Another Study Shows Red Light Cameras Are Not Working In Chicago

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My Fox Chicago released a report about a new study that showed that red light cameras in Chicago may still not be deterring car accidents.

Despite press releases by the Chicago Department of Transportation touting the safety of these cameras, a new study prepared by the University of Illinois Chicago, says that the exact opposite has been happening.  Assistant Professor Rajiv Shah compared the total number of accidents the year before the cameras were installed and the year after. What surprised him most is that car accidents have declined city-wide, except at red-light intersections.  “The clearest thing is the red light cameras have not changed driving behavior in any significant pattern,” he said.

Brian Steele with the Chicago Department of Transportation argues Shah’s numbers are misleading. He claims IDOT’s numbers are disproportionately high because the state considers any crash within 250 feet of the traffic light to be an intersection accident.”There is no question that in the city of Chicago, drivers are safe because of red-light enforcement,” Steele said.

I am not convinced by the comments by the city. I think it is time for the city to wipe the egg off their face and admit that the red light cameras not only do not prevent accidents,  but they are actually making intersections more dangerous.

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

How To Avoid Road Rage

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I think most of us have at least been a witness (if not a victim) of road rage. It is hard to understand why driver become so frustrated and angry while in their cars. I was driving back to Chicago from Skokie this week and saw two (2) cutting each other off and screaming back and forth. I thought something ugly was going to happend, but at the last second one of the drivers kept his cool and drove off.

Illinois’ Driving University website published a nice article about road rage and how to avoid practicing it and how to avoid becoming a victim.  Below are some important tips.

Avoid the following actions so you do not become a victim:

  • Tailgating.
  • Going too slow in the passing lane. Yes, you may technically be in the right because you are going the speed limit, but the far left lane is for people to pass. If you are going more slowly than the person behind you and you are in the left lane, you need to move over. Remember, it’s their speeding ticket, not yours.
  • Talking on your cell phone while driving.
  • Cutting other drivers off.
  • Blocking the street to talk to someone. If you need to chat, pull over somewhere out of the way.
  • Excessive horn use.

Also, below are some tips to help you keep your cool while on the road.

  • Listen to some soothing music while you drive. If “soothing” isn’t your style, at least listen to something that make you feel happy, not angry. Music affects different people in different ways. If death metal makes you happy, great. If it makes you want to smash things, save it for when you get home.
  • Once you sit down in the driver’s seat, take a deep breath and let it out slowly, before you even start the car. Do some light stretching, and try to relax.
  • Don’t take other drivers actions personally. Sometimes, other drivers are going to make mistakes. That doesn’t mean that they are out to get you.
  • Give yourself extra time to get where you are going. Don’t try to bend the space/time continuum and make a 30 minute drive in 20 minutes. You will only set yourself up for failure-and more stress! 
  • Tape a picture of your loved ones to the dashboard. Whenever you feel your blood pressure start to rise, look at the picture and think about how your family would be affected if you did something stupid.
  • Try positive self-talk: When something happens on the road that makes you angry, talk yourself down.  When you find yourself thinking “That *@$#*&! I can’t believe he just did that! Well, he just messed with the wrong person…,”take a deep breath and turn off your angry interior monologue. Instead, say something like this to yourself: “It’s okay. That other driver is probably a perfectly nice person and did not mean to do that. Even if they did do it on purpose, it would be silly to let a stranger ruin my day.”
  • If you still can’t get a handle on your emotions when you’re behind the wheel, you may want to consider some professional help. A study conducted in 2000 at Colorado State University indicated that both relaxation and cognitive relaxation therapy can help reduce aggressive driving patterns.

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

Illinois To Increase Fine For Child Seat Belt Law

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It seems unbelievable to me that children are still left unbelted. Apparently it is still a problem in Illinois as Governor Quinn is set to sign a bill that would increase the fines for these violations.

According to the Chicago Tribune,  Illinois drivers would be fined $75 for not properly securing children eight years and younger, up from $50. Subsequent offenses would carry a $200 fine.

First-time offenders could have the fine waived if they complete a training course on the proper installation and use of safety seats.

“The idea is to encourage education about proper use,” said Grant Klinzman, a spokesman for Quinn’s office.

I guess this is necessary or the legislature would not be taking this preventative.  Of course, this blogger recommends everyone wear a seat belt, despite your age.

