Articles Posted in SUV Accident

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Frequently, we discuss the nature and dangers of rollover motor vehicle accidents. Oftentimes these accidents involve SUVs and trucks so our attorneys thought we should remind readers of the dangers associated with rollover crashes, what makes them occur, and why trucks and SUVs are more likely to roll over than other vehicles.

According to WGNTV, a recent SUV rollover crash outside of Chicago killed four people and left one in critical condition. According to Lasalle County Sheriff’s Department, the driver lost control of the SUV, hit a mailbox, and sped across the road. She then slide sideways in the SUV down an embankment while at a high speed, and became airborne. The SUV ultimately landed in trees nearby. All of the passengers were thrown from the vehicle. Friends of the victims say that alcohol may have been a major factor in this crash.

In another recent instance of a rollover crash, a man was killed after his vehicle rolled over, according to an article by MLive. According to police, the man drifted off the road and hit a rock. His vehicle then flipped over several times. Authorities are investigating as to whether alcohol was a factor involved.

In both of these examples, the vehicles involved went off the roads and flipped over several times. What causes vehicles to flip and roll over during motor vehicle accidents is a more common trait in SUVs and trucks than other vehicles. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle type plays a major factor into the likelihood of a rollover crash. Tall and narrow vehicles like SUVs and trucks have high centers of gravity and are more susceptible to roll over. Usually a rollover occurs when a driver loses control of the vehicle and it slides sideways, according to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety. Rollovers can occur when a driver tries to turn a vehicle too sharply or aggressively, such at a high velocity with a tight turning radius. In a scientific explanation, the frictional force between the tires and road surface can cause the vehicle to tip and then roll.
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It is all too often that we hear in the news of motor vehicle accidents involving semi-trucks and tractor trailers. Such accidents may not only result in permanent injuries or death, loss of wages, and long healing time, but cause of a tremendous amount of emotional suffering for victims and family members. Our attorneys understand that when someone is seriously injured or loses a loved one in a trucking accident, they may not know where to turn to find answers and closure. However, our legal system may allow victims and families to seek compensation when accidents are the result of someone else’s careless or reckless behaviors on the road.

Unfortunately this news week was not any different. According to a report by NTV ABC, two individuals were killed in a collision between an SUV and semi-truck. Both the driver and passenger in the SUV were killed upon impact when a semi-truck collided with them head-on and both vehicles then caught on fire upon collision. Authorities reported that they believe weather was a major factor in this accident.

It’s scary to think that although most people rely on cars the most for their travels, motor vehicles are also among the top causes for human death. In fact, according to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death for people aged 3 through 34. Furthermore, among all transportation fatalities, traffic deaths account for 95%. Additionally, truck accidents also account for a large number of crash fatalities. In the year 2008, one out of nine fatalities resulted from collisions with large trucks, such as semis. Although some crashes are purely accidental, many are avoidable when drivers practice safe driving habits and adjust their driving styles to accommodate different road and weather conditions.

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A large number of drivers transporting large commercial vehicles such as semi trucks, tractor/trailers, or pick-up trucks travel on Illinois roadways each day, and much is expected of these drivers in order for them to reach their destinations quickly and safely. Because larger vehicles are more difficult maneuver and can potentially become dangerous for not only the truck driver, but also other motorists and pedestrians on the roadway, it is essential that truck drivers travel responsibly. This includes driving attentively, maintaining their vehicles, following regulations, and taking all steps necessary to remain safe behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, many drivers choose not to uphold their responsibilities and make decisions that lead to serious accidents and injury on the road. This was the case last Sunday when a Skokie man was charged with drunken driving after he allegedly ran a stop sign and struck an SUV carrying three individuals.

At about 1am, the driver, whose pick-up truck had open containers of beer inside, drove through a stop sign and struck an approaching SUV, according to Chicago Tribune. The pick-up truck T-boned the SUV with such force that the entire floor of the SUV fell from its framework. The pick-up truck continued traveling until it crashed into a nearby fence, while the SUV hit a parked car.

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A serious two-vehicle accident on U.S 24 left a 72-year old man dead last week, according to Pantagraph.com. The accident took place near Gridley in McLean County around 2pm when the man and his passenger were driving their SUV through Illinois on a road trip. Preliminary information indicates that a pickup truck was westbound on the interstate when it crossed over the centerline and struck the victim’s vehicle just west of County Road.

