Child Injured In Ottawa Semi-Truck Accident on West Norris Drive

Truck Accident - June 2, 2025

Juvenile Riding Electric Bicycle Injured In Ottawa Semi-Truck Accident

Child Injured In Ottawa Semi-Truck Accident on West Norris Drive

OTTAWA, ILLINOIS (June 2, 2025) – A child bicyclist was injured in Ottawa after being hit by a semi-truck on the 1500 block of W. Norris Drive.

Ottawa Police Department officials are saying that the accident took place around 2:15 PM on Tuesday. A juvenile was riding an electric bike when they were hit by a semi-truck for undetermined reasons.

Paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim. The bicyclist was transported to a local hospital in order to receive treatment.

The driver of the semi-truck remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities. A full investigation into the circumstances leading up to the collision remains ongoing at this time.

Liability for Ottawa Semi-Truck Accidents

Bicycles lack the protection of enclosed vehicles and are uniquely vulnerable in the event of a collision. According to the IIHS, “A total of 1,084 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2022, the highest number ever recorded. Bicyclist deaths have increased 8% since 1975, and have increased 75% since reaching their lowest point in 2010. Most bicyclist deaths in 2022 (89%) were among people age 20 and older.” Semi-trucks can be particularly dangerous for a number of reasons.

  • Stopping Distance: A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh 65,000 pounds. It can take that truck the length of two football fields to come to a complete stop at freeway speeds.
  • Ground Clearance: Semi-trucks have a high ground clearance, which can lead to pedestrians and smaller vehicles being pulled underneath in the event of a collision.
  • Blind Spots: Trucks have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of vehicles and pedestrians all around them. These blind spots are especially pronounced in the front and sides of a truck.

Semi-truck drivers must acquire a commercial license and are held to a high standard in terms of safety. Pursuant to 625 ILCS 5/11-1003.1, every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or any person operating a bicycle. They must also exercise proper precaution to avoid any child or obviously confused person in the roadway. If a truck driver fails to slow down to avoid hitting a bicyclist, this could form the basis of a negligence claim.

Liability for a truck accident could extend beyond any truck driver. Trucks are complex pieces of machinery that require routine maintenance in order to operate safely. If a truck is not adequately maintained, this could lead to some catastrophic failure with the brakes or some other major system. In that case, the company or entity that was supposed to be maintaining the truck could bear some liability in the event of a crash. Victims of truck accidents tend to suffer very serious injuries.

  • Broken bones
  • Head injuries
  • Lacerations
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Organ damage

Truck accidents are often highly preventable. They tend to be the results of truck drivers that are not paying adequate attention to the road ahead of them. Part of the problem is that truck drivers are often pushed to complete their delivery routes on unrealistic time schedules. This can lead to those drivers becoming naturally fatigued. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours can reduce a person’s ability to operate their vehicle safely equal to driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05%.

Investigating Illinois Semi-Truck Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the child injured in this Ottawa semi-truck accident. It is our sincere hope that the victim will be able to make a full recovery. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to the police. Many questions have not been answered at this time.

Have you or someone you care about been injured in an Ottawa truck accident? You may be entitled to financial compensation. Our team of truck accident attorneys is here to assist you in any way that we can. We are committed to helping victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering how an attorney might be able to assist with your particular situation, we are here for you. You can contact us anytime at (312) 564-4256.