The Bryant Law Group, LLC | A Chicago based personal injury blog

Number Of Distracted Driving Tickets In Illinois Has Tripled

Date May 13, 2014

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.

New Chicago Red Light Cameras Have 360 Degree Panning Ability

Date May 12, 2014

Posted by abryant633

The Chicago Sun Times reported last week about new red light
cameras that were installed in numerous intersections around the city. These
new cameras have the technology that allows them to view 360 degrees around the
intersection. The cameras, which are supposed to monitor traffic infractions at
specific intersections, can now monitor what is happening on the streets and
sidewalks that completely surround the intersections.

This has raised the eyebrows of many, including the Illinois chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union (“ACLU”). “There is a mission creep. These
cameras that were put up for the purpose of traffic enforcement now have
360-capability, which is not part of traffic enforcement, but is for other
purposes,” stated Adam Schwartz, a senior attorney for the American Civil
Liberties Union of Illinois. “Where we go says a lot about who we are.
Whether we’re going to the union meeting, to see a criminal defense lawyer or
to worship, we need safeguards to ensure that the government isn’t using these
ever-expanding camera systems to monitor what people are doing.”

Adam Collins, a police spokesman, insisted the department isn’t
abusing citizens’ rights with surveillance cameras — whether they’re red-light
cameras, the “blue-light” cameras in violent neighborhoods or Chicago Transit
Authority cameras. “All cameras are used for legitimate law-enforcement
purposes and investigation,” Collins said.

We won’t really know whether these cameras invade privacy until
there is an arrest made of someone caught on video outside of the actual
intersection, and the issue is actually argued in Court. These cameras were
installed to make intersections safe for drivers and pedestrians and to,
hopefully, prevent car accidents and pedestrian accidents. It will be interesting to see if the Chicago
police stay true to their word and only use the cameras for traffic monitoring
purposes.

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

Mayor Emanuel Responds To Report On Speeding Motorcade

Date May 7, 2014

Posted by abryant633

According to a report made by a speeding ticket attorney, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s motorcade was caught speeding or running red lights 20 times since 2012. The alarming
part of this report as that the speeding and stop sign running was caught by
the cameras placed in school zones by Emanuel. He has been adamant since day
one of these cameras that they were installed for safety purposes (to protect
children) rather than as a revenue stream for the city.

At a news
conference today, Mr. Emanuel had a chance to respond to the report. “As
soon as I saw that, or heard about it, the story, I said, ‘Look, follow the
law. Nobody’s above the law. Slow down, period. Non-stop,” Emanuel said.

I think we will all
be following his motorcade closely from here on out to see if the mayor will
practice what he preaches. The cameras were placed there to, you know, deter
people from speeding and running stop signs.

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

Chicago Rideshare Companies Await Senate, City Votes

Date May 5, 2014

Posted by abryant633

I have written quite a
bit the last month about proposed city ordinances and state bills looking to
regulate rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft. Last month the Illinois House
passed a bill that put stricter requirements on rideshare drivers, which are
similar to what cab drivers face. That bill is now going to the Senate.
Meanwhile, an ordinance with fewer restrictions is being discussed by the
Chicago city council.

The main issue on the
state level is the amount and type of liability insurance rideshare drivers
must carry and the type of driver’s license must be obtained. The state bill
would require driver’s carry $500,000 of coverage from the time the app is
turned on in the driver’s car.

The state bill would
also require drivers obtain a chauffer’s license, just like all cab drivers.
The state bill would require this type of license if the driver works
over 18 hours per week looking for fares. The city ordinance would increase the
amount of hours before requiring a chauffer’s license.

I will be watching this
very closely and will update if and when the bill reaches the Senate for a
vote. I think it’s almost a certain that all sides (taxi companies, rideshare
companies and legislators) are working behind the scenes looking for a
compromise. I believe the rideshare companies should be required to have at
least the type of insurance coverage (minimum $350,000) that taxi companies
use. The question remains whether their drivers should be required to obtain a chauffer’s
license. I would say yes because they are essentially chauffeuring people around
the city for money and customers are putting their life and health into their
hands.

