For example, one new law modifies Illinois’ seatbelt rules. Now, all passengers riding in the backseat of a car in Illinois are required to wear seatbelts. Our experienced Chicago car accident attorneys know firsthand the safety benefit to seatbelt usage, and are glad to see our lawmakers recognize this important safety measure.

Likewise affecting the daily life of ordinary citizens is the new law, HB S860, allowing motorcyclists to run red lights, if they have stopped and waited a “reasonable” period for the light to change. Although this law may increase convenience for riders, expect an increase in motorcycle accidents as a result. Governor Quinn unsuccessfully attempted to veto this questionable new law (his veto was overridden).

Other new laws which may affect you include:

• Bus Driver Drug and Alcohol Testing: Under HB 147/PA 97-0466, non-CDL holder school bus drivers can be given drug and alcohol testing if there is a reasonable suspicion of use. Other specific testing changes bring state law in line with federal law.

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Medical Requirements: HB 1295/PA 97-0208 again brings Illinois in line with federal law, requiring a current medical certificate before a license is issued. Our trucking accident attorneys are pleased to see this important safety improvement.

• Financial Exploitation of Elders: Our Chicago elder abuse attorneys are pleased to report that HB 1689/PA 97-0482 makes the laws against financial exploitation of Illinois elders, and disabled persons, stricter, by lowering the financial value which will result in felony charges.

• Railroad First Aid Kits: HB 1573/PA 97-0374) requires all railroads to have first aid kits on hand when employees are on board, in the event of a train accident or other mishap.

• SIDS Training: HB 2099/PA 97-0083 mandates that all licensed child care facilities who care for infants and newborns must complete training, every 3 years, on SIDS, safe sleep, and SUID.

• Nursing Home Infectious Disease Control: HB 1096/PA 97-0107 puts procedures in place to prevent the spread of infections and disease in nursing homes.

• Medical Malpractice Information: HB 1476/PA 97-0449 provides greater public access to information about pending medical malpractice complaints or reports before the Illinois medical disciplinary board, and increases reporting requirements.

• Hotel Smoke Detectors: HB 1398/PA 97-0447 requires all hotels to place a smoke detector 15 feet or less from every room used for sleeping.

• Synthetic Cannabis: Our products liability attorneys have previously written about the dangers of synthetic cannabis, often marketed as “incense.” HB 2595/PA 97-0193 makes five different generically-defined classes of synthetic cannabinoids controlled substances.

• Truck Weight Restrictions: SB 1644/PA 97-0201 preempts local rules and makes truck weight and size limits entirely a matter of state law. Our trucking accident attorneys are disappointed to see the ability of local governments to keep roads safe from dangerous, oversized trucks removed.

If you have any questions about a serious personal injury or wrongful death matter, please give us a call us at 312-527-4500 or email us at info@passenlaw.com for a complimentary consultation. You can also learn more by following us on Twitter, reviewing our LinkedIn or Avvo.com pages, and by reviewing our website.

The program is sponsored by The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists, and is known as the “drunkbusters” program. The program will provide a $100 reward to those who call in to report a drunk driver anytime through the New Year’s holiday weekend, provided an arrest is made.

The drunkbusters program itself is not new: it has been in operation since 1990. In the years since its founding, it has led to over 4,000 drunk driving arrests, and has paid out more than $418,000 to tipsters. In the past year alone, the program was responsible for 340 DUI arrests and paid out $34,000 in rewards. The funds come from DUI court fines.

Generally, however, the program extends only to certain areas: Dupage, Kane, McHenry, Lake, and Will Counties. Through New Year’s, however, the program is running statewide.

To participate in the program, those who witness drunk driving need only call the police. They should be prepared to report the driving behavior they are seeing, the appearance of the vehicle, and the location where they saw it. They can follow up with police later to see if an arrest was made. If so, they are eligible for the $100.

This program, in combination with the stepped-up enforcement of DUI laws over the holiday weekend, is geared to reducing the inevitable drunk driving accidents associated with the New Year’s holiday. Law enforcement agencies throughout the Chicago area and the state are increasing patrols and setting up extra checkpoints to catch drunk drivers.

In fact, Kane County is using its strict “no refusal” operations this holiday weekend, with prosecutors and judges standing by to issue warrants for blood tests of drivers who refuse a breath test.

We hope that these factors will successfully reduce drunk driving this holiday. We know, however, that not all drunk drivers will be deterred, and that some of those drivers will harm, and kill, others on our local roads. Our Chicago accident attorneys, therefore, are standing by to help victims and their families to put their lives back together, and to seek justice.

If you have any questions about a serious accident involving a drunk driver, please give us a call us at 312-527-4500 or email us at info@passenlaw.com for a complimentary consultation. You can also learn more by following us on Twitter, reviewing our LinkedIn or Avvo.com pages, and by reviewing our website.

This week, Rahm Emanuael, Chicago’s mayor, announced that the city is taking steps to tackle the problem of dangerous cab drivers head-on. Mayor Emanuel’s cab driver reforms include a system for the real-time monitoring of when cab drivers receive traffic tickets.

City workers will now make a regular practice of monitoring the moving violations database kept by the Illinois Secretary of State. Thus, the city will be able to act immediately to remove a dangerous cab driver from the road, rather than waiting until the driver’s annual license renewal date comes around.
This will also permit the city to know immediately when these tickets are issued – even if they are later thrown out in court. As our top Chicago automobile accident attorneys have previously noted, cab driver tickets are thrown out at rates far higher than those of regular drivers. This is largely because cab drivers contest their tickets in court at far higher rates, and the police officers who wrote the tickets are tasked to more crucial duties and hearings – leaving Chicago judges with no testimony on the moving violation, and often no choice but to throw out the tickets.

This reform will be paired will another measure: a cooperative effort of city workers and the Chicago Police Department aimed at adding more moving violations to the city’s “watch list” – infractions that will be monitored in the database.

The mayor’s reforms also include placing limits on the number of hours which cab drivers may work each day. Driver hours will now cap out at 12 driving hours within a 24-hour period. City cab drivers will be required to install CPS and taximeter devices which will allow the city to audit cab companies and ensure that this limit is being observed.

Companies whose drivers violate the rules will face fines up to $5000. Drivers will also be required to participate in behind-the-wheel training in order to keep and maintain a Chicago cab license.

In announcing the reforms, mayor Emanuel emphasized that the city’s goal in increasing safety on Chicago streets. He also candidly admitted that the city has fallen down on the job of mandating cab driver safety in the past.

The city’s reforms also touch on cab-related issues not directly tied to safety. These include new standards for fuel efficiency in all Chicago cabs. The collection of reforms aims to “change that whole experience” of riding in a Chicago cab.

Our top Chicago personal injury attorneys are pleased to see the city taking aggressive action to stop dangerous cab drivers. We would have liked, however, to see the city taking even more aggressive action. We hope that these reforms are a first step in the journey towards safer Chicago cabs, and safer Chicago roads.

If you have any questions about a serious accident involving a taxi cab, please give us a call us at 312-527-4500 or email us at info@passenlaw.com for a complimentary consultation. You can also learn more by following us on Twitter, reviewing our LinkedIn or Avvo.com pages, and by reviewing our website.