Children’s safety outweighs concerns about revenue and privacy, says Illinois personal injury attorney Patrick A. Salvi of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 17, 2012
Salvi is the managing equity partner of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., a Chicago personal injury firm that represents victims of Illinois pedestrian accidents.
“Reckless drivers pose a serious threat to Chicago’s school kids and everyone else who uses our city’s streets,” Salvi said. “These cameras, in particular, will address the speeding problem near the schools and parks that children frequent.”
Governor Pat Quinn signed the law last week. It allows Chicago to start operating speed cameras on July 1. The speed cameras are similar to the red-light cameras already in place throughout Chicago. They will automatically flag drivers who violate the law, resulting in tickets ranging from $50 to $100.
The new speed cameras must be located within one eighth of a mile of a school or a park. The Chicago Tribune estimates that nearly half of the city would qualify for speed cameras. Initial plans call for the cameras to be located where red-light cameras are already present.
Some residents and politicians have complained that the speed cameras are more about revenue than safety, the Tribune reported. Supporters claim red-light cameras have reduced serious intersection accidents and claim the cameras will have a similar effect on pedestrian accidents caused by speeding motorists.
The Tribune estimates that nearly 50 percent of Chicago’s 251 pedestrian fatalities between 2005 and 2009 occurred in areas that are eligible for speed cameras. Speed played a role in roughly one quarter of those pedestrian deaths.
Salvi said he regularly sees the tragic effects of speeding in his law practice. He often represents victims of Illinois pedestrian accidents.
“Installing speed cameras will help raise drivers’ awareness of how speeding and reckless driving threaten the lives of children who walk or play on streets near their schools and parks,” he said.
“Any issues about raising revenue or invading privacy pale in comparison to the need to keep Chicago’s children safe from drivers who are more concerned with getting there quickly than getting there safely,” Salvi said.
He said that anyone who has been injured in a Chicago pedestrian accident should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.
“Our attorneys are committed to standing up for the rights of people who have been injured because of someone else’s recklessness, carelessness or negligence,” he said. “Whether a pedestrian accident involved speeding, distracted driving, failure to yield or something else, we can help victims recover the compensation they deserve.”
About Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. is a leading Illinois personal injury law firm with offices in Chicago and Waukegan. In addition to representing clients in catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, aviation and product liability cases, the firm focuses on car and truck accidents, airplane and train accidents, construction injuries, birth injuries, brain injuries, unsafe properties and animal attacks. The firm has obtained more than $620 million on behalf of its clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases, including 175 multimillion-dollar verdicts or settlements. For more information, call (312) 372-1227 or use the firm’s online contact form.
Christina Solomon
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.
(312) 372-1227
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