School Bus Driver Faces No Charges in Fatal Illinois Crash

A school bus driver involved in a fatal collision near Wadsworth earlier this month will not face any charges, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. At least one witness at the scene of the crash originally indicated the bus driver ran a red light, but officials say that witnesses gave conflicting statements thereafter regarding the cause of the collision.

On April 5, the school bus collided with two SUVs at the intersection of Highway 173 and Kilbourne Road, resulting in the death of one of the SUV drivers. A toxicology report on the victim showed what is believed to be prescription drugs in the SUV driver's system at the time of the crash, adding speculation as to the cause of the collision.

There were 35 children on board the bus that morning which was traveling to Newport Elementary School in Wadsworth. The collision demolished one of the SUVs, caused significant damage to the other, and caused the school bus to roll on its side. In all, 37 people were injured.

In most collisions, people who are injured by the negligence of another driver have a right to bring a claim against at-fault driver's insurance. The claim may be made to cover things like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If the deceased driver of the SUV is determined to be at-fault in this crash, the adults and students on the bus may be able to bring claims against the SUV driver's insurance.

Most individual automobile insurance policies do not have limits high enough to cover all of the people injured in this collision. Illinois law requires drivers to have a minimum of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per collision in insurance coverage though drivers can carry a greater amount. Even with a large insurance policy, there may not be enough money to cover the damages caused by a crash.

If your damages are greater than the negligent driver's insurance, you may also have an underinsured motorist claim. In this type of claim, your own insurance company will "step into the shoes" of the at-fault driver and provide another source of potential monetary compensation for your claim.

Many people have private insurance policies that provide underinsured motorist coverage in case of a crash with significant injuries and a small insurance policy. In the case of the crash between the school bus and the SUV, the children on board the school bus may be covered by an underinsured provision in their parents' policy and/or an underinsured provision in the policy covering the school bus. Some buses provide this type of coverage to their passengers, including PACE, while other buses, like the CTA, do not. It depends on the language of the insurance policy at issue.

If your child has been injured while riding on a school bus, you may have a claim on behalf of your child against the at-fault driver as well as a possible underinsured motorist claim. The knowledgeable school bus crash lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to discuss your child's injuries. To find out what rights your child may have, please call us today at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442.

More Blog Posts:

Deadly Illinois Bus Accident Kills 1, Injures 37, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published April 5, 2013.

4 Vehicle Crash Injures 5 in Southwest Chicago Suburb, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published May 2, 2013.

Resources:

Bus Driver Cleared Following Fatal Accident, NBC Chicago, published April 30, 2013.

Photo Credit: Bus, Image ID 604402, stock.xchng

Chicago Car Accident Lawyer

School Bus Driver Arrested in West Chicago Suspected of Driving Drunk

A 42-year-old South Elgin woman was arrested Friday for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. What made this incident particularly distressing to many parents was that the woman was a school bus driver and was driving her assigned route at the time she was arrested.

It is unclear at this time whether any children were on the bus but authorities have stated that the woman was pulled over after a school employee reported that the employee smelled alcohol on the school bus driver's breath. The driver was pulled over in West Chicago where police officers performed a field sobriety test, leading to her removal from the bus and arrest by the officers.

At this time, the school bus driver has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and bond has been set at $100,000. If the woman is convicted, she could face up to three years incarcerated in prison as well as being labeled a convicted felon.

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is very dangerous and puts the lives of all other drivers at risk. For this reason, Illinois makes it illegal to drive a motorized vehicle under the influence of alcohol and it presumes that drivers are drunk when their blood alcohol levels are 0.08 or higher. However, merely having a BAC below 0.08 does not mean that a motorist is not under the influence; in fact, any driver who is affected by alcohol can be cited for driving intoxicated, regardless of what his or her BAC is at the time of arrest.

School bus drivers are held to a different, and higher, standard than average drivers on Illinois roads. There is no leniency when it comes to school bus drivers and alcohol. Illinois law forbids any school bus driver to operate a bus while there is any alcohol in his or her system, and a violation of this prohibition is breaking the law. The rules are much stricter when it comes to school bus operators because of the nature of their jobs and those who ride as passengers. A fully loaded school bus can easily carry in excess of 50 students, all of whom place their safety and security in the hands of the driver. With so many people on board, it would be easy for an accident to turn catastrophic in a moment. Decreasing the risks faced by these children decrease the odds of a school bus accident and increase the chances that all children will remain safe while traveling to and from school.

