Pedestrian Injured In Garbage Truck Accident By Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
Automobile Accidents - June 2, 2023
Pedestrian Seriously Injured In Trash Truck Accident By The Corner of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Northern Access Road By Northwest University Drive
EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS (June 1, 2023) – A pedestrian was seriously injured in a garbage truck accident not far from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
Madison County officials are saying that the accident took place on Wednesday morning. A pedestrian was walking when they were struck by a garbage truck.
Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene in order to help the victim. They were suffering from very serious injuries and taken to a St. Louis Hospital in a helicopter.
A full investigation into the cause of the Edwardsville collision remains ongoing at this time.
Liability For Edwardsville Garbage Truck Accidents
Far too many people are killed or seriously injured in garbage truck accidents every year. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were 2,430 crashes involving garbage trucks. Those accidents resulted in 107 fatalities and 1,427 injuries. There are a number of reasons that garbage trucks can be particularly dangerous for pedestrians.
- Blind Spots: Like all large commercial trucks, garbage trucks have large blind spots. These exist all around the truck and are especially pronounced on the sides and back of the truck.
- Weight: A fully loaded garbage truck can weigh as much as 51,000 lbs, which makes them very difficult to stop.
- Ground Clearance: Garbage trucks have a high ground clearance which can lead to pedestrians becoming trapped underneath the front of the truck.
Garbage truck drivers must exercise due care in order to avoid hitting pedestrians. According to Illinois Vehicle Code (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 or other device propelled by human power and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary.” When a garbage truck driver fails to slow down to avoid hitting a pedestrian this could form the basis of a negligence claim.
Depending on the facts of any case, the company that a garbage truck driver worked for could be liable for a collision. Generally speaking, 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. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any pedestrian accident.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage should be sought.
- A thorough investigation should be conducted.
It can be hard to know what to do after any collision. But it is important for all accident victims to know that they do have rights. Any person that is injured in a car accident may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover many of the expenses that come with a serious injury. Sadly, though, it is common for garbage truck companies to do everything that they can to deny liability for any collision.
Investigating An Illinois Garbage Truck Accident
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the person injured in this Edwardsville garbage truck accident. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to police. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an Edwardsville garbage truck accident? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of pedestrian safety advocates are here to answer any questions that you may have. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
