Common carriers include buses, trucks, and taxicabs. Common carriers serve upon reasonable demand by all who seek their services; are held to a high standard of care for the persons and properties entrusted to them; and are limited to incidental damages for breach of duty. Liability is a big issue for buses, trucks, and taxicabs when collisions occur.

After you are involved in an automobile accident, you have been trained to ask the driver for their insurance information. However, 1 out of 7 drivers are uninsured. What happens then? According to an April 2011 report from the Insurance Research Council (IRC), nearly one in seven drivers across the United States is uninsured.

It is important to take immediate action because trucking companies often have investigation teams who arrive at the scene as soon as possible in order to reduce their potential liability for personal injuries. Often, the injured party is still recovering while the truck company is dealing with their attorney. Failure to preserve crash site evidence is critical to winning (or losing) the case.

On January 31, the Illinois Supreme Court chose the 14th Judicial Circuit in northwestern Illinois to be the first jurisdiction to allow cameras and tape records in the courtroom.

The new Patients’ Right to Know Act, which became law earlier this year, restored consumers’ right to access this information. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) recently launched a website which contains profiles of physicians currently licensed in Illinois.

A Florida software developer, and father of two teenagers, has developed an application to help stop texting while driving. The software uses the phone’s GPS system to detect when it is moving faster than 10 miles per hour and shuts the phone off. Once motion has stopped, such as at a stoplight, the phone will work as usual. The goal: to reduce traffic accidents, car crashes, and injuries to teenagers and anyone else prone to text-and-drive.

If a car accident occurs, the seat belts cannot help protect if they aren’t in use. Recent legislation was signed by Governor Quinn that requires seat restraints for all passengers, including those in the rear seats. Seat belts save lives.

The Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety has reported that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among young people. To address teens’ lack of driving experience, the three-tiered Graduated Licensing Program mandates that each new driver practice under a learner’s permit for a minimum of nine months, with at least 50 hours of supervised driving. To attempt to reduce the number of car accidents involving teenagers, many avenues are being investigated.

Every year, the majority of traffic fatalities involving motorcycles occurs between May and September, a time of year which has been dubbed “riding season” due to the influx of motorcyclists on the roads. In anticipation of this year’s riding season, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Safety aims to protect Illinois motorists with the implementation of the “Gear Up” campaign, a motorcycle safety initiative.

You may have noticed when shopping for a new vehicle that each one has a safety rating and information available about government safety tests.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrative has changed its current rating system for 2011 model cars. New standard have added a new collision rating: pole collision.

GPS devices are everywhere and in many devices, including your phone. Recently, GPS receivers are also being used to provide essential data for accident reconstruction. Speed and vehicle position will be recorded if a GPS device is in use at the time a crash occurs. This data can then be used by analysts to determine a vehicle’s path and speed before, and even after a collision.

With one of the worst winter storms in Illinois history passing through early February, it has become extremely important to practice safe winter driving in order to avoid automobile accidents.

There have been recent media publications in Chicagoland and other parts of Illinois claiming that, based on a recent study of medical students at Northwestern University School of Medicine, physicians are fleeing the state of Illinois. These claims simply are not supported by the evidence, or even the study itself.

The new IRE should afford the practitioner efficiencies in adequately preparing for evidentiary issues before trial, as well as expediting the resolution of evidentiary issues during trial. The Special Committee performed a tremendous unpaid service to the bench, bar, and citizens of the State of Illinois in creating the new Illinois Rules of Evidence.