Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

URBANA – A downstate teen admitted he was sending a text when he stuck a pedestrian in Urbana who later died of his injuries. The teen has pled guilty to the charge of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and texting whilte driving.

Young J. Kim, 19, of Champaign, received a ticket in connection with the May 16 accident which occurred at the 200 block of West Main Street in downtown Urbana. Kim struck Perfecto Perez, 84, of Chicago. Perez was crossing Main Street from north to south to go to his car to check on his do. Mr. Perez was attending a graduation party for a relative at the V. Picasso restaurant.

Two days later, Perez, died of his injuries at Carle Foundation Hospital.

Kim was fined $1,000 for the failure to reduce speed and $75 for the texting while driving.

According to an earlier statement by Police, accident happened at dusk, Mr. Perez was not in a crosswalk and that he was wearing dark clothing.

According to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety older drivers are experiencing fewer serious accidents and are able to keep their driver's licenses longer.

Fatal crashes involved drivers older than 70 fell by over 35% between 1997 and 2008.

In that same period accidents, accidents which involved drivers older than 80 decreased fell by almost 50%, but it only fell 20% for young drivers. In 2008 nearly 78% of all senior citizens had a driver's license. That accounts fro approximately 28 million senior citizens.

In 2008, drivers 80 and older had 20% fewer accidents without reported injuries. There was no change in that number remained for drivers 35-54.

There are several factors that could account for the decrease in accidents among seniors. Cars are built safer, senior citizens are healthier and several states have begun to monitor older drivers more closely. Illinois is requiring road tests for drivers older than 75.

Despite this, seniors remain far more likely to die in a crash. Drivers who are 70 or older are three times more likely to die in a car accident than drivers 35-54.

Decatur, IL- Drivers in Decature are being advised not to talk on their cell phones in contsruction zone as it is against the law, as the city prepares for one of the busiest constructions seaons in recent history.

It is illegal for anyone under 19 to talk on cell phones while driving, – regardless of where they are and Illinois has completely banned texting while driving.

At the beginning of the year, new laws took effect. They are intended to protect the safety of both workers and drivers. Drivers using any type of hand held device are 4 times more likely to become involved in an accident.

Drivers who get ticketd for violating the laws must appear in court with any potential fines determined by the court after the proceedings are completed. The exceptions to the law are for drivers using wireless telephones for emergency purposes, to, law enforcement agencies, health care providers, fire or other emergency services entities or persons using hands free telephones in voice-activated mode.

On July 14, Decatur police made stopped 14 drivers for using their cell phones while in construction zones. Motorists are also reminded that the law applies 24 hours a day, even when construction workers are not present.

According to a McLean County coroner’s jury. the death of a construction worker at ISU in Bloomington, Illinois, could have been avoided.

The jury, which deliberated about an hour before reaching it's decision, made the announcement on July 8, that the death of Stephen D. White, 57, who was working for Bloomington’s Stark Excavating at Hovey Hall was accidental but avoidable.

White's employer declined to comment on the decision.

White was killed when a large piece of a concrete pillar façade fell on the excavator he was operating. At the time of his death, White and his crew were working to clear broken pillar pieces, which weighed thousands of pounds.

According to the jury foreman, jurors ruled the crushing death was accidental. They have asked Stark Excavating to create a safety inspection team and to develop more in-depth safety training.

Testimony on Thursday was given by from ISU Police Officer Eric Lutz, Stark Excavating Safety and Risk Management Director Wayne Clayton, and McLean County Deputy Coroner David Killian.

Dr. Beth Kimmerling, coroner said the Normal Fire Department, arrived 6 minutes after the 911 call and found White unresponsive “with no signs of life.”

The jury was shown picturess of the accident site, equipment which was being used that day, and excerpts from the OSHA report on White's death.

Much of the deliberation was centered on a nylon sling which broke when workers attempted to lift an 8,780-pound piece resting against Hovey’s top floors.

According to Clayton, Stark not have a formal inspection team, however, equipment is inspected by employees before each job. He also told jurors that the workers on the site where White was killed are skilled workers with decades of experience.

Kimmerling said the inquest was held after her office received results from an OSHA investigation.

OSHA fined Stark Excavating $28,000 in connection with White's death. No announcements have been made by Start as to whether they will appeal the fine.

The Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration and Transporation Secretary Ray LaHood sent to congress and president Obama the administration's Public Safety Act over six months ago. Occassional reminders were sent about the Act's importance.

Accidents that result in employee's deaths, major crashes and a less that favorable review of our nation's capital's transit system was the reason the bill was authored. Peter Rogogg, a Transit Administrator says that other systems in the United States suffered from the same types of problems and that federal oversight was essential.

Last month, the Senate Banking, House and Urban Affairs Committee unanimously voted to send it to the full Senate. LaHood said that this is the first time a transit specific safety bill was sent to Congress by any administration.

Continue reading " Transit safety finally in motion " »