Teenager Injured In Belvidere Semi-Truck Accident By Genoa Road and Reeds Road
Truck Accident - March 10, 2023
16-Year-Old Injured In Boone County Semi-Truck Accident By Genoa Road and Reeds Road, Not Far From Belvidere
SPRING TOWNSHIP, ILLINOIS (March 9, 2023) – A 16-year-old was injured in a Boone County semi-truck accident by the Genoa Road and Reeds Crossing near Belvidere.
Boone County officials are saying that the accident took place on Wednesday morning. A Freightliner semi-truck was trying to pass a stopped garbage truck when it collided with a Chrysler headed northbound.
Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim. The teenager was flown to UW Health in Madison, Wisconsin with serious injuries.
The driver of the semi-truck remained at the scene and cooperated with police. It remains unclear why the garbage truck was stopped at the time of the collision.
Liability For Belvidere Semi-Truck Accidents
Semi-trucks can be incredibly dangerous for those in smaller vehicles. According to the National Safety Council, “Since 2016, the number of trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased 5% and the involvement rate per 100 million large truck miles driven has remained steady at 35.” There are several factors that make semi-trucks particularly dangerous.
- A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs. Even a low impact collision can be catastrophic.
- Semi-trucks have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of smaller vehicles.
- Semi-trucks can take the length of two football fields to come to a complete stop.
Semi-truck drivers need to get a commercial driver’s license and must do everything in their power to avoid collisions. They must also follow all rules and regulations laid out in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Many truck accidents are due to truck drivers that were speeding. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-601, no person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed greater than would be safe and reasonable given the prevailing conditions of the roadway.
A semi-truck accident could also be caused by a truck driver that made a dangerous lane change. Pursuant to Illinois Vehicle Code 625 ILCS 5/11-709, “A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from such lane until the driver has first ascertained that such movement can be made with safety.” When a semi-truck driver makes an unsafe lane change, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Victims of semi-truck accidents tend to suffer very serious and costly injuries including:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Lacerations
- Spinal cord injuries
The company that a truck driver worked for could potentially bear some liability for a collision. In general, companies are liable for the wrongful actions of their employees – insofar as those employees were working within the course of their job duties. Any person that is injured due to the negligent actions of a truck driver may be able to pursue some measure of accountability through a civil claim. It is extremely important that all evidence is properly preserved after any truck accident.
Investigating A Boone County Semi-Truck Accident
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our best wishes to the teenager injured in this Belvidere crash. 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.
Have you or someone that you care about been injured due to the negligent actions of a semi-truck driver? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of truck safety advocates are here for you. We care deeply that accident victims get the medical and financial support that they need in order to recover. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any collision we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
