Tag Archives: Chicago car crash

Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway Express Lanes Reopened

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The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) announced that the express lanes on the 1-90/94 expressway have officially repopened for the first time since their closing for consutruction in March 2024.

Their closure was part of a three (3) rennovation project run by IDOT. Since the express lanes closure, commute times in and out of the loop and out to O’Hare airport have increased dramatically. So much so, that a recent traffic study put Chicago tied for first in the U.S. for worst traffic congestion.

The express lanes (which referese directions depending on time of day and congestion) were originally supposed to open in December. IDOT pushed their openning until today blaming continued testing on the Reversible Lane Access Control System, which controls access to the lanes depending on the flow of rush hour traffic. That system includes more than 120 gates, camera equipment, fiber optic cables and a variety of signage, IDOT said.

We are all hoping that the re-opening of the express lanes will help ease traffic congestion in and out of the city. Though, more closures on the Kennedy are coming as IDOT will be moving to the third phase of the contruction project. There will be periodic lane closures on parts of the outbound Kennedy Expressway from Ohio Street to the Edens junction. Road contruction workers are expected to rehabilitate lanes and refurbish a number of bridges along the route.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Illinois injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC., for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Chicago Tied For Worst Traffic In U.S. In 2024

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The annual Global Traffic Scorecard was released yesterday by INIX and it Chicago did not look good. According to the study’s findings, Chicago was tied with New York as the worst in the U.S. for traffic congestion and was only behind Hong Kong globally.

INRIX, a transportation data and analytics firm, showed that Chicago and New York commuters lost an average of 102 hours sitting in traffic last year. Los Angeles ranked third with 88 hours lost.

The average speed of a downtown Chicago commute was approximately 14 mph, tied for the third-slowest in the country. INRIX calculated that the slow commute for drivers in Chicago costs on average about $1,826 per year. The analysis attributed the increases to a return to in-person work, and large nighttime trip increases on the weekends as cities have tried to entice employees and visitors back to enjoy their downtown life.

I agree with INIX’s reasoning but another factor, at least for those who drive downtown on the I-90/94 Kennedy expressway, is the ongoing construction. The express lanes going north and south have been out of commission for most of the year and as I wrote last month, they will not be open until the end of January. Hopefully, once the Kennedy construction is completed and the express lanes are open, then commute times will ease up a bit.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago injury attorneys at the Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Lake County Launches Holiday Driving Safety Program

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The holiday season is upon us and there are records numbers of people on the roads in the Chicagoland area. People are driving to visit family, go on vacation or just attending holiday parties. It’s important to take precautions before hitting the road this year. According to Patch.com, the Lake County Illinois Sheriff’s office and the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) are launching a holiday safety traffic initiative called  “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High, Get a DUI.” The program runs from December 17 through January 2.

The Lake County Sheriff’s office is urging all drivers to plan ahead and do the following before getting behind the wheel:

  • Plan ahead — Designate a sober driver, use public transportation, or arrange for a ride-sharing service.
  • Report dangers — If you spot an impaired driver, pull over safely and dial 911.
  • Buckle up — It’s your best defense against impaired drivers.

There will be extra police enforcement on the roads looking for excessive speeders, drunk and distracted drivers. The funding for the program comes from the President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill through the National Highway Traffic Administration and the funds are administered by IDOT.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then please call the Chicago accident lawyers at the Bryant Law Group for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or you can go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Winter Driving Tips Provided By IDOT

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Winter in Chicago is hear and with it comes slick roads, snow, ice and fog. These conditions can limit visibility and make driving much more dangerous. The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) issued some valuable winter weather driving tips that will hopefully make your time behind the wheel much safer.

