Big Truck Collision Leaves Two Injured, One Dead

On April 13, a collision between a garbage truck and a passenger vehicle left two injured and one man dead at the scene. A Republic Services garbage truck attempted to make an illegal left turn when a speeding vehicle driven by Giovanni Roman, 24, struck the passenger side of the truck. Roman was pinned in his vehicle, while a female passenger suffered a fractured vertebra. Ramon’s cousin, who died at the scene, was thrown through the vehicle’s windshield on impact.

Open and shut? Not exactly

Less than a week later, the Chicago Tribune reported that Roman was charged with two felony counts of aggravated driving under the influence; his blood alcohol was more than twice the legal limit and he tested positive for cocaine and marijuana. Roman should never have been behind the wheel of a car in his state, but the consequences of his actions were amplified by a problem that we rarely pause to consider before getting behind the wheel; trucks are big.

This might seem overly simplistic and even callous in the wake of a tragedy that will change a young man’s life, but the simple fact of the matter is that a person is dead today because a big truck was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Garbage trucks account for just a small portion of the commercial trucks on the road in our country, each and every one of which represent a potentially fatal hazard to other drivers on the road.

From the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

“Large trucks have higher fatal crash rates per mile traveled than passenger vehicles, although a higher percentage of large truck travel occurs on interstates, the safest roads. Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants rather than occupants of large trucks. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles. Trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger cars.”

A growing problem

Year after year, more trucks join a throng of millions on our nation’s roadways. The American Trucking Associations estimate that there more than 31 million commercial trucks on the road. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, almost 8% of all crashes in the country (or some 476,000) involve large trucks or buses, and the risk of a fatality in these collisions is much higher than in a collision between two passenger vehicles.

Commercial truck accidents often result in serious injuries and fatalities that have very real consequences for victims and their families. Medical treatment, continuing care, and even funeral expenses can leave families emotionally and financially devastated. However, there are options.

If your loved one was a victim of a commercial truck accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. The experienced Chicago truck accident lawyers at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers can evaluate your case and help get you the compensation you need. For a free consultation, call 312-600-9585 or contact us today.