Tag Archives: Chicago car crash

City Of Chicago Files Suit Against Red Light Camera Company

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The Chicago Tribune reported last month that the city of Chicago has filed a lawsuit asking for $300 million against Redflex, the red light camera company that profited due to a $2 million bribery scheme.

The 20-page lawsuit seeks triple the $124 million Redflex collected on the Chicago contract both before and after it was fired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel amid the scandal, as well as a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each time the company made a false statement to the city. The lawsuit details an alleged conspiracy in which Redflex executives teamed up with former city official, John Bills, to orchestrate cash payments to him through a consultant acting as a bagman, as well as providing Bills with vacation trips, computers, golf outings and other perks. In exchange, according to the lawsuit, Bills coached Redflex on how to beat its competitors, orchestrated key votes at City Hall, manipulated field tests to favor the company, covered up problems with Redflex’s performance and cost taxpayers millions by encouraging city officials to buy Redflex cameras instead of leasing them.

“Had the City known that these statements were false, the City would have canceled the contracts with Redflex,” the suit alleges. “The City suffered damages in reliance of Redflex’s false statements that it had not engaged in bribery or attempted to bribe any employee of the City.”

The lawsuit is actually an intervention of an existing whistle-blower lawsuit filed by former Redflex executive Aaron Rosenberg, in Cook County Circuit Court last year.

I guess this is an attempt by the city to wipe some of the egg of their face as it was their own employee that was in the middle of the bribery scheme. How is it no one from city hall knew that this was going on at the time that the contracts for red light cameras were being bid on. I hope the city can recoup some of their money but this seems like too little too late for a program that has been drenched in controversy since day one. Not only was Redflex operating under fraudulent circumstances, but the entire purpose of the program has been called into question as it is not clear there is a safety benefit to red light cameras. I will be interested to learn what happens with this lawsuit.

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

Missouri Supreme Court Rules On Red Light Cameras

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The Kansas City Star reported this week that the Missouri Supreme Court ruled on the penalty portion of red light cameras throughout the state. Previously, red light camera tickets were treated similar to parking tickets. A violator was mailed their ticket and forced to pay the fine but points were not assessed to their driver’s license. In their recent ruling, the Court held that the violations should be considered moving violations. So the red-light camera company serving many Missouri cities said that the cameras would have to capture the driver’s photo, something their technology allows them to do. In addition, the citation would result in points being taken off a license.

Like in Chicago, many in Kansas City and St. Louis believed that the cameras did not improve safety at busy intersections. According to the Star the Kansas City Police Department prepared a report in May 2012, which concluded that the red-light cameras had positively affected driver behavior, resulting in fewer violations and fewer wrecks at those intersections. The cameras in a few instances also provided video evidence to help solve violent, gun-related crimes.

No such report has been made here in Chicago. In fact, a study done by Texas A&M researchers revealed that intersections with red light cameras actually increased the number of rear-end car accidents, while decreasing the number of t-bone time traffic accidents. The study concluded that their was a zero net safety benefit from red light traffic cameras.
It is unclear at this point whether the Illinois Courts will follow suit with Missouri by ruling that red light tickets will be considered moving violations.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076

Studies Show Summer Is Most Dangerous Time Of Year For Drivers

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The Chicago Tribune published an interesting article last month about what we should expect this summer for on the highways in Illinois. Basically, the authors pointed out that that due to the increased number of expected travelers this summer, we should expect more car accidents and traffic fatalities than we saw in 2014. Going into Memorial Day weekend, Illinois already had 15 more traffic fatalities than the same time last year.

While vehicle fatalities have increased 5 percent in Illinois so far this year, motor vehicle deaths nationally increased 11 percent — to 8,250 fatalities — in the first three months of 2015, compared with the same period in 2014, according to an analysis by the National Safety Council, based on preliminary figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The traffic safety administration’s official count includes only traffic deaths that occur within 30 days of accidents, whereas the safety council counts deaths that occur within a year of accidents.

Injuries resulting from car crashes in which medical care was received hit almost 1 million from January through March of this year in the U.S., a 26 percent increase from the same period in 2014, the safety council said.

The increase in crash-related deaths correlates to more vehicles on the roads, more total miles traveled and lower fuel prices, officials said.

The leading causes of traffic accidents continue to be intoxication and the use of cell phones. Despite most states, including Illinois, which have outlawed the use of cell phones while driver, not state has banned hands free usage.The National Traffic Safety Board (“NTSB”) and subsequently the the National Safety Council  have called for a ban on hands-free cellphone use of any kind, but no states have enacted laws completely prohibiting the use of mobile devices while driving. Illinois law permits the use of hands-free devices, except in construction zones.

If you are going to be travelling on the road this summer, be sure to buckle up and put away your cell phone.

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

DNA Info Website Produces Fascinating Information On Chicago Speed Cameras

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The fantastic website, DNA Info Chicago, published an interesting article about the statistics on Chicago’s speed cameras since 2013.

