Transportation Secretary LaHood Continues To Warn About Distracted Driving

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NHSTA Secretary Ray LaHood released a statement today on the eve of the 2010 Distracted Driving Summit, promoting the decrease of traffic fatalities in 2009. 2009 statistics showed the lowest number of traffic fatalities since 1950.  Although, LaHood warned that the epidemic of distracted driving may be worse than the statistics show.  LaHood stated researchers believe the police reports in many states still do not routinely document whether distraction was a factor in vehicle crashes, making it more difficult to know the full extent of the problem.

These numbers show that distracted driving remains an epidemic in America, and they are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Secretary LaHood.  “Tomorrow, I’m convening our second Distracted Driving Summit in the hopes that we can continue to draw attention to the dangers of distracted driving and work together to save lives.”

The NHTSA study found that the proportion of fatalities associated with driver distraction increased from 10 percent to 16 percent between 2005 and 2009.  This news comes as overall traffic fatalities  fell in 2009 to their lowest levels since 1950.

According to NHTSA data, the age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group.  Sixteen percent of all under-20 drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted while driving.  Of those drivers involved in fatal crashes who were reportedly distracted, the 30-39 year old group had the highest proportion of cell phone involvement. 

I will, of course, be updating with the blog with reports and announcements from the Distracted Driving Summit.

If you or somone 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 Fines Increase This Week

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It just became much more expensive this week for Illinois traffic violators. The new Illinois traffic laws went into effect on September 15 The new fines for minor offenses such as speeding up to 20 mph over the limit, running a stop sign or making an illegal turn will carry a $120 penalty, up from $75, under rates set by the Illinois Supreme Court. Topping the speed limit by 21 to 30 mph will cost $140, up from $95.

The increase in fines is the first since 1993, said Champaign County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Ford, chairman of the Supreme Court subcommittee that recommended the increases.The panel investigated the cost of speeding tickets  in other states and found that Illinois’ were lower, Ford said. “We were a bargain,” he said.

The set increases apply only to offenses that don’t require a court appearance. The cost of many tickets requiring a court date — such as speeding more than 30 mph over the limit — will also go up. But those hikes aren’t definitive because a traffic court judge decides the fines.

A traffic violation  cash penalty actually represents a bond rate set by the state Supreme Court. The bonds for minor offenses are accepted as fines for convenience’s sake, Ford said.

I think it’s fair to say that the increased fines were intaled to raise more revenue for the state but we will see if it acts as a deterrent to drivers and if it actually decreases the amount of car accidents .

If you or someone you know has been involved in a 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

U.S. Transportation Department Announces Lowest Traffic Fatalities In Six Decades

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The NHTSA continues to report positive news about undefined  in the U.S.  According to Transportation Secretary LaHood, the 33,808 undefined  deaths in 2009 was the lowest number since 1980.  In addition, 2009 saw the lowest fatality and injury rates ever recorded:  1.13 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2009, compared to 1.26 deaths for 2008.

Fatalities declined in all categories of vehicles including motorcycles, which saw fatalities fall by 850 from 2008, breaking an 11-year cycle of annual increases.

“At the Department of Transportation, we are laser-focused on our top priority: safety,” said Secretary LaHood.  “Today’s announcement shows that America’s roads are the safest they’ve ever been.  But they must be safer.  And we will not rest until they are.”

The NHTSA attributes several factors that have led to this decrease:  ““Today’s numbers reflect the tangible benefits of record seat belt use and strong anti-drunk driving enforcement campaigns,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland.  “But we are still losing more than 30,000 lives a year on our highways, and about a third of these involve drunk driving.  We will continue to work with our state partners to strictly enforce both seat belt use and anti-drunk driving laws across this nation, every day and every night.”

These are encouraging statistics. I continue to wonder if the drastic decreases the past few years can be attributed to the recession and the overall state of our economy.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident  or 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

Is The Transportation Department Focusing On The Safety Issues?

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The Wall Street Journal published interesting article about the U.S. Transportation Department and whether they are focusing on the correct safety issues. More specifically, the article calls into question the federal government’s focus on texting and driving and defective Toyotas.  According to Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the U.S. Transportation Department, Congress and the media have gotten sidetracked by issues like texting while driving.

Lund’s organization is the safety research and advocacy arm of the insurance industry. The IIHS has been critical of the government’s highway safety policies over the past few years, usually arguing that the government wasn’t moving fast enough to require better crash-prevention technology from auto makers.  Lund and the Insurance Institute also say recent laws banning motorists from using mobile phones behind the wheel don’t correlate with a significant reduction in accidents. “You’d think from the media coverage, congressional hearings, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s focus in recent months that separating drivers from their phones would all but solve the public-health problem of  car crash  deaths and injuries,” he wrote. “It won’t.”

