October 16 2011
Salvi Law Firm Attorney Interviewed On TV Over Proposed Cellphone Ban Among Chicago Suburb Motorists
Regulation is aimed at curbing distracted driving in Illinois caused by cellphone use, eating and other behind-the-wheel distractions.
It may soon be illegal to eat, drink, apply makeup and talk on the phone while driving in Oak Park.
Oak Park officials have begun discussing whether such a ban would curb distracted driving in the Chicago suburb. If it becomes a local ordinance, it would be the first law of its kind, according to a recent ABC news report.
It is not the first time an Illinois local government has created laws directed specifically at distracted driving. The Chicago City Council banned drivers from using handheld phones behind the wheel in 2005. A statewide ban on text messaging has been in place for two years.
Chicago personal injury attorney Patrick Salvi has extensive experience handling distracted driver cases. He supports an eating-while-driving ban but cautions that it must not be too broad.
"I don't think that it would be contemplated that, let's say someone is on a three-hour drive, that it would be a violation of the law if they got hungry and wanted to take a bite out of an energy bar," said Salvi, who founded the personal injury law firm of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard in 1982 and is a former president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.
The idea for an Oak Park ban comes after federal studies have indicated that eating and drinking while driving may be more distracting than people realize – possibly even causing more crashes than drunk driving, cell phone use or texting.
Drivers using makeup behind the wheel has also become a problem in recent years, according to the ABC story. A Lake Zurich woman died in 2009 when she was struck on her motorcycle by a driver painting her fingernails.
"There's a huge gap that really needs to be filled in our legal system to hold people fully accountable, as well as provide a public deterrent to keep people from doing dangerous things behind the wheel," said Greg Zaffke, the victim’s son.
Oak Park leaders say that no specific ban has been drafted yet and would probably not be considered again until January.
Salvi has long advocated against distracted driving on his Illinois law firm's personal injury website and Chicago accident and injury blog.
About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. has obtained more than $620 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their injury clients. The record includes 175 cases with verdicts or settlements of $1 million or more. The law firm’s equity partners have been named among the top 5 percent of attorneys in Illinois, as ranked by their legal peers. Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard offers a free, no obligation evaluation of personal injury accidents in Chicago and throughout Illinois. Contact the firm toll-free at 888.617.8484 or use the free online contact form.
