Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

The Associated Press reports the fatal elevator accident at Ohio State in October may have been caused by a defect in the elevator. The accident, in which a teen was killed when he attempted to exit an overloaded elevator that stopped between floors, was originally thought to be caused by overloading.

While overloading still appears to be the main cause, the elevator did fail its brake test after the incident. This obviously opens the door to claims that the braking mechanism was improperly maintained or was simply a defective product. In any event, this tragedy appears to have been avoidable.

The Chicago Tribune has completed a year-long Special Report titled Teens at the Wheel. This series is compelling for many reasons. More than 60 teens were killed last year in car accidents in Chicagoland. Car accidents kill between 5000 and 6000 teens each year nationwide.

Teenage immaturity is thought to be the cause of many of these tragic accidents. Boys account for two-thirds of all teenage deaths involving automobiles.

The series offers several valuable tips for parents and emphasizes that parents spend time with their teenage drivers during their first 100 hours behind the wheel, as those are the most dangerous hours for new drivers. The series is compelling and should be read by every teen driver and everyone who knows and interacts with teen drivers.