Articles Posted in Truck Accident

Motorists are at high risk of fatal injuries in Chicago car accidents involving rear-end collisions with tractor-trailers, according to new research released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Our Chicago trucking accident attorneys understand the risk posed to motorists by large commercial trucks on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that large commercial trucks are involved in nearly 400,000 accidents each year. More than 4,000 motorists were killed in such crashes in 2008; in three-quarters of those cases the victims were occupants of passenger vehicles or non-occupants, such as bicyclists and pedestrians.Now the IIHS reports antiquated underride guards may result in serious or fatal injuries to motorists involved in rear-end collisions with commercial trucks; 80 percent of the rear-end collisions examined in the study resulted in underride, which substantially increases the risk of injury to occupants of passenger cars. In just 1 in 5 cases did rear-end collisions not result in a car being forced beneath the semi.

“Cars’ front-end structures are designed to manage a tremendous amount of crash energy in a way that minimizes injuries for their occupants,” says Adrian Lund, Institute president. “Hitting the back of a large truck is a game changer. You might be riding in a vehicle that earns top marks in frontal crash tests, but if the truck’s underride guard fails – or isn’t there at all – your chances of walking away from even a relatively low-speed crash aren’t good.”

The Institute has been studying the issue since the 1970s; the latest report found rules had not been updated since 1996 and most guards did not protect the entire rear of a truck, leaving motorists particularly vulnerable to underride crashes when striking a trailer at an angle. As a result, the group is petitioning the NHTSA to mandate better protection.

“Underride standards haven’t kept pace with improvements in passenger vehicle crashworthiness,” Lund said. “Absent regulation, there’s little incentive for manufacturers to improve underride countermeasures, so we hope NHTSA will move quickly on our petition.”
Continue reading

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers hail the government’s long-overdue decision to require data recorders to track hours of service for long-haul truckers.

Fatigued truck drivers are a significant danger throughout Illinois and increase the risk of car accidents in Chicago and elsewhere. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 380,000 large trucks were involved in accidents in 2008, claiming more than 4,000 lives and injuring 90,000.For decades, the government has relied upon a system of hand-written log books to enforce hours-of-service regulations. The rules limit the hours per day and per week that a trucker can remain behind the wheel. When combined with the fact that truckers are typically paid by the mile — and therefore make the most money for traveling the furthest distance in the shortest amount of time — the antiquated system has become a mockery that is ripe for abuse and routinely exposes innocent motorists to exhausted drivers barreling down the highway in 80,000 pound tractor trailers.

“We cannot protect our roadways when commercial truck and bus companies exceed hours-of-service rules,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “This proposal would make our roads safer by ensuring that carriers traveling across state lines are using EOBRs to track the hours their drivers spend behind the wheel.”

The electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) are in use by several carriers nationwide and can be mandated for truckers or trucking companies that are found in violation of hours-of-service rules. But the new regulations will mandate the recorders for 500,000 carriers nationwide. Violations could result in a fine of up to $11,000.

“This proposal is an important step in our efforts to raise the safety bar for commercial carriers and drivers,” said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. “We believe broader use of EOBRs would give carriers and drivers an effective tool to strengthen their HOS compliance.”

Safety organizations — including Road Safe America, which was founded by parents who lost their child in an accident with a tractor-trailer, have been pushing for the move for years.

The organization is now encouraging the government to use the data recorders in conjunction with mechanical speed-limiters, saying the two issues go hand-in-hand.
Continue reading

Our Chicago car accident attorneys remind motorists of the state’s website, www.gettingaroundillinois.com, which has long been a favorite of travelers, truckers and weather forecasters and has been redesigned just in time for the winter driving season.

The site provides information on weather, road condition, road construction, travel delays, preferred trucking routes and average daily volume of traffic. As we have reported here before in preparation for winter driving season, proper planning, especially during the busy upcoming holiday travel season, can reduce your risk of being involved in a serious or fatal Chicago car accident. “The relaunched Getting Around Illinois site makes it easier than ever for the public to tap into a wealth of travel information compiled by IDOT staff,” said Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig.

Authorities will be out in force through the holidays in an effort to reduce the number of fatal crashes. After several years of declines, the number of people killed in accidents on Illinois roads could increase this year, according to state statistics. There were two fewer fatalities through Dec. 14 of this year. So far this year, 877 motorists have been killed in fatal accidents on Illinois roads, compared to 879 during the same period last year.

The site’s interactive map of Illinois permits users to map their trips and include stops at points of interest throughout the state. It also includes the locations of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, museums, schools and government offices. Forecasts and road conditions are updated every 10 minutes and the site has averaged 50,000 hits a month since its debut five years ago. Among the improvements in the redesign is enhanced information for the commercial trucking industry, including weight restrictions on local roads and bridges. IDOT hopes the new information will reduce the number of heavy or illegal trucks on area roads while lowering the risk of serious and fatal tractor-trailer accidents in Illinois.
Continue reading