Champaign, Illinois Teenager Was Texting When He Fatally Struck Chicago Pedestrian with His Car
19-year-old Young J. Kim has pleaded guilty to texting while driving and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident in the Illinois cell phone accident that killed an 84-year-old Chicago pedestrian.
Perfecto Perez was crossing the street in downtown Urbana when he was fatally struck by Kim. At the time of the Illinois traffic accident, Perez was wearing dark clothing and not in a crosswalk.
Chicago Car Accidents
While it can be hard to resist the urge to text while driving at the very moment the text message appears in your Inbox, refraining from doing so can save lives. Motorists should not engage in distracted driving, which takes their eyes and attention off the road. Texting also requires that a driver take at least one if not both hands off the steering wheel—one to hold the PDA or phone and another to open the message/compose one—and this can make it hard for the motorist to respond appropriately or safely during an emergency situation. It also is illegal in Illinois to text while driving a motor vehicle.
Road and Travel Magazine offers suggestions on how you can avoid the temptations of talking on the phone and/or texting while driving, including:
• Pull of the road if you are going to text
• Use a hands-free cell phone
• If your conversation is emotionally charged or stressful, get off the phone until you’ve arrived at your destination
Teen pleads guilty in fatal accident involving texting, News-Gazette.com, July 23, 2010
Teach Teens Dangers of Texting While Driving, Road and Travel.com
Related Web Resources:
Cellphone laws, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Distracted Driving, National Safety Council
Contact our Cook County, Illinois car accident law firm to request your free consultation. Chicago cell phone accident injuries can be costly to treat and recover from, which is one reason you should receive all of the Cook County personal injury recovery that you are owed.