IDOT suggests drivers follow these rules and tips:

  • Always wear a seat belt. It’s the law in Illinois.
  • Slow down. Slower speeds, slower acceleration, slower steering and slower braking all are required in winter driving conditions.
  • Drop it and drive. Put down the handheld devices – it, too, is the law in Illinois.
  • Don’t crowd the plow. A snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they may not see you.
  • Avoid using cruise control in snow and ice.
  • Watch out for black ice on roads that appear clear but can be treacherous.
  • Be especially careful approaching intersections, ramps, bridges and shady areas. All are prone to icing.
  • Do not travel during bad weather unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to make a trip, check the forecast and make sure someone is aware of your travel route. Consider taking public transportation if it is an option.
  • Prepare an emergency kit that contains jumper cables, flares or reflectors, windshield washer fluid, a small ice scraper, traction material, blankets, non-perishable food and a first-aid kit.
  • Carry a cell phone and a car charger in case of emergency.
  • Follow Scott’s Law. Slow down and move over for stopped emergency, construction and maintenance vehicles.

This list is a pretty exhaustive list, but should probably be followed year round. The suggestion that often gets overlooked is putting down your phone. If you need to use your phone for directions and you don’t have a screen that your phone can connect to, I highly recommend placing it on a stand so that you can easily follow the directions without taking your eye off the road. Of course, if you do have to use the phone, it is always safer to pull over to make that call or send that text or email.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Illinois accident attorneys at the Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website by clicking www.blgchicago.com.

GM Recalls Close To 500,000 Trucks

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) announed this week that General Motors is recalling 461,000 trucks and SUVs based on a transmission issue. The vehicles recalled include the 2020-2022 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 2021 Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

The specific auto defect involves a transmission control valve on the impacted vehicles may fail causing the rear wheels to lock up, the NHTSA said, which would increase the risk of a crash.

GM dealers will install a new transmission control module software free of charge and GM will provide a special coverage program for repairing transmissions identified as containing a defective control valve.

If you own one of these types of vehicles, please contact your dealer as soon as possible to avoid any further risks.

Should you or a loved become injured from a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Illinois personal injury attorneys at the Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Law To Lower Speed Limit In Chicago Passes Through Committee

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I wrote earlier this week that there was a new law presented in the Chicago city council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety that would lower the speed limit on city streets to 25 mph. According to multiple new outlets, including WGN News, the proposed law passed through the committee process and heads to the full city council for a vote.

The law would lower the speed limit on city streets only. It would not apply to streets owned by the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”). It’s not clear from the research I’ve done how many Chicago streets are under the jursidiction of IDOT.

The chairman of the committee, Alderman Dan LaSpata, is adament that this is not a money grab by the city. He stated the following at the committee hearing: “The goal is not more revenue. The goal is to change behaviors and save lives.”

The city says that 70 percent of the traffic fatalities last year involved motorists traveling at high speeds. Data shows that a person struck by a vehicle traveling 30 MPH has a 60 percent chance of survival. That chance of survival increases to about 95 percent if the person is struck by a vehicle traveling 20 MPH.

A separate measure passed Monday would create a pilot program that would allow citizens to submit photos of vehicles illegally parked in bike and bus lines to the city through 311. The city’s Department of Finance would then issue citations to the vehicle’s registered owners after two warnings.

Again, I will be watching this closely to see if this passes the full city council vote and is signed by the mayor and will update as soon as news is released.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or in a Chicago pedestrian accident, then call the Illinois injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC at 312-614-1076 or go directly to our website at www.blgchicago.com.

Illinois State Police & Governor Announce New Traffic Accident Notification System

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The Illinois State Police (“ISP”) and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced this week that the state will be using a new emergency notification system when there are car accidents that involve emergency personnel.

Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology and ISP partnered with Google Public Sector to develop a real-time, GPS-based alert system to tell drivers about upcoming ISP traffic activity.

The process begins when ISP sends their GPS coordinates to the Google Cloud. Waze transforms the information into an alert message that’s distributed to approaching drivers. A police crash or disabled vehicle icon will appear on their map screen and an alert to slow down and move over. Google maps will show similar icons in the coming weeks.

