Chicago Attorney Urges Urgent Action After Spike in Pedestrian Fatalities

Lead A prominent Chicago pedestrian accident attorney called for immediate citywide safety reforms today, September 20, 2025, following a recent child fatality and rising pedestrian deaths.

Nut Graf Attorney Leah Carter of Carter & Blume LLP highlighted the urgency after 9-year-old Anakin Perez was killed by a hit-and-run driver near McNair Elementary on September 18. Carter argues that strengthened crosswalk enforcement and harsher penalties for negligent drivers are critical to prevent further tragedies.

Main Part Attorney Carter held a press briefing outside Stroger Hospital, where she noted Chicago saw 38 pedestrian fatalities on surface streets in 2024-up sharply from prior years. “Each loss is a preventable tragedy,” Carter said, urging City Council to fast-track legislation mandating in-car pedestrian detection systems and enhanced street lighting.

Carter also announced her firm will offer free consultations to families of recent pedestrian accident victims, emphasizing that immediate legal support can help secure compensation for medical care and wrongful-death damages.

The attorney cited data from the Governors Highway Safety Association showing nationwide pedestrian deaths have surged nearly 60 percent over the past decade, driven largely by increasing SUV use and distracted driving. She stressed that legal accountability must be paired with public-education campaigns to change driver behavior.

City officials acknowledged Carter’s call, with Alderman Maria Sanchez promising an October hearing on “pedestrian safety ordinances.” The Chicago Department of Transportation reported plans to expand high-visibility crosswalks at 20 additional school zones by year’s end.

Carter concluded by urging residents to report hazardous intersections and support pedestrian-safety ballot measures in the upcoming municipal election. “We must act now or risk losing more innocent lives,” she warned.