As for the Toyota sudden acceleration uproar, Mr. Lund says, “a lot of this looks like it may be pedal error”—meaning human error related to design—”so it’s very important that we have research on how pedals could be redesigned.” Congress and the Transportation department have focused more attention on potential problems with vehicle electronics.

The Transportation Department has responded to the IIHS report:

“Safety is the Department of Transportation’s number one priority, which is why we are aggressively and urgently tackling a number of risks to drivers’ safety. We are going to continue taking drunk drivers off the road, getting people to put down their phones and other distractions, making sure cars and trucks are safe to drive, and doing whatever else is necessary to keep Americans safe behind the wheel,” a DOT spokeswoman said in a statement.  In 2008 alone, nearly 6,000 people were killed and more than half a million were injured in crashes involving distracted driving,” the DOT spokeswoman said.

The IIHS report is interesting but I don’t think it is time to ignore the problems with distracted driving and drinking and driving.  Too much progress has been made the last few years to suddenly ignore this issue.

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

New Study Reveals Safest Cities For Car Accidents

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A lot of people have different opinions about All State and their tactics when dealing will injured car accident  victims. Regardless they put the time and money into a study as to which U.S. cities are the safest in regards to auto accidents .  This week they released “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report™.” The report ranks America’s 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency to identify which cities have the safest drivers, according to Allstate claim data. This year’s top honor of “America’s Safest Driving City” is Fort Collins, Colorado. According to the report, the average driver in Fort Collins will experience an auto collision every 14.5 years, which is about 31 percent less likely than the national average.

Allstate actuaries conducted an analysis of company claim data to determine the likelihood drivers in America’s 200 largest cities will experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average. Internal property damage reported claims were analyzed over a two-year period (from January 2007 to December 2008) to ensure the findings would not be impacted by external influences such as weather or road construction.

A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. Allstate’s auto policies represent about 11 percent of all U.S. auto policies, making this report a realistic snapshot of what’s happening on America’s roadways.

According to the Nation Highway and Transportation Safety administration, human error is the main cause for car accidents  in the U.S.

All-State provided the following tips to help prevent errors:

  • Minimize distractions – Engaging in any other activity while driving – talking on your cell phone, text messaging, changing a radio station, putting on makeup – is a distraction.
  • Be aware of road conditions – Ice, snow, fog, rain – all of these weather conditions require extra caution and slower speeds.
  • Leave a safe distance between your car and others around you – Maintain at least one car length space between your car and the vehicle in front of you for every 10 miles per hour of speed.
  • Steer clear of road rage – Reduce stress on the road by allowing plenty of time for travel, planning your route in advance, and altering your schedule or route to avoid congested roads. Remember not to challenge aggressive drivers and stay as far away from them as possible.
  • Maintenance matters – Ultimately, safety also depends on the maintenance of one’s car. Ensure that car brakes, exhaust system, tires, lights, battery and hoses are in good working order.

    If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago auto 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

    Chicago Parks District Studying Lake Shore Trail Accidents

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    Without a doubt, Chicago’s lake front, is one of the crown jewels of this great city. It draws thousands to this shore of Lake Michigan everyday throughout the summer for running, biking and fun on the beach. I believe it was a main reason so many people move here from out of state and visit the city throughout the summer.

    Unfortunately that the large crowds can lead to many bicycle accidents  and pedestrian accidents. For the first time, the Chicago Parks District, has decided to study this issue and determine how to curb the number of accidents.

    The Chicago Sun Times recently reported that the Parks District retained Active Transportation Alliance  to count cyclists, pedestrians and in-line skaters at 30 different spots on the trail, including entry points from underpasses beneath Lake Shore Drive.

    The information will be used to figure out times and spots where the path is most gridlocked, and generate statistics about how many people use it for daily commutes versus recreation. “We all know it’s busy,” said Gia Biagi, the Park District’s director of planning. However, “we wanted to really establish quantitatively, ‘What is the usership?’ ”

    Parks officials said their decision this summer to hire the Active Transportation Alliance to study the path wasn’t motivated by a safety crisis, but the need for maintenance, widening and other improvements. The analysis — expected to cost no more than $25,000 and be done before month’s end — will be used to help Chicago compete for federal transportation dollars for Lakefront Trail projects. The data also is expected to help the Park District improve signage, and bike-rack access, plus develop revenue-generating marketing and promotional efforts with help from seo for lawyers on the trail, according to a Park District memo.

