Additionally, the companies would have to provide commercial liability insurance identical to that which is required for taxis, for all its drivers — regardless of how many hours they spend on the platform. The governor’s veto ensures that Chicago’s less rigid ridesharing regulations championed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel will stand and take effect later this week.

This was a tough decision for Quinn as he was forced to balance both customer demand with thriving technology versus a protection of the old guard – – here being the taxi companies. The taxi companies are not happy at all as they are held to a much higher standard when it comes to background checks, training and fees for licensing. My issue was whether passengers, pedestrians and fellow drivers would be protected by enough insurance. I think the local ordinance passed in May in Chicago addressed this issue among others. As I wrote here, the local ordinance requires ride share companies and its’ drivers carry $1 million in commercial auto liability per incident while the driver has accepted a ride until the completion of the ride, $1million in commercial general liability per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage, and auto liability insurance to cover drivers when logged into app until the driver accepts a ride. Basically, this covered the loophole where drivers didn’t have any passengers in their vehicle but are actively searching for fares. The local ordinance also required a basic driver training course and clean driving record (no misdemeanors convictions such as DUI or reckless driving). It is an endless debate and there’s a chance that the veto is overridden as the original bills passed the Illinois House, 80-26 in June, and would require only 71 votes for an override. The Senate passed the measure 46-8, and would require only 36 to override.

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

Former Redflex CEO And Chicago Transportation Official Indicted On Federal Charges

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Both the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun Times reported last week that Karen Finley, the onetime CEO of Redflex, John Bills, a former Chicago city official, and one of Bills’s friends are  facing charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, bribery, and conspiracy to commit bribery, with Bills also facing a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. The charges have been filed in Federal Court in the Northern District of Illinois.

Finley, who was CEO of Redflex until February of 2013, allegedly passed bribes to Bills via Bills’s friend, Martin O’Malley, in exchange for Bills’s help in receiving the red light camera contracts. Those contracts eventually led to $124 million going to Redflex, the Sun-Times said.

Last February, the city chose to block Redflex from bidding on on further traffic camera contracts, in the wake of the scandal, and eventually it chose a Xerox unit as the new red light camera operator.

This should not come as a surprise as both Redflex and Bills have come under scrutiny since last year when it was determined that alleged corruption was involved in the bidding process. As a wrote several weeks back, Redflex has also been named as a defendant in a class action lawsuit alleging that they were unjustly enriched from money they received as the red light camera operator because it was alleged that the contract was received through bribery. This is just another example of how controversial red light cameras have become in Chicago. There are some critics out there, including myself, that believe red light cameras do not actually make intersections safer and are merely a money grab by the city. I will be following the class action lawsuit closely along with the federal charges.

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

New Illinois Bill Changes Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Coverage Law

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If you are not familiar with uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, then above title may not mean much to you. If you have auto insurance, you have the option to purchase uninsured or underinsured coverage, which provides you coverage for bodily injuries should the driver that hit you not have insurance or not have enough insurance coverage, depending on the severity of the injury. If you involved in a car accident with a driver without insurance and are injured, this type of insurance coverage is used to pay your medical bills, lost wages and for any pain and suffering and/or disfigurement. Often times, I have been able to settle these types of cases for my clients without going to an arbitration. If settlement with the insurance carrier is not possible, then we appoint an arbitrator and the insurance company appoints an arbitrator and the two then pick a third, neutral arbitrator. A hearing is then held where the arbitrator issues an award. The hearing (or arbitration) is similar to a trial except there is no jury and the amount of witnesses is limited as evidentiary requirements are waived for certain things like medical bills, medical records and photographs. This is a quicker and less expensive way to adjudicate a case.

This week, Governor Quinn signed House Bill 5575, which raises the limits for the right to reject arbitration awards under underinsured/uninsured motorist insurance policies by 50%. The old limits were $50,000/$100,000 and are now raised to $75,000/$150,000.  Previously, the insurance companies could reject an award for an individual that was over $50,000 if the policy limits were only $50,000. Now the insurance companies would only be able to reject an award if it was over $75,000. You can read the entire bill by clicking here.

This is a victory for those who are seriously injured in car accidents by drivers who do not have insurance or are underinsured. I cannot stress how important it is for drivers to purchase full coverage insurance. You never know if the other driver who causes the car accident has insurance or not. What if you are injured by an uninsured motorist and unable work and support your family?  Purchase full coverage, so you know you and your family will be protected.

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

Illinois Governor Quinn Vetos Bill That Would Raise Truck Driver Speed Limit

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The Chicago Tribune reported this week that Illinois Governor Quinn used his veto powers to overrule a bill that would raise the speed limits for semitrailer trucks from 55 mph to 60 mph on interstates in Chicago and the surrounding area. The bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Jim Oberweis, passed the House 114-0 and the Senate 58-0.  Oberweis said the bill was designed to reduce the differential between cars going 70 mph and trucks limited to 55 mph.

“It would make the roads safer,” said Oberweis, who is challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin this fall. “There would be only a 10 mph differential rather than 15.”

Quinn’s responded by stating that this was all about driver safety:  “no amount of fines, penalties or jail time can ever replace the lives of those whom we have lost to fatal accidents on our interstate highways,” Quinn said.

Citing the recent traffic deaths tied to big trucks traveling at high speeds, Quinn said, “The convenience of increased speeds for truckers on roadways does not outweigh the safety risks to children, families and our dedicated public servants.”

Quinn cited a July 21 truck crash on Interstate 55 near Arsenal Road in the southwest suburbs. An Indiana trucker, Francisco Espinal Quiroz, 51, of Leesburg, Ind., allegedly was speeding in a work zone when his truck slammed into three vehicles, killing 5 people. He has been charged with falsifying duty logbooks used to verify that a driver is not spending too many hours on the road without rest.

I think the Governor was correct in his decision here. Obviously the Chicagoland area is one of the most congested areas with traffic and trucks make up a big percentage of that congestion. Semitrailer trucks, if not driven properly or at a safe speed, can be prone to traffic accidents. Further, the results of a truck accident can prove much more deadly than regular vehicles based on the size of a semitrailer. I do not believe Governor Quinn was overstepping his boundaries as Governor in this situation.

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

Reckless Homicide Charges Brought In Edgewater Neighborhood Car Crash

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The Chicago Tribune reported last week that the driver, who allegedly caused a fatal car accident in the Edgewater neighborhood, was charged with reckless homicide by States Attorney’s office. Prosecutors said the driver hadn’t been drinking, had a valid license and has no criminal background. Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered the Russian native’s passport seized.

The accident killed a 71 year old pedestrian and injured five (5) others when the defendant driver tried to pass a CTA bus on the right side through a parking lane. After striking two (2) pedestrians, his vehicle crashed into another which caused a chain reaction.

As I wrote yesterday regarding the Tony Stewart NASCAR accident, drivers who kill someone with their vehicles are typically charged with reckless homicide, which is often referred to as manslaughter. Since it is difficult to prove intent (i.e. that the driver purposely struck the pedestrians), reckless homicide carries a much lighter prison sentence than first or second degree murder. The defendant driver in this case will also be facing civil liability through a wrongful death lawsuit by the family or estate of the pedestrian who was killed at the scene. He will most likely also be sued for the personal injuries of the five (5) others who were injured.

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