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 legalconsultation at 312-614-1076.

NTSB Head Urges Obama Administration To Make Safety Changes On Trains

Date April 24, 2014

Posted by abryant633

The Associated Press reported
yesterday that the National Traffic Safety Board (“NTSB”) is strongly
urging the Obama administration to order immediate changes to trains that haul
crude oil. Concern about the safe transport
of highly flammable oil and ethanol were heightened after a runaway oil train
derailed and then exploded last July in the small town of Lac-Megantic in
Canada, just across the border from Maine. More than 60 tank cars spilled more
than 1.3 million gallons of crude oil from the booming Bakken region of North
Dakota and Montana. Forty-seven people were killed and 30 buildings destroyed
in resulting inferno.

There have been eight oil train accidents in the U.S. and Canada in the past year, including several that
created spectacular fires. Most were in lightly populated areas, although one
crash and fire in December occurred less than two miles from the town of
Casselton, N.D.

NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman stated
Wednesday, “In addition to moving forward on updating tank car
regulations, we have taken immediate action to issue multiple safety
advisories, conduct investigations, and reach agreements with the rail industry
to reduce speeds, utilize new braking technology and improve first responder
training — an unprecedented, comprehensive approach.”

The issue it appears at this point
is who will fund the upgrades and how the tanker upgrades will implement. There
appears to be a lack of consensus between the oil companies, train companies
and train manufacturers.

I agree with the NTSB here as the
writing is on the wall for changes. What happens when there is another accident
and more people are injured or die and the evidence shows that the faulty
tankers, if replaced, could have mitigated the damages? The answer is clear:
the oil, train and manufacturing companies will all be on the hook for any
personal injuries, wrongful death or property damages. There could also be a
strong argument for punitive damages since the companies all knew (for a long
period of time) that they needed to improve the quality of the oil tankers
being hauled across the country.

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

Chicago Ranks 4th Worst City In AllState’s America’s Best Drivers Report

Date April 21, 2014

Posted by abryant633

For nine years AllState has been
studying which cities (large and small) have the drivers most likely to be in
car accident. Chicago ranked tied for fourth with Houston among big cities with
at least one million people. The 2013 study states that Chicago drivers will, on
average, be involved a car accident every eight years. Below is the top
ten list of cities with their years between collisions.

Phoenix, 9.8 years
between collisions
San Diego, 8.7 years
San Antonio, 8.2 years
Chicago, 8 years
Houston, 8 years
Dallas, 7.4 years
New York City, 7.3 years
Los Angeles, 6.7 years
Philadelphia, 6.0 years

Allstate arrived at
the numbers by examining its claims in America’s 200 largest cities. The report defined
a crash as any accident that resulted in a damage claim. Allstate accounts for
about 10 percent of the country’s auto policies.

This is really no surprise as
Chicago is annually rated in the top two or three worst cities for traffic
congestion. It makes sense that the more time you spend in your car due to
traffic jams and the more drivers around you will result in a higher likelihood
of a car crash. This just reminds those of us who live and drive in Chicago
must always be wary of those around us behind the wheel in order to avoid a
vehicle collision.

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 freelegal consultation at 312-588-3384.

GM Class Action Lawsuit Have Added Air Bag Maker As Additional Defendant

Date April 17, 2014

Posted by abryant633

The Chicago Tribune
reported today that plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit against General
Motors, based on the faulty ignition recall, has now added airbag manufacturer,
Continental AG, as an additional defendant.

Continental made airbag
systems for the recalled cars, including sensor
that determine if and when the airbags go off in an accident, according
to the suit.

The case is among dozens
of proposed class actions that have been filed by customers accusing GM of
concealing its knowledge of the defect for more than a decades, putting
plaintiffs at risk of injury and causing them to suffer economic losses on
their cars, including lower resale value.

If jostled or bumped,
the ignition switch can change from the “run” to “accessory” position, shutting
off engines and disabling power steering, power brakes and airbags.