    Hopefully this new study will help decrease the number of accidents and make a bike trip or run on the path more enjoyable.

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

    • NHTSA Reports Study On Drinking And Driving

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    The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration  released some startling numbers regarding drink and driving in their report titled: “National Survey On Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behaviors.”  The survey concluded that and estimated 17 million motorists in the U.S. may have driven while drunk in the preceding 12 month and twenty percent of the public 16 and older had in the past year driven a motor vehicle within two hours of drinking alcohol.  About two-thirds of these, or 13 percent of the total population 16 and older had done so in the past 30 days. The survey produced an estimate of 85.5 million past-month drinking-driving trip, up from 73.7 million trips in 2004.

    The scary part of the of this survey is the resulting damage that these drinking and driving trips have caused. Among persons 16 and older involved in a motor vehicle crash in the past two years, 20% reported that someone had been injured in the (most recent) crash. Respondents were more likely to report that an involved driver had been drinking alcohol if the car crash  led to injury (32%) than if no injury occurred (5%).

    About 1% of the population 16 and older had been arrested for a drinking and driving violation in the past two years; the percentage was 5% for males 21 to 24. Almost three-fourths of the public believed that drivers who had too much to drink to drive safely would be somewhat likely (40%), very likely (21%), or almost certain (12%) to be stopped by police.

    These are some eye-opening statistics. Remember, it is very simple to pick up the phone and call a cab or a friend. You may be protecting yourself and others, let alone the  avoiding the legal problems that can ensue.

    If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident  or Chicago trucking 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 The Humane Society Offer Safety Tips When Traveling With Your Dog

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    Nothing is more important to many people than their dogs. Man’s best friend deserves their owner’s constant attention, and this sometimes includes while driving. The problem is that providing too much attention to your dog, while driving, can cause distractions and often lead to car accidents .

    AAA prepared a recent study about dog owners and their travels and offered some safety tips. AAA’s survey of dog owners found nearly 60 percent admitted to engaging in distracting behavior while driving with their pets. This included petting, letting Fido sit on their laps, playing, or giving food and water. Experts say taking your eyes off the road even for a few seconds can cause a crash. An unrestrained dog could become a projectile – a 10-pound dog in a 50 mph crash can exert 500 pounds of pressure, the AAA said. Also, if you’re in an accident, an unsecured, traumatized dog will create problems for emergency responders trying to help.

    To help prevent these distractions and hopefully leading to a safer ride with fido, AAA and The Humane Society offered the following tips: purchase a restraining harnesses for dogs; keeping your dog in the back seat; and nixing the head out of the window routine. And, if you’re driving with a cat, the Humane Society suggests a carrier.

    Fido rules but not always in the car.

    If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident  or Chicago truck accident , the 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

    School Is Starting: Take Caution On The Roads

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    It is that time of year again and children are heading back to school. In some parts of the country, classes started last week. With buses and minivans packed with kids and along with pedestrians crossing the street, AAA reminds us to stay cautious during our morning and afternoon commutes.

    AAA offers the following tips that can help make the roads safer for school children:

  • Slow down near schools and in residential areas.

  • Drive with your headlights on – even during the day – so children and other drivers can see you.

  • Look for clues such as AAA School Safety Patrollers, bicycles and playgrounds that indicate children could be in the area.

  • Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs of children.

  • Practice extra caution in bad weather.

  • Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading students

    And, as always, keep your eyes and fingers away from your phones and blackberrys. It only takes a few seconds of your eyes off the road for something bad to happen.

    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

    Transportation Secretary LaHood Proposes Seatbelts For All Motorcoaches

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    Those who travel by bus or other motorcoach may soon have the option of the using a seat belt while traveling across the country.  Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is proposing new federal legislation that would require all motorcoaches to carry lap-shoulder seat belts. 

    “We’re committed to making sure that motorcoach travelers reach their destinations safely,” said Secretary LaHood. “Seat belts save lives, and putting them in motorcoaches just makes sense.”

    NHSTA officials agree with Secretary LaHood and believe that seat belts in motorcoaches will help prevent death or serious injury in the case of violent vehicle collision  or roll-over accident .”We want motorcoaches to be as safe as possible and are working towards that goal,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “In coordination with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, we will continue moving forward in our mission to save lives and reduce injuries.”

    I honestly comment on this because i very rarely (if every) have traveled via motorcoach. But there does not appear to be any downside (and the financial burden minimal) by installing these and at least giving passenger the option of wearing the seat belt.

    If the law is pushed through the federal legislature, it will not become active until three years after it is enacted.

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