CHICAGO TRUCK ACCIDENT ATTORNEY KNOWS FIRSTHAND THAT TRUCKING ACCIDENTS ARE A MAJOR CAUSE OF WRONGFUL DEATHS IN ILLINOIS
Large commercial truck accidents account for a substantial share of serious personal injuries and wrongful deaths on Illinois highways. In fact, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration statistics show that in Illinois, trucking accidents killed 159 people in 2006. Drivers in cars will typically suffer significant personal injuries when they collide with these trucks because of the weight difference between a car and a truck. Cars will generally weigh less than 2 tons while trucks often can weigh up to 40 tons with a full load.
Trucking accidents can be the responsibility of the driver, the trucking company or both. Some of the major causes for trucking accidents include driver error, driver fatigue, unfamiliarity with the area, construction projects, aggressive driving and weather conditions, aggravated by an excessive speed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggests that truck driver fatigue may be a contributing factor in roughly a third of all heavy truck crashes.
The trucking company could also be responsible for the improper maintenance of the truck or trailer, improperly training its driver or for negligently hiring the driver. The National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) discovered that more than 25% of the drivers involved in fatal crashes had at least one prior speeding conviction while 7% of the drivers had a previous license suspension or prior felony conviction.
My firm has handled many truck accident cases and we are aware of the issues and problems which may arise. Please contact the Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Kroll if you or a loved one has been injured in a car or truck accident
