Collisions with semi trucks have recently caused some deadly accidents in the greater Chicago area. Because of the immense size and weight of semi trucks, many of these accidents caused the other vehicle to catch on fire, killing the driver and passengers immediately. In Lynwood, a SUV driver was killed when a semi truck heading north crossed over the southbound Route 394 lanes. The Ford Expedition burst into flames, killing the driver while the semi truck driver was uninjured.
A separate incident on Route 394 killed a woman who was about to celebrate her birthday. She was driving her Ford Explorer in the late afternoon when a semi truck veered across the grassy median and hit her head-on. The SUV caught on fire and killed her. In Chicago, a six-vehicle crash involving two semi trucks and four cars did not end well. The car drivers sustained injuries along with one truck driver, and the other truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
Semi truck accidents typically are more dangerous for any passenger vehicles involved. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that car drivers and occupants die in 78 percent of these types of crashes. Semi truck drivers must remain alert and share the road safely with all the other types of vehicles. Some of a big rig’s “no zones” are so large that vehicles can be hidden from the truck driver’s view. Passenger vehicle drivers need to give big rigs plenty of room, drive defensively and never cut in front of the truck.
The top unsafe practices of big rig drivers involve:
– Unsafe speeds
– Improper turning with insufficient headway
– Driving fatigue and lack of attentiveness
– Not stopping at a red light or stop sign
– Improper lane changing
– Driving left of center or into opposing traffic
– Crossing traffic with insufficient headway
The main unsafe driving behaviors of passenger vehicle drivers are:
– Judgment problems
– Unsafe speeds
– Right-of-way or headway-related issues
– Lane change or position problems
Paul Greenberg is a Chicago truck accident lawyer and Chicago truck accident attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.