The past few weeks have unfortunately been deadly on Chicago area roads. What’s more, it appears that many of the accident victims would still be alive today if other drivers had only exercised proper care while they were behind the wheel.
In one car accident, a man was simply traveling along the road when a car pulled out of oncoming traffic in an attempt to pass another vehicle. The man did not have enough time to avoid the onrushing car, and the two collided head-on. He sustained grievous injuries in the crash and was transported to the hospital. Despite their best efforts, however, doctors could not save the man, and he died three hours after the accident.
In another crash, an elderly man struck another car after he passed out behind the wheel. Investigators indicated that the loss of consciousness was likely caused by a medical issue. Some people have conditions that, if they flare up, can prevent them from handling a car safely. Depending on the facts of the case, drivers who know they have such a condition and cause injuries to others because of that condition can be held responsible in a civil lawsuit.
And in another incident, one man was killed in a motorcycle crash at the intersection of I-55 and I-80 southwest of Chicago. Reports appear to indicate that a vehicle was attempting to merge from I-55 to I-80 when the driver collided with the motorcyclist. Doctors declared the man dead one hour after he had been taken from the accident scene to the hospital.
Source: WLS-TV, “6 dead, 3 involving motorcycles, in weekend crashes,” June 11, 2012.