First a little background on Chicago’s red light cameras. The ordinance went into effect in 2013 and authorized the city to ticket drivers traveling 6-10 mph over the posted limit  with a $35 fine. Violators traveling 11 mph over are fined $100.  The speed cameras planted near parks are active when the parks are open, generally from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and have a 30 mph speed limit. In school zones, the cameras are on from 7 a.m to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday when school is in session. The speed limit differs from 20 to 30 mph, depending on if children are present in the area.

The article revealed that of the 146 cameras around the city, only 21 (or 1/8) produced the majority of the $58 million the city has collected in fines since the program began in 2013.

The busiest 21 cameras are spread across the city, with 11 on the South Side, seven on the North Side and three on the West Side.The most productive camera can ring up more than $7,000 in fines a day, on average .

The busiest cameras tend to be on stretches where drivers feel comfortable letting loose. The top four revenue-producing cameras, for example, are found on long stretches of open road, sometimes near expressways or industrial areas, with little cross traffic.

I think this information is very interesting because the city has touted the speed cameras as a public safety ordinance, to help protect children and pedestrians in park and school areas. Yet, according to these statistics, the majority of tickets are issued in wide open thoroughfares with very little congestion. Areas that you would assume would have the most of the cameras would be focused on these dense areas. Yes, we all realize that speeding is a leading cause of car accidents and traffic fatalities. In fact, I posted a quote yesterday from the Illinois State Police that said 40% of all traffic fatalities in Illinois were caused by speeding. But, are these cameras actually effective and preventing speeding in areas that require them the most? This article leads us to answer no.

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

Chicago City Council Approves New Law On Red Light Cameras

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The Chicago Tribune reported today that the Chicago city council approved a new “watered down” red light camera ordinance. The ordinance, which passed today and apparently has the mayor’s backing, The latest version requires city officials to meet with the community to present traffic safety evidence before putting in or taking out new red light cameras, but does not give residents the ability to veto a city decision. The measure also calls for the city “to engage an outside academic team” to study Chicago’s red light camera system and give recommendations about how it’s administered.

A previous version that was presented would have have increased the minimum yellow light time at Chicago intersections from 3 seconds to 3.2 seconds and required a council vote before any new red light cameras could be installed.

The Tribune aptly pointed out in their article today that the new ordinance failed to address the issues found in their scientific study performed last year by scientists from Texas A&M. Specifically, failing to address the city’s dangerously short yellow light times, which do not meet national engineering guidelines. Transportation engineering experts say that the city’s 3-second yellow lights, in combination with red light cameras, prompt many drivers to stop short to avoid a ticket. The experts agree that combination is responsible for an increase in rear-end car crashes.

So, I would say this is progress but it seems to be at a glacial pace. Though many aldermen candidates and mayoral candidates ran on platforms that would rid the city of red light cameras, have appeared to have failed to back up their campaign promises. My problem as that we know rear-end car accidents have actually increased at intersections where the city has put some red light cameras yet the city has failed to fully deal with this issue.

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

There’s A City Hall Dispute Over Designated Bike Lane On Kinzie Avenue

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The Chicago Sun Times reported last week that Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) is in the midst of a battle regarding the closing of the designated bicycle lane on Kinzie Avenue as new high rises are set to be built.

The Alderman introduced an ordinance last Wednesday that seeks to compel Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld to remove the protected bike lane on Kinzie “as required” by the planned commercial and residential Wolf Point development.

Reilly told the Sun Times that Scheinfeld is considering using her “commissioner’s authority to ignore that directive” agreed to by her predecessor and approved by the Chicago Plan Commission.

Reilly said “traffic congestion concerns” demand that the protected bike lane be removed. Reilly’s ordinance would require the city to remove the protected bike lane — along with “all associated signage, markings or barriers” — from the portion of West Kinzie Street between Dearborn and the west bank of the Chicago River.

“Kinzie is a very busy street. With the added density of some, close to 2 million square feet of occupied space on Wolf Point, there’ll be a lot more traffic. Traffic studies suggested that a bike lane should be removed to allow for proper traffic flow and safety, and the commissioner is now second-guessing that,” he said.

Reilly’s plan would include moving the designated bike lane from Kinzie to Grand Avenue. According to the article, Scheinfeld has argued that CDOT did an internal study that suggests “it would not be safe to move these lanes from Kinzie to Grand Avenue,” the alderman said.

It is unclear what the details of the CDOT study show. Reilly contends that the developer’s behind the Wolf Point project did their own professional study, which showed that the move to Grand Avenue would be completely viable.

It will be interesting to see if the Mayor intervenes in this situation. Alderman Reilly has clearly been a proponent of designated bike lanes as you can find them all over his Ward, including up and down Dearborn and Wells streets. It is possible that the Commissioner is receiving negative feedback from bicyclist groups opposing the closing of the Kinzie lane. I’m not an avid bicyclist so I can’t comment on whether Grand Avenue would be just as viable or safe as Kinzie but on its’ face it looks like a reasonable alternative in order to allow this construction to go forward.

