Dawn Hall Killed In Grundy County Semi-Truck Accident on I-55

Truck Accident - January 8, 2024

Dawn Hall Died In Grundy County Multi-Vehicle Car Accident Involving Semi-Truck Along Interstate 55 Just Outside of Chicago

GRUNDY COUNTY, ILLINOIS (January 8, 2023) –  A 53-year-old woman identified as Dawn Hall has tragically died in a Grundy County semi-truck accident on Interstate 55.

Grundy County officials are saying that the incident took place around 8:45 p.m. on Friday. Dawn Hall was in a vehicle in the southbound lanes of I-55 as traffic began to slow.

The driver of a semi-truck failed to slow down and rear-ended her vehicle which was pushed into another vehicle. Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim.

Despite life-saving measures, Dawn Hall was later pronounced dead. It remains unclear if the driver of the semi-truck will receive any traffic citations for the collision.

A full investigation remains ongoing at this time.

Liability For Grundy County Semi-Truck Accidents

Semi-trucks account for a relatively small number of the vehicles on the roadway. But they are involved in a disproportionate number of fatal collisions. According to the National Safety Council, “In 2021, 5,700 large trucks were involved in a fatal crash, an 18% increase from 2020 and a 49% increase in the last 10 years. The involvement rate per 100 million large-truck miles traveled is up 7% from 2020, and up 22% in the last 10 years.” There are a number of reasons that semi-trucks can be particularly dangerous.

• Semi-trucks can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs.
• Semi-Trucks can take the length of two football fields to come to a complete stop.
• Semi-trucks have large blind spots all around the vehicle.

Semi-truck drivers are often required to work long hours at all times of the night and day. It is common for them to become dangerously fatigued. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that staying awake for only 18 hours straight can reduce a person’s ability to drive safely equal to driving with a BAC of 0.05%. Fatigued drivers are more likely to speed or fail to slow down to avoid collisions. According to Illinois Vehicle Code Sec. 11-601, no person shall operate a motor vehicle at a speed greater than what would be reasonable or safe given the prevailing conditions of the roadway.

There is a rebuttable presumption of negligence on the part of any truck driver that rear-ends another vehicle in their own lane of travel. These types of collisions tend to take place due to drivers that are speeding or distracted. A truck driver’s employer could also be liable for a collision. Generally speaking, companies are liable for the wrongful acts of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course and scope of their job duties. It is important that evidence is properly preserved after any truck accident.

• Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
• Medical records should be preserved.
• The truck driver’s logbook should be reviewed.
• Surveillance footage should be sought.
• Photos of the accident site should be taken.

The vast majority of semi-truck accidents are completely preventable. they are much more likely to take place when delivery companies push their drivers to complete unrealistic delivery schedules. It is important that accident victims understand that they do have rights. The family of any person that died in a semi-truck accident may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Sadly, though, truck companies will often do everything within their power to deny responsibility if one of their drivers is involved in a fatal collision.

Investigating Grundy County Semi-Truck Accidents

We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Dawn Hall. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be some accountability for the sake of the victim’s family. So many questions remain unanswered. Was this truck driver properly licensed? Have they received any citations? Were they distracted prior to the collision?

Do you need more information about a Grundy County semi-truck accident? Our team of roadway safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that truck companies are held liable for their negligent actions. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.