Illinois Trucking Accident Attorney

Large trucks were involved in approximately 380,000 traffic accidents in the United States in 2008 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Approximately 90,000 people were injured and over 4,200 people were killed as a result. In the state of Illinois, there were over 100 fatalities and 2,200 injuries in trucking accidents in the same year. The vast majority of those injured or killed were occupants of other vehicles involved in the crash.

Driver Fatigue in Trucking Accidents

Driver fatigue and drowsiness are major contributing factors to large truck traffic accidents. Trucker exhaustion manifests in numerous ways including:

Delayed reaction times
Blurred and distorted vision
Lane drifting
Speeding fluctuations
Inattentiveness to road conditions
Failure to practice safety protocols

Trucker fatigue is of such concern that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has instituted a number of Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. These federal regulations stipulate that professional truck drivers may not:

Drive more than 11 cumulative hours following 10 consecutive off-duty hours
Drive beyond the 14th hour following 10 consecutive off-duty hours.
Drive more than 60 hours in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours in 8 consecutive days
Restart a 7/8 consecutive day period without taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty.

The state of Illinois has adopted these federal regulations with a couple exemptions.

Experienced Trucking Accident Attorneys in Illinois

If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a trucking accident in Illinois or beyond, it’s important to hire an attorney who is experienced with trucking cases to represent you. The attorneys at Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd, based in Chicago, Illinois, are experienced and knowledgeable about trucking laws and accidents. Our attorneys have seen numerous cases involving driver fatigue and other truck accident causes. We investigate all of our cases thoroughly to determine exactly what caused the accident, if state or federal regulations were violated and who should be held accountable. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case and begin the process of getting the compensation you deserve.

Visit www.dlg-trucking.com for more information.