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

Chicago Hosts Silent Ride For Fallen Bicyclists

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There is no doubt that Chicago is a “bicycle friendly” city, with bicycle dedicated lanes on almost every major street. On warm weather days you will see dozens cyclists biking their way to work for their morning commute. Despite the biking lanes and Mayor Daley’s focus on making Chicago as biker friendly as possible, there are still hazards to bicycling around town.   According to the Illinois Department of Transportation 15 cyclists have were killed in crashes between 2006 and 2008. 

Chicago hosted its’  annual “silent ride” this week in the memory of area bicyclists who have been killed riding in Chicago.“It’s a celebration of these people’s lives,” said Elizabeth Adamczyck, the organizer of Chicago’s Ride of Silence. “It’s a celebration of this activity that we all love to do, of the fact that we’re all still out there doing this.” 

 

The annual Chicago Ride of Silence was one of more than 310 such rides world-wide this year. Adamczyck said the event was as much about spreading the message of respectfully sharing the roadways as it was about remembrance.

“It’s important that we’re all there to make this stand,” Adamczyck said, “to ride in camaraderie with our fellow cyclists and to respect those who have gone before us. I like to think they’re looking down upon us and smiling saying, ‘Right on! Thanks for being there for me, and helping to advocate that those of us still alive have a right to share these roads.”

Below are safety tips for bicyclists from Mayor Daley’s Office:

 

  • Before you pull over, put on your turn signal, then look over your shoulder to check for bicyclists. If you see any bicyclists, yield. Let them pass before you pull over.
  • When you stop tem­porarily, put on your hazard lights so bicy­clists know it’s safe to pass.
  • To avoid a “dooring,” check over your shoulder for bicyclists before exiting your vehicle on the driver’s side.
  • When bicyclists merge in front of you, let them in and don’t follow too closely.
  • Don’t honk at a bicyclists unless it is a case of extreme danger.
  • If you can, you should change lanes before passing bicy­clists. Always slow down and pass them with at least three feet of space. Then wait until you can see them in your mirror before going back into the lane.

  • Avoid a drive-out. Before exiting an alley or drive­way, stop, sound your horn, and look for bicyclists and pedes­trians on the sidewalk and street.

  • When entering the bike lane to turn or parallel park, always:
    • Yield to bicyclists.
    • Use your turn signal.
    • Pull all the way into the bike lane so bicyclists will pass on the left.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maclaren Baby Strollers Recalled

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Other than the Toyota fiasco, I have not written very much about product liability or product recalls in the past. I think it is important to point out to parents that late last year, England stroller manufacturer, Maclaren, recalled  their Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, Techno XLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller stroller models.

They recalled over one million strollers sold in the United States between 1999 and 2009 after 12 reports of childrens’ fingertips being cut off.  MSNBC reported the apparent issue: “A side hinge mechanism poses a hazard to children’s fingers when the umbrella stroller is being opened or closed, the company says.”

Even something simple items like a stroller hinge can be dangerous to babies and toddlers if not manufactured correctly and safely.

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

Arizona Teen Issues PSA Against Texting And Driving

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I have written here numerous times about the dangers of texting and driving and the numerous campaigns against this practice. Oprah has jumped on board and now an Arizona teen has created her own public service announcement.  Arizona high school sophomore Bethany Brown prepared an anti-distraction public service video titled “There are no RE-DO’s in real life,”  and was recently released the National Road Safety Foundation (NRSF).

“I started noticing distracted driving a lot more. I saw my friends doing it. I saw drivers in other cars doing it. They’re texting or talking on their cells, and they’re, you know, swerving all over. And they think they’re being perfectly safe!”

“So then I began to look into it,” she says, ” and I couldn’t believe how many teen deaths are related to texting or being on a cell and driving. It was really eye-opening.”

Congratulations to Bethany for her initiative on this serious issue. Click here  to view her video.

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

Oprah Releases No Phone Zone Video

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I wrote in January about Oprah’s campaign against texting and driving called the “No Phone Zone.”  Oprah has now released the video for this campaign. Who knows if this is will, but Oprah’s name on anything has to be effective.

You can view the video here.

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 www.BLGCHICAGO.com. 

GHSA Report Shows Motorcycle Deaths Down In 2009

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I have written the past few weeks about motorcycle safety, proposed helmet legislation in Illinois and Illinois’ motorcycle awareness month. It appears the 2009 trend of fewer vehicular deaths also occurred with motorcycles. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), has preliminary data showing that in 2009, 38 states and the District of Columbia reported a drop in motorcyclist fatalities from 2008 and 12 states reported an increase. About half the state counts for 2009 are reported to be final or very close to final. The rest are preliminary to varying degrees, with some final except for December and others incomplete for two or three months. Judging from each state’s reported totals and completeness, it is expected that the final data will confirm a decrease for almost all the states currently reporting one. This means that motorcyclist fatalities will have decreased in about three-quarters of the states.

My initial thoughts were that the recession and economic downturn could be the reason for the decrease in motorcycle deaths. The GHSA reports agrees but also lists several other reasons reasons:

1) Reduced motorcycle travel due to the economic recession
2) Fewer beginning motorcyclists
3) State motorcycle safety programs
4) Other motorists awareness of motorcyclists
5) Warmer, drier weather in 2009

Regardless, it is good to see that the roads were safer for motorcyclists in 2009. We will see if this trend continues the next few years as the economy rebounds.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident , truck accident  or motorcycle 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 />