Marsha Frankel Killed In Chicago FedEx Truck Accident on South Wabash

Truck Accident - February 21, 2023

Marsha Frankel Died In Chicago FedEx Truck Accident In The South Loop While Crossing South Wabash

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (February 21, 2022) – A 72-year-old woman identified as Marsha Frankel was killed in a Chicago FedEx truck accident in the South Loop at South Wabash.

Cook County officials are saying that the collision took place around 2:20 p.m. on Monday. Marsha Frankel was crossing the intersection from west to east in a marked crosswalk while using a walker.

A FedEx truck was turning north onto Wabash when it struck the elderly victim. Marsha Frankel was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with critical injuries.

Despite the best efforts of doctors and medical staff, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. The driver of the FedEx truck was given a breathalyzer, but was not issued any type of citation following the deadly crash.

Liability In Chicago FedEx Truck Accidents

Far too many people are killed or seriously injured in motor vehicle collisions every year across Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, “In 2020, there were 246,752 crashes involving motor vehicles in Illinois. Injury crashes accounted for 21.1% of these crashes (52,090), while fatal crashes (1,088) accounted for less than 1.0% of these crashes. Crashes involving pedestrians accounted for 1.3% of total crashes, 15.8% of fatal crashes and 5.8% of injury crashes.” There are many steps that city officials can take to prevent pedestrian collisions.

• Government officials can install traffic calming measures to reduce instances of speeding.
• Government officials can study which intersections and roads have a higher occurrence of pedestrian collisions.
• Government officials can install safety measures such as pedestrian bridges to prevent collisions.

Truck drivers will typically need a commercial licensed and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. In general, left turns are among the most dangerous maneuvers that drivers can make. They also account for a disproportionate number of fatal pedestrian collisions. It is for this reason that companies like UPS actively work to eliminate as many left turns as possible from the routes that their drivers make.

Every driver has a legal obligation to take measures to avoid hitting pedestrians. Pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, drivers must exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian in the roadway. They should also use their horn when necessary and slow down to avoid hitting pedestrians. When the driver of a commercial truck fails to slow down and hits a pedestrian, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any pedestrian accident.

• Surveillance footage of the collision should be sought.
• The logbook for any truck driver should be examined.
• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• A thorough investigation should be conducted.

The vast majority of pedestrian collisions are totally preventable. They often occur when drivers are distracted, fatigued or violating traffic ordinances. Elderly pedestrians tend to be the most vulnerable. It is important that accident victims know that they do have rights. The family of any person that is killed due to the negligence of a truck driver may be able to seek some measure of accountability through a civil claim. Sadly, though, it is common for companies to do everything that they can to evade liability when one of their drivers kills a pedestrian.

Investigating A Chicago FedEx Truck Accident

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Marsha Frankel. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the Chicago police department. It is our sincere hope that city officials will take steps to prevent other tragedies like this. There are so many questions that need to be answered. Was the FedEx driver in this accident distracted? Were they properly licensed? Did they see the victim before the collision?

Do you need more information about a Chicago pedestrian collision? Our team of pedestrian safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that government officials are doing everything in their power to keep our streets safe for pedestrians. Whether you just have questions or need a free, independent investigation into any particular incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.