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

Adults More Likely Than Teens To Text While Driving

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Teens have received some pretty bad press regarding their driving and, more specifically, texting and driving. Although teen texting and driving is a clear epidemic that needs to be addressed, a new study shows that adults are actually texting and driving more regularly than teens.

a report released Friday by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project titled “Adults and Cell Phone Distractions,” found nearly half — or 47 percent — of adult texters say they have sent or received text messages from mobile phones while driving. In comparison, 34 percent of teens who text say they have done so while driving, according to a report released by Pew in September.  Of all adults, including those who don’t text, 27 percent said that they had sent text messages from behind the wheel, according to Friday’s report. About the same amount of all driving-age teens — 26 percent — said they had done so.

“Adults may be the ones sounding the alarm on the dangers of distracted driving, but they don’t always set the best example themselves,” Mary Madden, a senior research specialist at Pew, said in a statement.

To me this is a clear case of adults needing to “practice what they preach.” We all know how convenient it is to pick up your phone and return a text or email while driving. Just remember how distracting and dangerous that can be and that it can lead to a serious car accident.

If you or someone you know can is involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident , then call Chicago accident attorney  Aaron Bryant for at 312-588-3384 for a free consultation  on your case or go to the firm website at www.BLGCHICAGO.com

Park Ridge, Illinois Considerig Its Own Ban On Cell Phone Ban While Driving

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After passing on a cell phone ban late last year, Park Ridge is now considering its own law that would forbid drivers from using any hand held device while driving.

This is a growing trend in the area after Chicago, Evanston and Winnetka have all enacted bans on the use of hand held devices within the past year.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Stephanie Kunz, a nurse and Park Ridge resident, asked aldermen to reconsider a ban on using hand-held devices while driving. Aldermen agreed to discuss the idea at their committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday. Kunz called such a measure “a very smart (way) to promote public safety.”

This seems to be a popular trend for local lawmakers, and I foresee many town falling in line by enacting their own cell phone bans.

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

Federal Legislators Negotiating Motor Vehicle Safety Bill

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With all of the recent safety issues surrounding Toyota, and now GM, the federal government has taken action by introducing a vehicle safety act in both the House and Senate. The Washington Post reported recently about the back and forth negotiations between auto makers and consumer protection activists.

The proposed legislation, known as the Motor Safety Vehicle Act of 2010, would require the agency to set standards for the first time on electronic components in vehicles, increase penalties for automakers who lie or mislead the agency about safety defects and bar agency officials hired by automakers from working with the agency for three years.

Since the bills were introduced, lawmakers have made changes that eliminate or extend deadlines for setting some of the new safety standards; give the transportation secretary the discretion to set rules that had been mandated in earlier versions; and require safety standards to “mitigate” runaway acceleration rather than “prevent” the problem, records show.

Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, defended the House bill, saying it would “dramatically improve the safety of motor vehicles.” He pointed to requirements that vehicles contain a brake override system and “black boxes” to record crash information, to larger fines should automakers fail to report defects and to a tripling of funds for the agency over the next four years.

It is not surprising at all to see this type off fall out after the Toyota fiasco. It will be interesting to see what the final bill looks like.

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



City Policy Has Limited Insurance Coverage For Chicago Cab Drivers

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The Chicago Sun Times recently published a story that outlined the complexity of the ownership of Chicago cab companies and how it has limited insurance coverage on cab accidents.  There are three layers of entities for cabs, including: the cab driver, who typically pays a lease fee for the use of the cab. Then there’s the owner of the cab license, known as a medallion; a management company that manages multiple medallions, and an affiliation company, which supplies the cab’s colors and radio dispatch service.

Due to the different layers of ownership, management and usage, passengers or pedestrians injured in a cab accident could be limited to $350,000 in damages, regardless of the severity of damages. 

The current system can be bewilderingly complex. For example, while Symon Garber claims to run Chicago’s biggest taxicab empire, it’s actually a web of dozens of companies, including Chicago Carriage and Royal 3 CCC Taxi Association; the management company Chicago Elite Cab, and multiple small companies with names like “Playing Polo in Chicago,” which actually own the medallions.

In order to benefit from the insurance coverage from the medallion and management companies, a plaintiff must show that the cab driver was an agent of those entities at the time of the accident.

This is incredibly vexing for plaintiffs that are severely injured due to a cab driver’s negligence. I would like to see some legislation introduced to help solve this growing problem.

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

Illinois Legislature Look To Update Motorist Laws

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The Illinois legislature and Governor Quinn are closely scrutinizing current driving statutes, including, the red light  camera tickets and excessive speeder violations.

The proposed speeding measure would prevent a driver from getting court supervision if found guilty of going 40 mph or more faster than the speed limit. Supervision is a form of probation that allows a person to wipe a violation off of his driving record if he doesn’t get another ticket for a specified number of months.”There is nobody that needs to go 105 miles an hour to go anywhere,” said John D’Amico, D-Chicago. “When you’re driving that fast, you are truly putting other people’s lives at risk, as well as your own.”