The lawsuit says that
Continental’s system was defective because the airbag system would shut off
when the key switched positions, and the combination of alleged defects was “particularly
dangerous.”

I have to be honest, I
am really not sure how this benefits the class action lawsuit plaintiffs,
unless they are arguing that the airbags were faulty as well and the plaintiffs
(consumers) need to be reimbursed for this defect in their vehicle as well.
This is definitely news for the 12 wrongful death cases out there that were
allegedly caused by the faulty ignitions. Plaintiffs in those cases now have
multiple fingers to point out at when assessing liability. Attorneys will argue
that not only did the ignition cause these cars to stall, but the airbags did
not respond properly (even though they knew about the issue since 2005) and
those airbags could have saved lives.

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

IL Governor Quinn Announces Bike Transportation Plan

Date April 16, 2014

Posted by abryant633

Illinois Governor Quinn, along with
Illinois Transportation Secretary, Ann Schneider, announced today Illinois’
first bike transportation plan via press release and from his twitter
feed. The bike plan provides more than 200
recommendations and action items to enhance IDOT’s ability to provide safe and
cost-effective accommodations for cyclists across Illinois. The comprehensive
recommendations address a variety of topics including facility design and
maintenance, network gaps, grant funding programs, safety education and
enforcement, and internal governance and coordination. In addition, the plan
includes performance measures designed to evaluate progress towards implementation.

Although the
website isn’t very specific about different recommendations and
implementations, it did provide the following areas that the plan will address:

·
Bicycling related planning and
policy recommendations,

·
Bikeway safety, design and maintenance
recommendations,

·
Regional-scale bikeway network
recommendations,

·
Bikeway network implementation and
prioritization recommendations,

·
State bicycling performance
measures,

·
Education, outreach and enforcement
recommendations, and

·
Funding recommendations

Once area I do like and look forward
to seeing specific recommendations in education, outreach and enforcement. I
would hope this would include recommendations for safety education. Those of us
who live and work in Chicago, we know that the city is packed with vehicles and
bicyclists. I think a plan that would educate drivers and bicyclists to
coincide safely while honoring traffic codes would be incredibly fruitful for
everyone.

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

“Smoking Gun” Memo Released In General Motors Recall Case

Date April 15, 2014

Posted by abryant633

General Motors has been
in the news quite a bit the past several weeks due to a recall on a defectiveignition part on many of its’ vehicles. GM has recalled 2.6 million vehicles, including the: Chevrolet Cobalt;
Saturn Ion; and other Saturn and Pontiac models. The cars’ ignitions could slip
out of the “on” position, cutting power to the vehicle. There have been 13
deaths reported. GM has recalled those vehicles, and also disclosed that
defective parts may have been used in earlier repairs on those vehicles. Last
week, GM said it would replace ignition lock cylinders “and cut, and if
necessary, reprogram new keys.”The cost of GM’s recall, originally set at $300
million, has now ballooned to $1.3 billion, including some other
vehicles.

Forbes magazine reported last week that key memo that
was issued in 2006 points out when and how the mistake with the ignition part
was made. Dated May 27, 2006, the memo includes a document that explains
information that supported GM’s part change, and includes GM’s approval to make
the change, according to the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee,
which released more than 200,000 pages of documents.

One
page of the memo was released previously, but that page has been updated with
additional information, and the fax cover sheet makes it clear who made the
fateful GM decision. It cites GM Ray DeGiorgio, who has been placed on leave by
GM, as knowing about the change to the ignition part, and allowing the switch
to happen without the typical step of creating a new part number. Engineers
told Automotive News that the step was a
“cardinal sin’ in product design, and GM Chief Executive Mary Barra was
roundly criticized for the action during Congressional testimony last week.

GM is
going to see multiple lawsuits against. First, suits will be brought for the
wrongful deaths of the drivers and/or passengers involved in car accidents
caused by the ignition failures. They will also see consumer class action
lawsuits brought by all those who owned the vehicles and will require
replacements and repairs for the defective parts.

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

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