Nothing compares to the pain of losing a family member. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon on our roadways. More than 40,000 Americans lost their lives in car crashes in 2017, and the vast majority were caused by driver negligence. While moving forward after a family member is tragically killed is incredibly difficult, facing the financial problems of life without a spouse or parent can compound the difficulty. 

If your loved one was fatally injured in a car accident, it is critical to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent party. An experienced legal team can help you and your family receive the compensation you deserve. 

On New Year’s Eve, a 25-year-old woman was arrested on DUI charges after crashing her vehicle into Riverside Brookfield High School. The collision, which occurred around 2:40 a.m., was one of only a handful of drunk driving collisions in the greater Chicago area during the recent holiday season. For law enforcement officials and the public, the low number of drunk driving accidents represented a victory for anti-DUI initiatives. 

Holiday Drunk Driving

The holiday season brings celebrations, and many of those involve the consumption of alcohol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over half of American adults admit to drinking more during the holidays. It should come as no surprise that more than 33 percent of all December traffic fatalities occur between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

On December 23, 2018, a car crash in the Little Village neighborhood on the Southwest side of Chicago resulted in the hospitalization of two children. The injured children, ages 3 and 10, were both rushed to Stroger Hospital. Fortunately, no one was fatally injured in the accident, but the crash did serve as a reminder of the risks that young children face when traveling in motor vehicles. If you or a loved one are injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is important to contact a legal team to learn about your options for receiving compensation for your damages. 

Simple Steps to Protect Your Children From Injury 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), transportation injuries are the most common cause of fatalities among children. While car crashes are often unavoidable, there are a few ways you can lower the chances of your children suffering severe injuries in a collision:

• Buckle Them Up: Studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), found that the lives of more than 14,000 Americans were saved in 2016 due to the use of seat belt restraint systems. Despite the overwhelming evidence that seat belts can be key to avoiding serious injuries, almost 10% of Americans neglect to wear their seat belts. Next time you drive with your children, make sure that they are properly buckled in. 
• Properly Use Booster Seats: For parents of young children, booster seats are needed to help children avoid injuries. When placing your child in their booster seat, make sure that they are in the seat correctly and that the seat is properly restrained. It is also important to ensure that the booster seat is the correct size. If your child grows out of a booster seat, yet they are still not big enough for a vehicle’s standard seat belts, it is important to purchase a larger sized seat. If your child is too small for their seat, return it and get a new one. Utilizing a booster seat that does not fit your child can put them at risk of serious injury. 
• Avoid Distractions: Any parent knows how easy it is to be distracted by your children. When driving, distractions can come with severe consequences. Distracted driving is responsible for approximately 25% of all car accidents nationwide. Next time you drive with your children, avoid taking your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel, which could make the difference in avoiding a collision. 

Contact a Waukegan Car Accident Lawyer

At Salvi and Maher, L.L.C., our legal team is dedicated to ensuring that our clients receive the compensation they deserve for injuries suffered in car accidents. If you or a loved one is injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is time to seek out legal assistance. To schedule a complimentary consultation with a Lake County personal injury attorney, call us today at 847-662-3303. 

For most of those working in the greater Chicago area, commuting through heavy traffic is part of the necessary daily routine. While consistently dealing with traffic can bring complacency behind the wheel, rush hour driving can be quite dangerous. 

On December 20, commuters in Illinois were reminded of the increased risk that comes with heavy traffic, as a four-vehicle collision on the Kennedy Expressway resulted in the death of one man. If you regularly commute through heavy traffic to get to and from work, these simple tips could help you avoid a car crash. 

According to studies conducted by the National Safety Council, in both 2016 and 2017, automobile accident deaths in the United States reached 40,000 for the first time in almost a decade. So what is causing the increase in accidents and fatal injuries? 

Law enforcement officials throughout the country believe the increase in collisions is largely due to one major issue: cell phone use while driving.