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

Chicago Ranked Again As One Of Worst Traffic Cities

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A new study released by TomTom.com has concluded that in 2015, Chicago has the 8th worst traffic in the United States. According to the study, an average commute that should be 30 minutes is typically 50 minutes in Chicago. The worst times for commuting are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and Thursday evenings. The best times are Friday mornings and Monday evenings. 

Luckily for us who live here in Chicago, the city did not rank in the top ten worldwide for the worst traffic. According to the sturdy, the worst city for traffic in the U.S. is Los Angeles and the worst in the world is Mexico City.

What does this mean for traffic accidents for Chicago drivers? Obviously, this is not good. The more congestion, the higher the odds a commuter will be involved in a car crash. Plus, the added commute time can add to stress levels, which can affect a driver’s ability. I have no data or studies to back this up, and it is simply this writer’s opinion, but I believe if there is bumper to bumper traffic, the more likely a driver will pick up his or her phone and become distracted. Think about it. If a driver is bored and sitting in traffic, doesn’t it seem more likely that they will tool around and text on their phone? I believe so, and I also believe that the more distracted drivers out there will obviously lead to even more car accidents. 

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

Florida Judges Throw Out 24,000 Red Light Camera Tickets

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As I have written multiple times the last few months, red light cameras have been under close scrutiny here in Chicago, especially during this mayoral election year. The scrutiny hit a tipping point a few weeks back, when city hall decided to remove red light cameras in fifty (50) different intersections across the city

A tipping point has been met in Florida. Time magazine recently reported that two (2) judges threw out 24,000 red light cameras because the enforcement procedure violated state law.   an Arizona-based vendor named American Traffic Solutions was responsible for reviewing the footage captured by red light cameras in Florida, and then it forwarded the specifics on to police. Judges ruled that the involvement by the out-of-state party is itself a violation of state law, hence the decision to negate traffic citations worth $6.3 million.

The article pointed out that more and more municipalities are dumping their red light camera programs. The state of New Jersey ended its red light camera program at the end of 2014, while officials and driver advocates in New York City have been demanding more transparency to red light camera systems—because there’s reason to be skeptical about the claims they actually improve driver and pedestrian safety.

What will happen in Chicago? Despite recent studies questioning the safety of red light cameras, allegations of fraud and short yellow light time, I believe it will be status quo. Red light cameras will not be going anywhere.

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

Will Red Light Cameras Affect The Chicago Mayoral Race?

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The primary for Chicago’s mayoral race takes place tomorrow. There are a myriad of the usual issues that the candidates have debated such as the closing of schools and crime rates on the south side. Once issue that keeps popping up are red light cameras.

An article from Reuters published last week discussed why this is such a hot button issue. Three of Rahm Emanuel’s challengers have a called for the end of red light cameras. According to a

Chicago Tribune poll three out of four people want to see the end of these cameras. Despite public outcry, Emanuel has continued to support red light cameras. He has continuously touted that these cameras are necessary for public safety purposes.

The cameras, which have brought in a reported $500 million to the city since 2003, do not necessarily make intersections safer. A Texas A&M study, which I have written about multiple times, concluded that there was no net safety benefit to the cameras. T-bone car accidents have declined in these intersections but rear-end traffic accidents have actually increased according to the study. So what is the benefit other than money to the city?

It will be interesting to see the results tomorrow and also if we can learn whether Emanuel’s stance on red light cameras will affect the outcome of the election. Is it an issue that will push one of the challengers over the top and force Emanuel to a runoff in May? I am thinking probably not despite the polling from the Tribune. If anything will help one of the challengers tomorrow it will be on the issue something like school closings or a potential teachers strike. We’ll find out tomorrow night.

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

How Much Will A Car Crash Affect Your Insurance Rates In Illinois?

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The Chicago Tribune posted an interesting article last month about the effects that car accidents can have on car insurance premiums in Illinois.

According to a study by Insurancequotes.com, if a 45-year-old married woman in Illinois with a perfect driving record and excellent credit has just one car accident where she is at fault, a claim of $2,000 or more will increase her health insurance rates 35 percent.

What happens if this person is involved in a second auto accident in the same year? She’d pay 104 percent more for car insurance than a claim-free driver. If you aren’t covered by any insurance, don’t wait to get covered by any auto insurance.

The insurance quote company hired Quadrant Information Services to conduct the study, which looked at six large carriers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It assumed a $2,000 claim and policy limits of $100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage.

Some states are worse than others according to this study. In Massachusetts, someone who’s at-fault auto accident there increases premiums by 76 percent versus the national average of 41 percent.  In California filing a bodily injury claim in that state will drive up insurance costs 86 percent.

Injuries are by far the most costly of claims for insurance companies because hospitals and treating physicians are much more expensive than auto body shops. The average bodily injury claim cost $15,443 in 2013 versus the average property damage claim of $3,231.

Also, important to point out is if the traffic accident is the other drivers fault, their insurance kicks in and should not affect your rates. If there’s any disputes regarding who’s at fault, make sure to seek legal assistance from an auto accidents attorney.

Regardless, it is important to drive carefully, obviously for your health and the health of others. But, as this study points out, it’s also important to drive safely for your pocketbook.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron Bryant, for a free legal consultation.