Tag Archives: Chicago truck accident

IDOT Announces Completion Date For Kennedy Expressway Construction

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According to NBC Chicago, the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) will complete phase 2 of the Kennedy Expressway construction by late fall of this year. They did not provide an exact date.

Phase 2 of the Kennedy construction has included updating all of the Reversible Lane Access Controls (“REVLAC”) in the express lanes. IDOT provided the following statement on the construction so far: “The REVLAC system controls the gates and changes the direction of traffic in the reversible lanes. The work includes installing 120 gates, controls (local and remote), cameras, electrical components, fiber optic cables and terminal blocks along the 7.5 miles. Additionally, new overhead sign structures and signs were installed. While the pavement in the express lanes is drivable their use is extremely limited. The REVLAC work is ongoing, and the system currently is not functional.”

This is welcome new for those in the Chicagland area. Commutes from O’Hare airport in the city can take up to an hour depending on the time of day you are traveling. The Kennedy construction not only ties up the expressway but makes traffic throughout the northside of the city much worse and drivers look for alternate routes. Opening up the express lanes again will hopefully ease up traffic and shorten commute times. Hopefully the better technology and improvements made to the express lanes will make commutes on the Kenndey much safer. The completion of this project cannot come soon enough.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then please contact the Chicago injury lawyers at The Bryant Law Group for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or click on the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Illinois Governor Signs Bill Allowing Digital Driver’s Licenses On Phones

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Last month Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker, signed a House Bill 4592 into law, which gives Illinois residents the option to have a mobile Illinois Identification Card or mobile driver’s license.

The digital version of the ID card would be issued in addition to the physical card, not instead. The law allows agencies and businesses to choose whether they want to accept digital IDs but bars anyone from requiring a digital ID over a physical card. 

Additionally, residents would still have to show their physical identification card to law enforcement, if the officer requests it. The law also gives officers immunity from any liability resulting in damage to a mobile device, except in the cases of willful and wanton misconduct, as well as barring law enforcement from searching an individual’s phone without consent if they are provided digital identification.

This bill will go into effect on January 1, 2025.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or a Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago personal injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC. at 312-614-1076 for a free legal consultation or go directly to our 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.

Illinois Traffic Deaths Up From This Time Last Year

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Traffic levels are slowly edging back to pre-pandemic levels. Unfortunately, traffic deaths around the country and in Illinois have risen sharply as well. The Chicago Sun Times reported yestderday that there were 280 traffic fatalities during the first quarter of the year, a 24% jump from the same time in 2021.T There were 584 traffic fatalities through the first six months of 2022. That’s an 8% increase compared to the first half of 2021 and a 32% jump from 2020. The NHTSA won’t finalize counts until the end of the year.

According to the article and to the National Safety Council, U.S. roads appear to be more dangerous than they were prior to the pandemic. Many experts opined early on in the pandemic that the open roads were encouraged many drivers to exceed speed limits and drive more recklessly. Now that traffic levels are closer to normal, what could be causing all this erradic driving?

Experts have warned about speeding and drinking and driving, but I believe the focus needs to remain on distracted driving as well. Having your phone in your hand and looking away from the road for split second is all it takes sometimes. I highly encourage all drivers put their phones down when behind the wheel and focus on the road.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago accident attorneys at the Bryant Law Group, LLC, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Returns To Illinois For Labor Day Weekend

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Multiple police departments and county sheriff’s offices will be implementing the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled” campaign to curb drunk driving over Labor Day weekend. The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign runs from Aug. 19 through the early morning hours of Sept. 6. During this period, law enforcement will be stepping up efforts focused on impaired, unbuckled and distracted drivers.

The Lake County sheriff’s department recommended the following tips for drivers who may be out and about or headed to parties over the next couple weekends:

•Before the party starts, remember to designate a sober driver, and don’t let friends or family members drive impaired. Other important tips include:

• If you’re hosting, make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance or arrange ride-sharing or another sober ride home. Also serve lots of food and include nonalcoholic beverages at the party.

• If you do not have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home, call a cab, or stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.

• Don’t let friends leave your sight if you think they are about to drive impaired.

• Always buckle up – it is your best defense in a crash.

I think this is an important safety campaign, but I would like to see resources and messaging go towards prevention of distracted driving and phone use while driving. Regardless, be careful if you will be out on the roads over the upcoming holiday weekend.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago personal injury attorneys at the Bryant Law Group for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

U.S. Traffic Deaths Continue to Rise In 2022

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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), 9,650 people died in motor vehicle accidents in the first 3 months of this year. This is a 7% increase over the year before. It is also the highest first quarter since 2002.

