CHICAGO, IL – Truck accidents are more deadly than most other types of vehicle accidents including car accidents. The size, weight and mass of a truck mean that when a truck and a smaller vehicle collide, the smaller vehicle will absorb most of the force of the collision.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), with help from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), keeps data on why deadly traffic accidents happen. In 2020, the FMCSA reported the following causes of deadly truck accidents for single and multiple-vehicle truck accidents.
Single-vehicle truck crashes involve truck jackknives; truck rollovers; and colliding with stationary objects including lane dividers, traffic poles, and other objects. The top five causes of single-vehicle truck crashes for 2020 were:
- Driver impairment (drunk driving, driver fatigue and other types of impairment): 131 crashes, accounting for 13.5 percent of all fatal crashes.
- Speeding: 120 crashes, accounting for 12.4 percent of all fatal truck accidents.
- Negligence (improper driving, driving without due care, careless driving, and inattentive operation): 86 fatalities, accounting for 8.9 percent of all deadly truck accidents.
- Driver distraction/inattention (texting while driving, cell phone use, eating, drinking, and more): 82 deaths, accounting for 8.4 percent of all fatal truck accidents.
- Overcorrecting: 55 deaths, accounting for 5.7 percent of all truck crash fatalities.
Other causes of single-truck accidents include vision obscurity, improper lane usage, and failure to yield the right of way.
The five leading causes of multi-vehicle crashes (crashes with at least one other vehicle) for 2020 were:
- Any type of speeding: 6.1 percent
- Failure to yield the right of way: 4.5 percent
- Driver distraction: 4.4 percent
- Impairment: 3.1 percent
- Improper lane usage: 2.9 percent
Nearly nine percent of truck fatalities in 2020 involved at least one moving violation. About 48 percent of truck deaths in 2020 involved at least one driver-related factor.
Who is liable for a deadly truck accident in Illinois?
Often, one or more trucking companies or businesses are liable for a truck accident, in addition to the truck driver. Some of these additional defendants may include:
- The trucking company that employed the truck driver.
- The owner of the truck, if different from the truck driver, may also be liable.
- A manufacturer of a defective truck part, such as defective brakes.
- A trucking broker that arranged the shipment.
- Any mechanic who may have provided a faulty repair to a vehicle.
How to file a wrongful death claim after an Illinois truck accident
Our truck accident lawyers understand just how devastating the death of a loved one is – especially when your loved one’s death was preventable. Our wrongful death attorneys understand the unique issues involved with wrongful death claims. These issues include determining who the beneficiaries are, who can file the claim, what happens if there are criminal charges, how you prove the defendants are liable and what damages can be awarded.
No amount of money can fully compensate victims for the death of a loved one. We seek the maximum amount of compensation Illinois permits to hold the wrongdoers accountable, pressure the responsible drivers and truck companies to take corrective actions, and help families live their best lives possible – the lives your loved one would have wanted for you.
Our team of experienced attorneys at the Dinizulu Law Group have tried numerous cases. We investigate all of our cases thoroughly to determine exactly what caused the accident, if state or federal regulations were violated, and who should be held accountable. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and begin the process of getting the compensation you deserve. Fill out this form or call (312) 384-1920 to get started immediately.
