Truck Accidents in Chicago

Vehicle crashes occur every day in and around Chicago. On highways and interstates, tractor trailer trucks (also known as big rigs or eighteen wheelers) often are involved in vehicle crashes, but on the crowded streets of a city like Chicago, smaller commercial trucks abound – and accidents involving one can be devastating.

Types of commercial trucks

We tend to think of big-rigs when we think of commercial trucks, but they’re not the only ones. On any given day in the city or the suburbs, you probably see at least one of these on the streets:

• Agricultural trucks
• Cargo trucks
• Delivery trucks
• Five-wheel trucks
• Garbage trucks
• Tankers
• Tow trucks

Just because they’re smaller doesn’t mean they’re less dangerous. Box trucks and flatbeds are unwieldy, and a driver’s visibility can be limited. This makes it more likely that a truck accident could occur.

Causes of truck crashes

Truck crashes have many of the same causes as other vehicle crashes, and driver error is one of the leading causes. Those errors include:

• Tailgating
• Going over the legal speed limit
• Changing lanes at the incorrect times
• Tired drivers
• Carless drivers
• Drunk drivers
• Distracted drivers

Defective truck parts, poorly maintained roadways, constant construction and broken or invisible signage also lead to accidents.

Truck accidents are more complex and more dangerous than other vehicle crashes

Truck accidents are more complex than other vehicle accidents, as truck crashes often lead to damaged property, injured people, and/or human fatality and involve many more individuals than other vehicle crashes do. In fact, truck crashes lead to meetings among truck drivers, truck owners, insurance agents, government agencies, and the like. Those meetings help determine negligence, liability, etc.

As a result, truck crashes also are more dangerous. Truck crashes lead to an increased number of serious injuries. Commercial trucks differ in size and mass from other vehicles, and that difference increases the number of damages and injuries. Moreover, tuck crashes involving low speeds can lead injuries that dramatically alter people’s lives; said truck crashes even may hurt families significantly, especially if said truck crashes lead to death.

Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers represents victims of truck accidents in Chicago. If you or your loved one has sustained an injury in a collision, we are here to fight for you. Please call us at 312.548.9019 or fill out our contact form to learn more about how we can help.