Emergency medical services transported the pickup truck driver to a hospital in Peoria, while the passenger of the SUV was transported to a hospital in Normal. The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead by the McLean County Coroner.

Our truck accident law firm understands that accidents similar to the one above are very common and often fatal on Illinois roadways, generally taking place when a vehicle either deliberately or accidently crosses a centerline or median, travels the wrong way in a traffic lane, and crashes into an approaching vehicle. Similar accidents include a collision that occurred a few weeks ago when a vehicle traveling north in the southbound lane of Interstate-87 collided head on with another vehicle, resulting in two sets of injuries and two fatalities. Another serious accident occurred earlier this when a 22-year old college student from Clarendon Hills was driving the wrong way on southbound I-55 and collided head on with a semi truck, killing him upon impact.

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Our personal injury attorneys often discuss the wide range of accidents that take place on Illinois highways, interstates, and larger roadways, as well as the outcomes these accidents have on the individuals involved. Interestingly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Traffic Safety Report” released that in a recent polling, 97% of drivers feel that their safety is at risk when they are driving on smaller roadways, side streets, and intersections.

After looking into additional traffic safety statistics from NHTSA, we found that in 2010, there were more than 2.3 million reported intersection-related crashes throughout the country, resulting in more than 7,770 fatalities and up to 730,000 injuries. One of the biggest causes of these accidents happens to be one of the most dangerous and costly problems that exists on roadways today: red-light running.

Red-light running is a serious intersection safety issue, causing almost 1,000 deaths in 2010 alone. In fact, deaths caused by red-light running are increasing at more than three times the rate of increase for all other fatal crashes. It is important to note that half of the people killed in red-light running are not the signal violators, but rather the drivers and pedestrians that are hit by motorists that drove through red lights. Further statistics show that an average of 3.2 red light violations occur per hour, ultimately costing the public an estimated $14 billion every year.

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An accident outside of Gurnee near Six Flags Great America injured sixteen people last Friday morning, according to Chicagotribune.com. Families and children traveling to the state theme park were stunned to see the six-vehicle crash and six ambulances that had responded to the scene. A truck accident attorney at our firm learned that the accident took place on I-94 at mile marker 9.5 near Grand Avenue, just north of Washington Street.

The accident was allegedly the result of a chain reaction collision involving three SUV’s, two passenger vehicles, and one semi truck that was hauling a trailer. Preliminary investigations of the accident determined that five vehicles were stopped in traffic in the far two right lanes of the interstate. The semi-truck was driving behind them and was unable to reduce speed. He then struck the rear of one of the vehicles, causing it to push into the others in front of it.

Gurnee Fire Department Chief reported that paramedics responded to the scene immediately and transported sixteen victims to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. Of those victims, three were in critical condition and two were airlifted from the medical center via Flight for Life to another hospital in Park Ridge. The thirteen remaining patients, who included both adults and children, ranged from fair to serious condition. Illinois State Police say that all of the patients were wearing their seat belts at the time of the collision.

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According to an online news report by Chicagotribune.com, bail has been set at $3 million for a West Side man charged with reckless homicide for the deadly hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a man from Cook County. Our wrongful death lawyers read that the 38-year old was struck by a van while crossing California Avenue near 29th Street around 10pm. Authorities say the van hit him and threw him into the middle of the road, where he was then pinned by a sheriff’s squad car. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and was later pronounced dead.

Police say the driver of the van, a 57 year-old man of the 2900 block of West 25th Street, was taken into custody the following day after police found his van, which matched the description of the vehicle that hit the victim. He admitted to driving on California Avenue the night of the accident and “admitted to hitting something.” Police also talked to someone who told them he had seen the driver drinking alcohol last Wednesday night prior to the accident. A judge later set the $3 million bail and ordered the driver to return to court on Monday for a preliminary hearing. Dozens of the victim’s family members packed into court for the hearing, saddened by death of the husband and father of a 5 year-old girl.