Brad Hoffman, the director, State & Local Government and Education, at Google Public Sector, had this to say about the partnership with the state of Illinois: “By routing incident information through Google Cloud to populate in Waze and Google Maps, we can help ensure drivers are better informed and attentive when approaching road incidents. We applaud the Illinois State Police and Gov. Pritzker for taking a proactive approach to preventing ‘Move Over’ crashes and safeguarding the lives of those who serve and protect communities across the state.”

This is a positive sign that shows the type of public private synergy that improves traffic safety for everyone. This is helpful to oncoming drivers where a car accident already occurred but also protects the always vulnerable emergency response workers. This included state troopers, police, EMS workers and firefighters.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Illinois truck accident, please call the Chicago injury attorneys at the Bryant Law Group, LLC for a free legal consultation or go to our firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

6 Chicago Suburbs Receive Federal Grant For Traffic Safety Study

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6 Illinois towns outside of Chicago received federal grants to study traffic safety accord to new outlet Patch. Manhattan, Illinois, a southwest Chicago suburb, received a $100,000 grant focused on Route 52, which runs through their downtown. The village of Manhattan will use the funds to study pedestrian safety and hopefully reduce traffic congestion.

Morris, village of Channahon and village of Minooka to receive a $320,000 Statewide Planning and Research grant for a traffic study on East Route 6. Each of these towns will split the funds equally.

The money, which stems from the bipartisen infrastructure plan signed by President Biden in 2022, is used to establish a cooperative, continuous and comprehensive framework for making transportation investment decisions and to carry out transportation research activities throughout the state of Illinois.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group for a free consultation at 312-614-1076 or go to our website at www.blgchicago.com.

What To Do If You Are Inolved In A Car Crash

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I’ve been asked through the years by clients, friends and family what exactly they should do if they are involved in a motor vehicle accident. The most important thing to worry about is your safety and the safety of any passengers or those involved in the car crash. Beyond seeking immediate medical attention, I put together a list of what to do and what not to do following a traffic accident.

Do:

• Do get names, addresses, license plate and phone numbers of the involved drivers and any witnesses
• Do call the police immediately or have someone at the scene call for you
• Do take photographs of accident scene, damaged vehicle and any bodily injuries
• Do notify your insurance carrier and the insurance carrier of the at-fault driver
• Do seek medical attention as soon as possible and concentrate on getting better
• Do keep records of your medical treatment • Do keep track of time missed from work including vacation and sick days used as a result of your injuries

Do Not:


• Do not give a recorded statement to the at-fault driver’s insurance company
• Do not negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company before your medical treatment is completed
• Do not wait months or yearsfrom the date of injury before hiring an attorney, as your right to file claim or lawsuit may be barred
• Do not wait days or weeks from the time you are injured to seek medical attention. Your health comes first and also insurance companies are wary of paying for medical bills or for pain and suffering if treatment is postponed.

This is not an exhaustive list but important to keep in mind if you are involved in a car crash. If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury attorney, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm at www.blgchicago.com.

Toyota Recalls Popular Highlander SUV

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According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), Toyota recalled their Grand Highlander SUV and Lexus TX due to an airbag defect. Specifically, the driver’s side curtain airbag might not deploy during a crash, increasing the chance of an injury. Toyota annunced that it will notify owners once a solution has been found.

The recall is for approximately 145,000 vehicles. In a press release Toyota stated that the affected airbags are located on the driver’s side, and the deployment problem might occur if the driver’s window is rolled down. Obviously, that could increase the risk of an injury during a crash that involves that area.

The recall was announced at the end of July and I have not seen that there has been a reslution to fix the defect. Nor have a seen any news that there have been any serious car accident injuries for traffic fatalaties due to this defect. If you own a Grand Higlander or Lexus TX, please reach out to your local Toyota dealer as soon as possible.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or have been injured by an auto defect in the Chicagoland area, please reach out to the Illinois personal injury lawyers at The Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.