The proposed red-light legislation, would ban the city and suburbs from tacking on a fee to the standard $100 fine if a ticket is appealed, a common practice that deters many motorists from fighting the charges.

It also would give drivers more wiggle room to creep up to the edge of an intersection before stopping. A complete stop still would be required before making a right turn on red, but drivers could come to a halt after the painted stop line without getting a ticket as long as pedestrians were not nearby. Drivers awaiting a green light to head straight into an intersection also could stop past the line without being nabbed by a camera.

Both of these measures are awaiting Governor Quinn’s signature, but I have no doubt these will be signed as they were approved on overwhelming fashion.

It is good to see the state legislature take some action on the often scrutinized red light camera tickets. We will see if these measures actually make our roads and highways safer.

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

AAP Issues Updated Pool Safety Guidelines

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Summer is upon us as pools opened this weekend and boating season has begun.  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), has issued new guidelines for water safety and drowning prevention.

According to the AAP, drowning rates have fallen steadily from 2.68 per 100,000 in 1985 to 1.32 per 100,000 in 2006. But drowning continues to be the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 19, claiming the lives of roughly 1,100 children in 2006. Toddlers and teenaged boys are at greatest risk.

Despite these improved statistics in water safety, there is always room to improve, so the AAP has issued the following guidelines: 

  1. Never – even for a moment – leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while in bathtubs, pools, spas or wading pools, or near irrigation ditches or standing water. Bath seats cannot substitute for adult supervision. Empty water from buckets and other containers immediately after use. To prevent drowning in toilets, young children should not be left alone in the bathroom.
  2. Closely supervise children in and around water. With infants, toddlers and weak swimmers, an adult should be within an arm’s length. With older children and better swimmers, an adult should be focused on the child and not distracted by other activities.
  3. If children are in out-of-home child care, ask about exposure to water and the ratio of adults to children.
  4. If you have a pool, install a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet high to limit access to the pool. The fence should be hard to climb (not chain-link) and have a self-latching, self-closing gate. Families may consider pool alarms and rigid pool covers as additional layers of protection, but neither can take the place of a fence.
  5. Children need to learn to swim. AAP supports swimming lessons for most children 4 years and older. Classes may reduce the risk of drowning in younger children as well, but because children develop at different rates, not all children will be ready to swim at the same age.
  6. Parents, caregivers and pool owners should learn CPR.
  7. Do not use air-filled swimming aids (such as inflatable arm bands) in place of life jackets. They can deflate and are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
  8. All children should wear a life jacket when riding in a boat. Small children and nonswimmers should also wear one at water’s edge, such as on a river bank or pier.
  9. Parents should know the depth of the water and any underwater hazards before allowing children to jump in. The first time you enter the water, jump feet first; don’t dive.
  10. When choosing an open body of water for children to swim in, select a site with lifeguards. Swimmers should know what to do in case of rip currents (swim parallel to the shore until out of the current, then swim back to the shore).
  11. Counsel teenagers about the increased risk of drowning when alcohol is involved.

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






Memorial Day Weekend Draws Busy Highways

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Memorial Day weekend is upon us and many people here in Chicago and throughout Illinois will be hitting the roads for weekend getaways and family visits. The Chicago Sun Times has reported some interesting statistics about the number of travelers and car accidents  that traditionally occur over this weekend what the Chicago and state police are doing to protect drivers.

Nearly 32.1 million Americans will be traveling this weekend nationwide –1.74 million of them in the state of Illinois, according to a release from AAA Chicago.

On the roads, 1.5 million people will be driving from Illinois, according to AAA Chicago.  Gas prices across the state are averaging $2.97 per gallon which is $.50 more than last year.

Last year, there was an average of nine fatalities per day with a total of 30 people who were killed in 17 crashes over the entire weekend, according to IDOT.

To help prevent the number accidents this year, local and state law enforcement agencies are cracking down on drivers not wearing seat belts. 

IDOT’s Click It or Ticket campaign began May 14 and have planned for hundreds more safety belt enforcement zones and other patrols, IDOT said.

 

Illinois State Police is focusing on speeding, seat belt use, driving under the influence, improper lane usage and following too closely as they monitor traffic, according to a release from ISP.

 

In Chicago, police are conducting DUI Strike Force Patrol in the Deering District which patrols parts of the Near South Side, from 7 p.m. Friday through 3 a.m. Saturday, according to a release from police News Affairs.

Have a fun Memorial Day weekend, and always remember to be safe on the roads.

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