Illinois Secretary of State records show that the driver’s license was revoked in 2010 from a DUI arrest the previous year. After finally becoming eligible to appear at an administrative hearing to attempt getting his license back, he never applied, according to an office spokesman. Thus, he continued to drive despite the fact that his license had been revoked. He had received court supervision for a 2002 DUI from LaSalle County, was issued a speeding ticket in 2008, and received a ticket for running a traffic light in 1999. The victim’s wife stated that the driver going behind the wheel with a revoked license added to her pain because he should not have been driving in the first place.

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Our Illinois truck accident lawyers recently learned of an accident that occurred when an overcrowded van experienced tire problems and rolled over several times, killing the driver and injuring nineteen other people involved. Washingtonpost.com released that the crash took place at about 7:10pm on Saturday in a small Florida community about sixty miles southeast of Orlando. Highway Patrol officials reported that the rubber from at least one tire separated from the van’s wheel, causing it to roll over towards a center median of the road.

Investigators say the van was holding about fifteen people when it overturned, in addition to numerous pieces of luggage from the passengers. A forty-six year old woman was ejected from the van and was pronounced dead at the scene. Three people in the van had to be airlifted to nearby hospitals with moderate injuries. Many children were also injured, although the report does not specify if the children were passengers in the van or not.

Authorities say that in total, nineteen people were injured as a result of the accident. Troopers are currently trying to determine how many times the van rolled, as well as how many people were wearing seatbelts. A highway patrol spokeswoman describes it as “very fortunate” that only one person was ejected considering the large number of people inside.

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MyFoxChicago.com released that a woman was killed on Tuesday night when a semi truck crossed the median of Interstate 88 and struck her SUV. Our wrongful death attorneys learned that the collision took place at 7:14PM on the toll road between Butterfield Road and Route 56 near west suburban Aurora. Illinois State Police say the semi was traveling east when it went through the grassy median and into the westbound lanes of traffic. Upon entering the westbound lanes, it struck the woman’s SUV head on. The semi stopped in a ditch on the right side of the westbound lanes and caught fire just seconds later, according to the State Police Tollway District Master Sergeant.

The driver of the SUV, a 46-year old woman of southern Illinois, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Kane County Coroner’s office released that an autopsy Wednesday showed the preliminary cause of death was directly related to the accident. Toxicology samples were collected and sent to a forensics lab for evaluation. The cause of the crash remains under investigation; no citations have been issued yet.

Vehicles that cross the centerline are causing an increasing number of fatal accidents on Illinois highways and interstates. Often times, motorists deliberately attempt to cross the centerline with the intentions of changing directions on the interstate. Other times, motorists accidently cross the centerline due to factors like poor weather conditions, impaired driving, or being involved in a previous accident.

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Our Illinois personal injury lawyers recently learned of a terrible multi-vehicle accident scene that caused an excess of injury and damage to those involved. Usatoday.com writes that around 9am, sudden wind gusts and snow showers blew across southbound Interstate 75 in Detroit. A transportation spokesman said that although road crews had pre-salted the expressway’s lanes in preparation for unexpected weather conditions, the show showers quickly turned to ice and caused total white-out conditions beginning on the I-75 bridge. Motorists slammed on their brakes when they realized how slick the roads were, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the eight to ten crashes that occurred within the accident scene.

State Police say that between 150 and 200 vehicles were either involved in crashes or were blocked by accidents. At least a dozen fire and emergency vehicles responded to the scene that stretched for more than a mile, and at least ten flatbed trucks came to assist as well. According to a first responder, one victim’s vehicle was shattered with the back of the vehicle folded up over the front of the vehicle. Many others were totaled, had run into embankments, or had suffered some type of damage. Authorities set up a mobile command post to coordinate how to remove crashed vehicles and handle hazardous material removal because several crash-related fuel spills were reported. Tow trucks remained on site waiting to use heavy machinery to push many vehicles from the road.

Despite the amount of property damage that occurred after the accident, emergency personnel were primarily focused on rescuing injured motorists. A local Police Lieutenant stated that two children, ages 7 and 9, were killed in one accident while their parents and 10-year old sister remained in critical condition. South of that accident, a 54-year old Illinois man died in another crash with a pick-up truck. A dozen additional victims were transported to area hospitals by ambulances and rapid response units with severe injuries. More than thirty people were also treated for injuries at the scene, many of them having suffered blunt trauma from the collisions.

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