How often do truck drivers get into accidents in Gurnee?
Motor Vehicles Accidents - April 30, 2025
Truckers are on the road nearly constantly, allowing more opportunity than most to have accidents. If you have been involved in an accident with a truck, you need an experienced Gurnee personal injury attorney to help you navigate the claim process and fight for the compensation you deserve. Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates is committed to making your life easier at a time when most things can feel more challenging.
How common are truck accidents in Gurnee, IL?
Truck accident data in the city of Gurnee is not readily available. However, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation, recent reporting years show that about 4% of reported accidents involved large trucks. Lake County experienced 12,000 accidents in total, so we may estimate that a little under 500 of these accidents involved semi and tractor-trailer trucks.
In a recent report published by the National Transportation Research Non-Profit, large trucks account for about 5% of all vehicles on the road, and 10% of all miles traveled, making them statistically safer drivers. Yet, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found an 18% increase in fatalities in bus and truck accidents from 2020 to 2021.
What’s a common reason for fatal crashes involving trucks?
One of the most common precursors to a fatal truck accident is a driver encroaching on the truck’s lane or space. This highlights the importance of paying attention while sharing the road with truck drivers, though it may also serve as a sobering reminder that 13% of all fatal accidents involve large trucks.
What other factors contribute to Gurnee truck accidents?
Drivers who fail to consider the necessary space are a significant factor in causing accidents, but there are countless others to consider. Some of these can include:
- Distracted driving
- Intoxication
- Exhaustion related to hours of service violations
- Poorly loaded cargo
- Speeding
- Poor vehicle maintenance
- Failure to check blind spots
- Following too closely
Many people may know that commercial truck drivers require more space to operate and more time to react to unexpected road incidents. However, almost anyone working in the trucking industry will tell you that people fail to consider this on the road on a daily basis, contributing to accident rates.
How are truck drivers liable for truck accidents in Gurnee?
In most situations, liability in a truck accident is determined in the same way as any other type of accident. Examples of considerations an adjuster might use to determine fault include running a red light, failing to yield, or following too closely. However, what can often make truck accidents different is the training and responsibility a truck driver should show.
Truck drivers must pay additional attention to their environment and respond accordingly. A hazard that may take a standard sedan driver three seconds to respond to might take a truck driver six or seven seconds, due to the greater weight and length of their vehicle. Additionally, overreaction and overcorrection from a truck driver may have catastrophic outcomes.
Where can you learn more about Gurnee truck accidents?
Truck accident cases can be complicated due to the value of damages and the number of involved parties. Instead of a private insurance company, you may find yourself facing a large logistics or trucking company in your attempt to recover fair and appropriate compensation. Hiring a truck accident attorney with Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates gives you a fairer playing field.
Illinois commercial truck drivers have more training and experience to facilitate safe judgment, and they have a duty to exercise that in the decisions they make on the road. If a Gurnee truck accident has injured you, call us today at (800) 985-1819 for a free case consultation so we can discuss the options that are most appropriate for you.