On average, there are over four school bus accidents every day in Illinois, many of which result in injuries to the children on board. As a child is not driving the bus and is otherwise not in control of the bus's movement, the children hurt in these accidents tend to be innocent victims. After a crash, a parent might face expensive medical bills for treatment of their child as well as the devastation that an accident can cause.

If your child has been the victim of an accident, call the Chicago school bus lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free, no obligation telephone consultation. We have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day to take your call because we understand that you might want answers at any hour. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we have a history of representing school bus accident victims and their families and we are ready to represent you. Call us today at (312) 924-7575 or toll free at (855) 529-2442 now and let us help you understand your legal options.

Prior Blog Entries:

Chicago Hit-And-Run Crash Leaves 1 Dead, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published September 10, 2013.

Fatal Crash in Long Grove Leaves 1 Dead, Chicago Car Accident Lawyers Blog, published September 6, 2013.

Resources:

School Bus Driver Charged With DUI, Associated Press/CBS Chicago, published September 14, 2013.

Chicago Car Accident Lawyer

As the School Year Begins, Officials Focus on Preventing Teen Car Accidents in Illinois

As our teens head back to school for another year, officials head back to the drawing board to figure out ways to help keep our teen drivers from being involved in a car accident in Illinois. In another effort to keep our young driver safe, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently teamed up with the Illinois Secretary of State and Illinois State Police (ISP) to kick off the fifth year of the Operation Teen Safe Driving (OTSD) program.

“Whether the issue is texting, speed, or distracted or impaired driving, the program is successful because teens are directly educating their peers about the hazards of irresponsible driving behavior, and the messages continue to resonate with one another,” said Transportation Secretary Ann Schneider.

Our Chicago car accident attorneys understand the number of risks that our teen drivers face on our roadways. Their inexperience behind the wheel leaves them extremely vulnerable to serious traffic accidents. With the proper driving education and with the help of parents, teens can be taught the skills necessary to help keep them safe.

Currently, the state of Illinois requires that's its newly licensed drivers complete a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. This is a system that allows teen drivers to learn how to drive through a three stage process in which they must abide by a number of restrictions.

Illinois GDL program:

-15-year-old drivers: Drivers in this age group must always ride with a licensed parent or guardian. They must also be enrolled in a driver's education program and must pass the exams. They're not allowed to drive Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. On Thursday and Friday these drivers can drive until 11:00 p.m. A driver must hold this license for a minimum of nine months and complete at least 50 hours of supervised driving with 10 hours of the 50 occurring during the evening hours. Drivers that are 15-years-old are not allowed to use a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.

-Drivers Age ages 16- and 17-years-old: Driving is prohibited from Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. for drivers in this age group. They're allowed to drive until 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Drivers must maintain a conviction-free driving record for the six months before they turn 18 before they can graduate to the Full Licensing Phase. All drivers in this age group must wear a seat belt while driving and can only have one passenger in the front seat. Drivers in this age group are prohibited from using a cell phone.

-18- to 20-year-old drivers: A driver can now drive with normal unrestricted license privileges provided they've passed all of the other licensing stages. No driver under the age of 19 is allowed to use a cell phone while driving unless they're using it for emergency purposes.

"Teen drivers who are educated and informed, develop safe and responsible driving habits as adults - and that is a safety goal OTSD is already achieving," said ISP Col. Robert Haley.

More than 100 local high schools participated in the fifth year of the Operation Teen Safe Driving program in an attempt to help educate young drivers. These students participated in a number of school assemblies, accident enactment seminars, fatal accident simulations and other informational events.

Each school was able to fund the program through a $2,000 grant from the participating organizations. Each school then participated in a contest to determine who led the best and most effective peer-led teen safe driving program. Winning schools received prize money to help them fund post-prom events aimed at encouraging kids to stay sober this school year.

They were also invited to participate in the Ford Motor Company Fund’s Driving Skills for Life Ride and Drive event.

