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MADD, NFL Designated Driver Program Sees Increase In Volunteers

by on February 1, 2012 in Accident, drunk driving, MADD, transportation news

A program aimed at keeping drunk drivers off the road during and after NFL games announced they have had record sign ups for volunteers this season.

According to the press release from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, also known as MADD, the organization had 220,000 fans sign up to be designated drivers for game day, representing a 30 percent increase from 2010.

The Chicago Bears, along with eight other NFL teams partnered with MADD in 2011 for a designated driver program to help make game-day safer for the fans. The program ran throughout the season and will conclude with the Super Bowl XLVI, Sunday.

MADD and the NFL worked together to urge people to take a stand against drunk driving through a Facebook campaign and a program encouraging parents to discuss drunk driving with their children.

During the pre-game MADD distributes information cards and plays a PSA urging people to be designated drivers and avoid drinking and driving.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured in a drunk driving accident, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt are here to assist you. We can discuss your situation and help you decide if a personal injury claim should be persued. Call us today and find out how we can help you.

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Kia Recalls 146K Cars With Defective Airbags

by on January 18, 2012 in Accident, defective product, product liability

Kia recalled almost 146,000 vehicles due to defective airbags, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall involves Kia Optimas made from 2006 – 2008 and the 2007 – 2008 Kia Rondo. The release said a flawed spring system may become damaged over time, disabling the driver’s side airbag.

The official recall is expected to begin in March. The company said they became aware of the problem last week, but were not aware of any injuries or airbags that did not deploy due to the defect.

The release said Kia will attempt to notify owners and dealers will replace the affected part. Owners may call 1-800-333-4542 to get in touch with the company. You can read the full recall notice by clicking here.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured while using a defective product, the attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt are here to assist you. We are your Chicago personal injury attorneys and may be able to help you recover the compensation you deserve.

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Study: Wearing Headphones And Walking Can Be Deadly

by on January 18, 2012 in Accident, accidental death, train accident

A new study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine found that serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones has more than tripled since 2005.

According to the news release, in many instances a car or train is sounding a horn to alert the pedestrian, but that person is unable to hear it. Those cases lead to fatalities in 70 percent of all incidents.

Dr. Lichenstein, along with some colleagues, studied 116 accident cases after gathering case reports from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Comission, Google News Archives and the Westlaw Campus Research databases for reports of pedestrian injuries or fatalities from crashes with trains or motor vehicles between 2004 and 2011.

Their findings were released online Monday in the journal ‘Injury Prevention.’

Sixty-eight percent of the victims were male and 67 percent were younger than 30. According to their findings, more than half of the accidents involved trains and 29 percent reported sounding a horn or other warning prior to the incident.

The study was initiated after a local teen died at a railroad crossing. The teen was noted to be wearing headphones and did not avoid the train, despite several warnings.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured or killed in any type of motor vehicle accident, the Chicago personal injury attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. are here for you. Contact us today for your free, initial consultation.

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Train Derails, Traffic Diverted For Hours

by on January 14, 2012 in Accident, train accident, transportation news

Traffic was diverted Thursday when a train carrying ethanol derailed in Gibson City.

Officials said two tanker cars contianing 28,000 gallons each of ethanol slipped off the railroad tracks about 2 p.m. Even though no leak happened, the highway was clear for nearly 11 hours after the derailment.

According to reports, the trains did not tip over and the tracks were being repaired on Friday. Local businesses did have to evacuate as a safety percaution, however, and a mile-long stretch of Illinois 9 was closed until about 1 a.m.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a train accident, you may need the counsel of an experienced Chicago personal injury lawyer. Contact our office today for your free, initial consultation.

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More Drownings In Great Lakes In 2011

by on January 8, 2012 in Accident

The number of people who drowned in the Great Lakes in 2011 increased from the previous year by 18 percent.

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, 87 people drowned in the Great Lakes in 2011 compared to 74 who drowned in the Great Lakes in 2010.

Forty-four of the drownings occurred in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, and 15 of those were due to rip currents in the lake.

The group’s Facebook page describes themselves as “Great Lake surfers dedicated to reducing drowning incidents on the Great Lakes.”

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury in the water, you may have a personal injury case. Call us for a free, initial consultation to discuss what options you may have.

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Motorcyclists Allowed To Run Some Red Lights

by on December 28, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, new law

A new Illinois law taking effect Sunday will allow motorcyclists to run red lights.

