What Causes Trucking Accidents?

The trucking industry is a multi-million dollar industry that enjoys rapid expansion each year. In ten years, experts predict the transportation trucking industries will double its profits. As the industry grows, so does the number of enormous semi trucks that share the road with passenger vehicles, which means an increase in serious trucking accidents. This trend has already started to emerge as the number of truck accident injuries in Illinois and across the country has increased significantly over the past five years.

Many factors can contribute to the cause of a truck accident. Our semi truck accident lawyers understand the complex nature of trucking accidents in Illinois and across the nation. We encourage truck accident victims throughout Illinois to contact our offices and learn how our lawyers can help them obtain just financial compensation for their injuries.

Truck Driver Fatigue

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board estimates that 20 to 40 percent of all trucking accidents occur as a result of driver fatigue. Incentives are built into the trucking profession that pressure drivers to work more than 40 hours a week, ignoring safety regulations and precautions in favor of fast delivery and higher profits. Because the trucking industry is not protected by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, trucking companies are not obligated to pay drivers overtime for hours worked in excess of 40 hours a week. Adding to this, drivers are paid by the load or mile instead of by the hour; drivers do not receive compensation for the loading and unloading of shipments or for other external conditions that may inhibit a prompt delivery, such as weather. It is not uncommon for truck drivers to work 60 hours a week or more in order to deliver shipments quickly.

For the drivers of passenger vehicles, this means that they will be sharing the road with tired, inattentive drivers operating large trucks that often weigh more than 10,000 pounds. Because of the size of commercial trucks, drivers are unable to recover as quickly from maneuvering mistakes made out of fatigue as operators of passenger vehicles.

Fully cognizant of the issue of driver fatigue, the federal government recently revised the hours of service codes for the first time in 60 years. However, the regulations governing hours are still violated on a daily basis. If you or a loved one sustained serious injuries during a truck accident in Illinois, the attorneys at The Healy Law Firm can help you obtain the financial compensation to which you are entitled.

Unsafe Operation of a 18 wheeler

The sheer size of semi trucks necessitates special precautions when operating these commercial vehicles. If drivers fail to observe these crucial safety measures, their reckless behavior can result in a devastating collision with a passenger vehicle. Our  attorneys understand the complicated rules governing the safe operation of commercial trucks. We have helped numerous truck accident victims in Illinois attain substantial compensation for injuries sustained when these rules were negligently disregarded.

Below are some of the characteristics of semi trucks that make them more dangerous than motor vehicles:

• No-Zone : This refers to the semi truck's numerous blind spots. Semi trucks have blind spots in the front, back and sides of the vehicle. If a driver does not account for these blind spots before he makes a move, a car in the blind spot may be harmed.
• Squeeze Play : When a semi truck driver attempts a right hand turn, he must swing wide to the left in order to successfully complete the turn. If a passenger vehicle slips between the semi truck and the curb, the semi truck driver, unable to see the car in his blind spot, could potentially cause serious harm to the vehicle.
• Off-Track: The laws of physics governing these massive trucks necessitate 40 percent more space to make a complete stop than passenger vehicles. If a driver of a commercial truck follows a car too closely, the chances of the big rig rear-ending the car are much greater. Because large trucks can weigh more than 10,000 pounds, the harm and injuries sustained by the car and its passengers could be tremendous.

Unstable Loads / Defective Trucking Equipment

Federal and state trucking regulations stipulate safety requirements for shipping loads. These regulations cover everything from the size of loads and the durability and strength of load restraints to the safety of trucking parts such as the brakes. However, trucking companies sometimes willfully ignore or fail to meet these standards, compromising the safety of passenger vehicles in the name of profit.

If you have been involved in a truck accident in the state of Illinois, contact our qualified accident attorneys immediately. From the time the accident occurs, interstate trucking companies have representatives working to protect their interests and so should you. Our attorneys provide aggressive, competent legal representation to Illinois residents harmed in a semi truck accident. Our attorneys work diligently and tirelessly, committing themselves to your case until a suitable resolution is achieved. We offer aggressive, proficient legal representation in and out of the courtroom.