While fatal collisions involving large trucks have actually been on the decline for close to 40 years, truck-car collisions remain a deadly danger on Illinois roads. Such crashes are twice as likely to result in fatalities as accidents that only involve automobiles. Unlike the recent Chicago case above, car drivers are far more likely to die in such crashes, representing 75 percent of all fatalities in truck collisions. In fact, the majority of truck accidents on the whole involve cars.
Who generally causes truck-car collisions?
In a definitive study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, experts determined the following:
- Automobile drivers were responsible for factors that caused truck-car accidents in 86 percent of the collisions surveyed
- In 10 percent of the accidents surveyed, both truckers and drivers were responsible
- Driver encroachment, as illustrated in the case above, remains one of the most common causes of truck-car accidents
When trucks cause collisions
There are still many accidents caused by trucks, drivers of which may have difficulty seeing cars due to the huge blind spots larger trucks frequently have. When trucks are responsible, determining whose insurance should cover damages may involve assigning liability among a number of parties, including trucking companies, leasing companies, and truck manufacturers. For victims of such accidents, a qualified Chicago personal injury lawyer is indispensable in securing the damages victims deserve.
Choose a strong advocate to pursue your accident claims
Due to the complex factual and legal issues involved in many accidents, it’s critical to retain seasoned attorneys with the knowledge and experience to pursue responsible parties. The Chicago area attorneys at Dolan Law have extensive experiencing representing clients that have been seriously injured in truck and auto accidents.