The law is an attempt to problems motorcyclists have encountered with road censors. Many censors do not detect the weight of motorcycles because they do not weigh as much as cars or other motor vehicles.

The law states if the light has not changed after a “reasonable amount of time” the motorcyclist can run the light. However, not everyone is in support of the new law. Some have expressed concern that it will increase accidents.

Both Wisconsin and Indiana have similar laws in effect already.

If you have been involved in a serious motor vehicle accident, you need an attorney who will fight for you as you work to recover. Contact us today for your free, initial consultation.

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Alcohol-Related Deaths, DUIs Decrease In Illinois

by on December 24, 2011 in Accident, car accident, drunk driving

The number of alcohol-impaired motor vehicle deaths in Illinois over the past five years has continued to decrease, according to crash data released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

According to the data, deaths have decreased by 33 percent from 2006 through 2010. In 2006, 446 deaths were attributed to impaired driving accidents while in 2010, 298 deaths were attributed to impaired driving accidents.

The data also showed the number of DUI arrests decreased by 16 percent between 2007 and 2010.

Officials are contributing the decrease to law enforcement and motorists working to comply with traffic safety laws.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident, you need an experienced attorney who can fight on your behalf. Contact Dwyer & McDevitt today for a free, initial consultation.

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NTSB Recommends Full Ban On Cell Phones While Driving

by on December 13, 2011 in Accident, car accident, cell phone ban, National Transportation and Safety Board, NTSB, texting ban, texting while driving

A federal board meant to overlook safety on roadways across the country made an unprecedented recommendation Tuesday morning that all states should ban the use of non-emergency cellular devices of any type by all drivers.

The only exception was those designed to assist drivers, such as GPS devices.

This comes after the NTSB reviewed a multi-vehicle crash in Grays Summit, Mo. that occurred in August 2010 on Interstate 44. The accident involved two passenger vehicles and two school buses and left two people dead and 38 people injured.

Cell phone records of one of the drivers showed frequent text activity via cell phone and led the board to conclude that driver was likely distracted by texting at the time of the accident. Eleven text messages were sent or received in eleven minutes by the driver just prior to the accident. The driver was killed in the crash.

According to officials, the 19-year-old driver of the pickup crashed into the back of a tractor trailer. His truck was then rear-ended by a school bus, which was then rear-ended by another school bus.

If you or your loved one has been injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, you may have the basis for a personal injury case. Contact the Chicago auto accident attorneys at Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. today and we can help lay out your options.

NTSB Meeting Summary >>

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New PSA To Warn Teens Of Texting While Driving

by on November 29, 2011 in Accident, accidental death, car accident, teen driving, texting while driving

A new public service announcement geared toward teens and texting while driving is set to run in time for the holidays.

The United States Department of Transportation revealed the campaign “OMG,” Monday to help spread the message that texting while driving is not only dangerous, but can be deadly as well.

Two versions of the PSA are set to run. One will run in Regal movie theaters across the country, while a more somber one will run on 12,000 gas pump screens near busy roadways.

According to the government site, distraction.gov 5,474 people were killed in 2009 in crashes where a driver was distracted and nearly 50,000 were injured. Also, in June 2011, more than 196 billion text messages were sent, which was up nearly 50 percent in two years.

Research has found that sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind.

If you or your loved one has been seriously injured, or your loved one has been killed by a texting or otherwise distracted driver, our lawyers may be able to assist you. Contact the Chicago car accident attorneys at the law office of Dwyer & McDevitt, LLC today for your free, initial consultation.

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Effort To Crack Down On Illegal Use Of Disabled Parking Tags

by on November 25, 2011 in Accident, transportation news

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced this week a new initiative aimed at cracking down on those who illegally use disabled parking placards, especially in the metered spots that are free and crowded places such as area malls.

Officers will check placards on parked cards to make sure they match the assigned license plates as well as pull over drivers who get into cars parked in disability spaces.

To legally use the placard, the person who received it must be in the vehicle and must have entered and exited the vehicle where it was parked.

Illegally using a placard or disability license plate carries a $500 fine. A driver may receive up to a $350 fine if they park in a disability parking space and are not certified to do so.

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured, the law offices of Dwyer & McDevitt, Ltd. are here to help you. Contact our offices today and talk to your Chicago personal injury lawyers.

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