Illinois woman using crosswalk dies after being hit by vehicle

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Tuesday, December 17, 2013.

When an individual consumes alcohol before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, they put themselves, other drivers and even pedestrians at risk. Impairment can lead to slower reaction times and the inability to properly maintain a vehicle that is in motion. As a result, a driver may fail to see a pedestrian using a crosswalk, and a serious accident could occur.

A similar accident took place in Illinois when an impair driver struck a pedestrian. The driver was noted as being a 61-year-old male, and the victim was an 82-year-old female. The driver was reportedly trying to make a left turn when he failed to yield to the woman in the crosswalk. As a result, the vehicle collided with the woman.

The woman was transported to an area hospital but unfortunately succumbed to the injuries she sustained in the accident. The driver involved is facing felony charges for drunk driving resulting in a fatality as well as additional charges for failure to yield and drug impairment while driving. There was a court date set for a few days after the accident in order for the driver to be formally charged.

Accidents that result in a fatality are understandably tragic and even more so when the accident could have been prevented. The deceased victim was utilizing the crosswalk while attempting to cross the street, but the driver’s impairment resulted in the fatal collision occurring. The family of the deceased victim may wish to look into their options concerning wrongful death claims in order to determine whether they may want to pursue compensation against the driver deemed at fault. If they file a claim and it is successful, they could potentially receive monetary reparations for damages found permissible under Illinois law.

Source: Chicago Tribune, Cops: DUI charge in death of woman killed crossing SW Side street, No author, Dec. 13, 2013