As teens head back to school this year, parents are urged to speak with the young driver's in their life about the importance of safe driving habits.

If you or your teen driver has been injured in a car accident, the personal injury attorneys and wrongful death lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free and confidential appointments to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.

More Blog Entries:

Expressways Experience Frequent Fatal Car Accidents in Chicago, Chicago Car Accident Lawyer Blog, August 12, 2011

Chicago Car Accident Lawyer

Olathe High School Students Get Experienced Advice on Drunk Driving Dangers

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Operation Prom Night, an Olathe South High School program that started out as a means to talking to kids about drunk driving before prom, has expanded to include the dangers of teen driving and auto accidents.  The event this year and included a special guest speaker, Olathe Fire Captain John Myers.  As a fire captain, Myers has plenty of experience to share with the students, but the reason he was there this year was to share his experience as a father who lost a teen son in a tragic crash in December.

Since its inception, Operation Prom Night now includes lots of information about the dangers of teen driving as well as the don’t drink and drive message.  The facts are staggering.   The leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds is car accidents, and teens are involved in fatal crashes three times more than all other drivers.

In Myers’ case high speed and a one-lane road due to construction was the cause of the crash.   As Capt. Myers started his talk his voice broke and he cried, but he told the students his experience as a father being called to the hospital following the deadly crash.  He shared that nothing prepared him for walking into the hospital and seeing his injured son, bloody, with tubes sticking out of him.  In the crash Myers’ son was sitting in the backseat of the vehicle, wearing his seat belt.  The crash occurred when the driver, who was driving at a speed twice the legal limit, hit another car head-on.  All three teens in the car had backpacks filled with books, and Myers’ son was hit in the head with one or more of these backpacks, causing massive head injuries.   He died the following day.

As Kansas City Auto Accident Lawyers, we applaud Capt. Myers for his courage in sharing his story with the Olathe South students.  Capt. Myers may never know the impact he has made, but if he has prevented even one accidental teen death he can be congratulated.   At Roswold Law Group we would like to remind all Kansas City metro area high school students and their parents of the importance of discussing prom night and the inherent dangers of drinking and driving.  Let’s keep our Kansas and Missouri teens safe!

If you have suffered a serious injury in an accident in Kansas or Missouri, you are probably facing a lengthy battle with insurance companies. Call the experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Lawyers of Roswold Law Group. With over 15 years of experience in Auto Injury Accident cases, we may be able to help you and your family get through this difficult time.

Contact Roswold Law Group to set up a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim. You can get started today by downloading our free book, “10 Essential Steps to Protecting Your Injury Claim“. We want you to know your rights.

Posted by author on Friday, April 15, 2011 at 12:37 pm 
Filed under Aggressive Driving Incidents, Auto Accidents, Driving Dangers, drunk driving, Seat Belts, Teen Drivers · Tagged with Auto Accidents, dangers of teen driving, deadly crash, drinking and driving, drunk driving, head-on, Kansas, Kansas City, Kansas City Auto Accident Lawyers, massive head injuries, Missouri, Olathe, Olathe South High School, Operation Prom Night, Roswold Law Group, seat belt

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Chicago area car crash kills high school passenger

Next » Posted On: March 25, 2011 by Dave Abels

An auto accident in the north suburbs of Chicago has resulted in the death of a high school student, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. The teen victim was riding as a passenger when the vehicle he was riding in lost control on a curve and ran into a tree.

The deadly Illinois accident took place early Thursday morning in Arlington Heights around 12:40 AM when a Hyundai moving south 400 block of S. Windsor Dr. lost control and left the road. The vehicle was only moving slightly above the 25 mph speed limit, but police say the street was wet from a recent snow.

The Arlington Heights Police Department responded to the scene of the accident, and they reportedly had to cut off the roof of the vehicle in their attempt to rescue the passenger. The16-year-old was transported to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The news story does not report when the teenager passed away.

The driver of the vehicle, also age 16, sustained minor injuries in the crash. Drugs and alcohol did not play a role in the accident. Both of the teens were wearing seatbelts and the vehicle's airbags properly deployed.

The teenage victim is an Arlington Heights resident.

Posted by Dave Abels

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