No doubt the ending of covid restrictions has contributed to these rising numbers as more people are out on the roads. People drove about 40 billion more miles in the first quarter than a year earlier, a 5.6% increase, the NHTSA said. But the rate of traffic deaths per 100 million miles traveled also increased during the quarter from 1.25 deaths to 1.27, according to the agency.

The question is why do these numbers continue to increase, and how do we help reduce these numbers. According to the NHTSA, a significant protion of the $1 trillion federal infrastructure bill will be dedicated to making the roads safer and accident prevention.

started running ads urging people to slow down and not to drive while impaired. On Wednesday, it announced the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign for Labor Day weekend, which focuses on preventing impaired driving and improving safety on the roads with local police for the weeks around the end-of-summer holiday.

The NHTSA has also launched a public education campaign to address speeding, which is called “one of America’s most dangerous driving behaviors.” The “Speeding Wrecks Lives” campaign, which aims to change general attitudes toward speeding and remind drivers of the deadly consequences.

I’m a little dubious of these Ad campaigns as they have been running these for years, yet the numbers continue to increase. I would like to see more resources and focus on distracted driving as well as impaired driving. Let’s hope the investment from the infrastructure bill works as we need to see these numbers turn around.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago personal injury lawyers at the Bryant Law Group for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Illinois Governor Announces $36.4 Billion Investment In Transportation Infrastructure

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Illinois Governer JB Pritzker announced at a press conference today that over $36 billion will be dedication to the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”). The funding comes from the bipartison federal infrastructure bill that based the U.S. House and Senate last year.

Pritzker is named this infrastructure plan “Rebuild Illinois The money will be used for highway reconstruction and bridge improvements, along with safety and system modernizations.

Below is a general breakdown where the money will be going:

  • $25.4 billion for Illinois’ roads and bridges.
  • $1.4 billion for major rail projects and added Grade Crossing Protection projects.
  • $150 million for aeronautic facility improvements.
  • $150 million in new funding for port improvements.

This is an incredible investment into our state that will hopefully make the roads safer, efficient and will also create thousands of new jobs. The one thing I would have like to hear more about is how any of this money will be used to help free up traffic in and around Chicago. I believe that is the plan, but I would have appreciated more specifics.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured a Chicago car crash or Chicago car accident, please call the The Bryant Law Group for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.

Tips To Remember When Involved In A Traffic Accident

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We are in the heart of summer vacation and there a lot of motorists out on the road. Numbers are indicating that the country is inching closer to pre-pandemic levels of travel.

A car accident or a truck accident can be a very stressful moment for many people. It’s improtant to keep your cool and think rationally if you have been involvedin a car crash. Below is a comprehensive list of things you should and should not do if you are involved in a traffic accident.

• Do get names, addresses, license plate and phone numbers of those drivers involved. This includes any witnesses.
• Do call the police immediately or have someone at the scene call for you;
• Do take photographs of scene and your injuries;
• Do take care of your injuries-concentrate on getting better (i.e. go to the emergency room or set an appointment with your primary care physician);
• Do keep records of your medical treatment and time missed from work;       

• Do make sure to purchase adequate full coverage auto insurance, including uninsured motorist coverage in case you are struck by an uninsured driver or the victim of a hit and run;
• Do not talk or give a statement to the other driver’s insurance company;
• Don’t attempt to negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company before your medical treatment is completed;
• Don’t wait months from the date of injury before hiring an attorney, as your right to file claim or lawsuit may be barred; and
• Don’t 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 if treatment is postponed.

This is not an exhaustive list, but they are simple steps you can take in order to protect your rights as an accident victim. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago personal injury lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, at 312-614-1076 for a free legal consultation.

Chicago Speed Camera Ticket To Remain At 6 MPH

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The Chicago city council voted down an ammendment to the speed camera tickets which would have raised the threshold from 6 mph over to 10 mph. The measure lost 26 to 18. If caught on camera driving 6 mph over the limit will bring you a $35 ticket. 10 mph or over will bring a $100 ticket. These speed camera tickets are considered non-moving violations and will not add points to your drivers license.

Opponents to the 6 mph ticket threshold argued that they were simply a cash cow for the city. Estimates put the revenue for these tickets at about $70 million per year.

I don’t disagree with that argument. Do these cameras actually make our streets safer. The numbers say they don’t. There were 174 traffic related deaths in 2021 and those numbers (according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot) continue to rise in 2022. If the number of fatalaties continue to rise despite these speed cameras, then why are they even in place. What are they doing to make our streets safer?

These cameras are here to stay and so is the 6 mph threshold, we can only hope this causes people to slow down and eventually lead to less traffic fatalities.

If you or a loved once has been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago injury attorney, Aaron J. Bryant for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076.