A semi truck driver involved in a rollover accident on Monday has died as a result of his injuries, according to the Illinois State Police Department.
The victim was driving westbound on I-80 near Minooka, Illinois, southwest of Joliet, around 9:30 a.m. For unknown reasons, the truck left the westbound lanes of traffic and entered the eastbound lanes where police believe the truck came into contact with at least one car and possibly another semi. The semi truck rolled over and came to a rest on its side, blocking one lane of eastbound traffic and forcing police to shut down both lanes while emergency crews tended to the scene.
The driver of the truck survived the collision and was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove where he received emergency treatment. Unfortunately the man’s injuries were severe and he died some time later while still at the hospital and as a result of the accident. Police are investigating the accident and attempting to learn why the semi truck left the westbound lanes of the highway.
Truck accidents can be caused by any number of factors and often result in injuries. When compared to a passenger car, a semi truck is much larger and heavier which means that it has more mass carrying it forward. With addition weight comes different collision factors than with a smaller car, including the facts that a semi truck needs a longer distance to stop and is less evasive than a car.
Semi trucks tend to travel more miles every year than a passenger car because semi trucks are used for commercial purposes. This means that of the miles driven on Illinois roads, semi trucks account for a large portion of the transit but they also account for a small portion of crashes. This means that though semis are a common occurrence on roads, they are less likely to be involved in an accident than a car. However, when a semi is involved in an accident, the crash is much more likely to result in injuries or death than a crash without a truck.
When a semi truck accident turns fatal in Illinois, approximately 84 percent of those killed are passengers in other cars, not those in the semi, according to 2011 data gathered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. This high risk of death to others is one of the reasons that semi truck drivers must be specially licensed to drive a rig and usually must undergo additional training before driving commercially.
When an accident with a semi truck occurs, it may be the fault of the semi driver, another driver, or a malfunction with one of the vehicles. In the Monday accident, it is not yet clear if any one of those possibilities or a combination of them led to the death of the truck driver.
If you have been a victim of a truck accident, call the truck accident lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. today for a free, no obligation telephone consultation. Whether you were in a semi truck or another vehicle hit by a semi, you may have a case and we will help you understand your legal options. Our dedicated lawyers are standing by 24 hours a day to take your call at (312) 924-7575 and we never take a fee unless we make a recovery on your behalf. Call us today and let us help you after an accident.
Prior Blog Entries:
Police Say Driver was Impaired When He Caused Fatal Eisenhower Crash, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 9, 2013.
Young Child Hit by Bat at Wrigley Field, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 5, 2013.
Resources:
1 dead after truck rolls over onto car near Minooka, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune, published September 9, 2013.