Chicago, IL Truck Accident Attorneys

Where Truck Accidents Occur in Chicago

Chicago's position as a major transportation hub means that commercial trucks travel through the city constantly. With multiple interstate highways, numerous distribution centers and warehouses, and heavy traffic, the likelihood of truck accidents in the area is high.

Many truck accidents take place on major highways and expressways in Chicago. Interstate 90, which runs through Chicago as the Kennedy and Dan Ryan Expressways, experienced a high level of commercial truck traffic. Interstate 290, the Eisenhower Expressway, provides access to the western suburbs and connects to other major routes. Interstate 55, known as the Stevenson Expressway, links Chicago to downstate Illinois, and it is a major route for trucks traveling to and from St. Louis. These highways experience high levels of congestion, and truck accidents may occur in construction zones or other areas.

Truck accidents may also occur in busy intersections throughout Chicago. Due to the turning radius required for large trucks, drivers may swing wide or cut corners, and they may strike vehicles in adjacent lanes. Some intersections may not provide adequate clearance for trucks to complete turns safely. Accidents may also occur when truck drivers run red lights and collide with other vehicles.

Types of Truck Accidents

Underride accidents can occur when a smaller vehicle slides under the trailer of a truck. A car may become trapped under the trailer, or the top of the vehicle may be sheared off, which can lead to severe head and upper body trauma for the driver or passengers.

Rear-end collisions involving trucks can cause serious injuries due to the force generated by a heavy truck striking a smaller vehicle. Truck drivers who fail to maintain safe following distances, do not brake in time, or become distracted may crash into vehicles ahead of them.

Jackknife accidents can occur when a truck's cab and trailer form an acute angle. These accidents typically happen during hard braking or on slippery roads. A trailer may swing out to the side when a driver loses control of their vehicle. A jackknifed truck can block multiple lanes of traffic and strike numerous vehicles, creating multi-vehicle pileups with extensive injuries.

The high center of gravity on commercial trucks makes them susceptible to rollovers, particularly when drivers take curves too fast, make sudden movements, or lose control on snowy or icy roads. Improperly loaded or unbalanced cargo can increase the risks of rollover accidents. When a truck rolls over, it can crush adjacent vehicles, spill cargo across the roadway, and block traffic.

Wide turn accidents may occur when trucks swing wide to make right turns and strike vehicles positioned beside or behind them. The truck driver's blind spots may prevent them from seeing cars in adjacent lanes, leading to sideswipe collisions or accidents in which vehicles are crushed against curbs, guardrails, or other obstacles.

Causes of Commercial Truck Accidents

Multiple factors can contribute to truck accidents. In many cases, these accidents involve violations of state and federal regulations that are designed to ensure safety on the road. Some of the factors that can lead to truck crashes include:

• Speeding: Commercial trucks require more distance to stop than other vehicles. When a truck driver violates the speed limit or drives too fast in conditions such as heavy rain or snow, they may not have enough time to respond to hazards or slowed traffic, and they may collide with other vehicles.
• Intoxicated Driving: The blood alcohol concentration limit for commercial drivers is 0.04 percent, which is half the legal limit for other drivers. Some truck drivers may be impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription medications. These substances can drastically affect a person's ability to drive safely, and they can cause truck drivers to lose control and cause devastating collisions.
• Driver Fatigue: Exhausted truck drivers may struggle to maintain control of their vehicles, or they may fall asleep while driving. Pressure from employers to meet delivery schedules, economic incentives to drive longer hours, and other factors may lead truck drivers to continue driving when they are too tired to drive safely. Fatigue can impair a truck driver's reaction times, their ability to pay attention, and their control of their vehicle, and it is a common factor in truck accidents.
• Improper Maintenance: Trucking companies will need to ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained. Issues such as worn brakes, defective lights, steering problems, damaged or underinflated tires, and other mechanical issues can cause truck accidents. When companies cut corners on maintenance or fail to inspect vehicles correctly, they may be responsible for their failure to prevent truck accidents.
• Unsecured Cargo: When cargo is secured correctly on a truck, this will prevent loads from shifting during transport. Unsecured cargo can destabilize a truck and cause a truck driver to lose control, potentially resulting in a rollover or other type of accident. Overloaded trucks, unevenly distributed loads, and cargo that shifts during transit can contribute to accidents. If unsecured cargo falls from a truck, it can cause serious damage to other vehicles.

Additional factors in truck accidents may include inadequate driver training, trucking companies that hire unqualified drivers with poor safety records, distracted driving, aggressive driving, or defective truck parts. Determining the causes of a truck accident will require a thorough investigation. Our attorneys can take steps to determine who was responsible for a truck accident and hold them liable for the injuries suffered by the victim.