Ashley Baker Killed In Zion Semi-Truck Accident by Lewis Avenue and 33rd Street

Truck Accident - August 11, 2022

Ashley Baker, of Chicago, Died In Zion Car Accident With Semi-Truck By The Intersection of Lewis Avenue and 33rd Street

ZION, ILLINOIS (August 10, 2022) – A 30-year-old mother from Chicago identified as Ashley Baker died in a Zion semi-truck accident by Lewis Avenue and 33rd Street.

Lake County officials are saying that the collision took place around 12:30 a.m. on Friday.  Ashley Baker was in a passenger vehicle when she was involved in a collision with a semi-truck pulling a tractor trailer.

Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim. Ashley Baker was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. The driver of the semi-truck remained at the scene and cooperated with police.

A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability In Zion Semi-Truck Accidents

The vast majority of the goods that are bought and sold in the United States spend time on semi-trucks. Commercial trucks are essential for the economy, but they can be particularly dangerous to those in passenger vehicles. According to the IIHS, “Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. Large trucks often weigh 20-30 times as much as passenger vehicles. They are taller and have greater ground clearance than cars, which means that lower-riding vehicles can slide beneath truck trailers, with deadly consequences.” There are many other factors that can make semi-trucks particularly dangerous.

• A fully loaded semi-truck traveling at freeway speeds can take the length of two football fields to come to a stop.
• Semi-trucks have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of smaller vehicles.
• Semi-trucks are much more difficult to maneuver than smaller vehicles. They also make much wider turns thereby increasing the odds of underride collisions.

Semi-truck drivers will typically need to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL). They are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Many collisions are due to truck drivers that make dangerous left turns. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-902), the driver of any vehicle intending to turn left must first yield the right of way to all traffic that is close enough so as to pose a hazard. When a truck driver makes an abrupt turn in front of a smaller vehicle, this could form the basis of a negligence claim.

When a truck driver is negligent, the company that they work for could be held at fault. In general, companies are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. For example, a truck driver may have been delivering packages when they were involved in a crash. However, many truck companies will try to evade liability for crashes by hiring their drivers as “independent contractors.” There are a number of steps that should be taken after any collision.

• The employment status of the truck driver should be determined.
• Photos of the accident should be taken.
• Medical records should be preserved.
• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• A thorough, independent investigation should be conducted.

When a truck driver is negligent, they can be held at fault through a civil claim. The family of any person that died in a semi-truck accident may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, funeral expenses and loss of love. Unfortunately, though, truck companies will often fight extremely hard to deny liability for any collision. This is why it is so important that evidence is properly preserved after any crash.

Investigating A Zion Semi-Truck Accident

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Ashley Baker. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. There are many questions that need to be answered. Was the semi-truck driver involved in this crash properly licensed? Were they potentially distracted? Did they have logbook violations?

Do you need more information about a Zion semi-truck accident? Our team of consumer safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the information and resources that they are entitled to under the law. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into an accident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.