Large commercial vehicles, like semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers, and big rigs carrying all sorts of cargo rumble through the Chicago metropolitan area in numbers unseen by most of America. Consider this: one research project studying this large truck traffic in Chicagoland reported an average of 1.5 heavy-duty trucks moving through the suburban intersection of Kedzie Avenue and 31st Street each minute in Little Village. Tallies were even higher during mornings and afternoons.
This is no surprise to those of us who live and work in Chicago. Big rigs are everywhere. It is understandable: we are a transportation hub serving not only the nation but the world. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning confirms that, alongside our six Class I railroad companies; two major airports; and over 100 miles of navigable waterways:
[t]he region’s 10 interstate highways provide the key network for truck freight connections to the rest of the country. The remainder of the region’s arterial roads, including the National Highway System and designated truck routes, allow goods to flow to and from local businesses in our communities.
Added to this truck volume is the state of our infrastructure. Chicago is infamous within the trucking industry for its traffic jams: the second most congested truck bottleneck in the country is I-294 at I-290/I-88 according to the latest survey published by the American Transportation Research Institute. And then there is all our road construction work zones as part of Project Rebuild Illinois.
Having all this semi-truck traffic moving not just on our interstates (think I-90, I-94, I-55, and I-290), but through our communities alongside homes, schools, and local businesses – often delayed and facing a delivery deadline — skyrockets the risk of a serious or deadly semi-truck crash.
The importance of protecting against distracted driving among commercial truck drivers moving through Chicagoland is enormously important.
What Are Driving Distractions for Commercial Truck Drivers?
Even a diversion that takes a second or two can compromise the trucker’s ability to control and operate the big rig, especially if it is moving fast or if it is carrying a heavy load. While federal laws and regulations are on the books to protect against distractions (e.g., texting while driving), the truth is that all sorts of things can become dangerous distractions for truck drivers here in Chicagoland.
Trucker distractions behind the wheel here in the Chicago area include things like:
- Texting while driving;
- Chatting on the phone while driving;
- Eating while driving;
- Drinking while driving (think coffee, tea, caffeinated beverages, etc.);
- Smoking or vaping while driving;
- Dealing with electronic logging devices (“ELDs”);
- Dealing with load management systems;
- Dealing with fleet communication systems;
- Adjusting audio technology (think changing music, podcasts, audiobooks);
- Dealing with navigation systems (GPS, etc.);
- Dealing with chaotic routes (such as moving through school zones, gridlock, bottlenecks, etc.);
- Coping with pedestrian traffic;
- Roadside externals such as the changing digital billboards found on Chicago expressways (the City of Chicago is recognized as the third largest media market in North America). For instance, read “JC Decaux Acquires Full Ownership of 52 Chicago Expressway Digitals,” published by Billboard Insider on September 20, 2022;
- Coping with bad weather conditions; and
- Moving through road work construction zones.
Liability After a Large Truck Distracted Driving Accident in the Chicago Area
After any serious motor vehicle accident, especially one involving a commercial truck, there will be investigations undertaken not only by police on the scene but by those representing insurance carriers with liability policies covering those that might be considered liable for the crash and its resulting harm.
Several investigations may happen. The trucking company; the owner of the rig; the owner of the cargo being shipped in the semi; the manufacturer of the truck, its trailer, or component parts like tires or brakes; landowners or lessors of the area where the wreck happened, and other parties may all have vested interests in finding out potential causes of the tragedy. Their goal, of course, is to limit exposure and point the finger away from their own culpability.
However, independent of all this activity is the legal right of the accident victims themselves to investigate and find out why the truck crash occurred. With the help of an advocate experienced in helping people hurt in truck accidents as well as experts in truck accident analysis, the truck accident victims and their loved ones may find factual and legal bases for pursuing legal claims against one or more parties who are at fault.
Considerations here include not only the distraction itself but the story behind it. Was the trucker who was distracted impacted by being asked to drive in a dangerous manner, despite fatigue or illness or Hour of Service (“HOS”) regulations? Were there problems with devices, technologies, or the truck itself? What about other drivers or pedestrians in the roadway: did they do something that explained or caused the truck driver’s distraction?
If the truck driver caused the accident because of distracted driving, then that driver and others may be legally responsible for paying personal injury damages as defined by state law based upon negligence, personal liability, premises liability, or defective product laws. The trucking company may also be held liable for a distracted driver behind the rig they own, operate, or control.
For more, read Chicago Truck Accidents: Liability after Serious Chicagoland Semi-Truck Crash; and Semi-Truck Crashes: Who Can Be Held Legally Responsible for Commercial Trucking Accidents in Indiana and Illinois?
Claims for Justice After a Chicagoland Semi-Truck Crash with Distracted Driving
Truck crashes in the Chicago area are impacted not only by state law and municipal ordinances, but by federal regulations like those overseen by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”). For instance, federal law mandates that commercial truck drivers cannot text or use a handheld phone while driving their rig. Fines for violating this regulation include both the trucker and the trucking company. There are similar mandates established by Illinois state law and local laws like those of Cook County to counter truckers being distracted by their phones.
Other distractions are also regulated, of course. Things like HOS regulations exist to fight against truckers driving distracted because they are simply tired and need a break.
For more on HOS Rules, read: Exhausted Truck Drivers: Who Can Discover ELD and HOS Fraud to Enforce Federal Safety Laws? and Drowsy Driving, HOS, Stopped Truck Crashes: Will 2022 Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act Be Passed?
Whenever someone is hurt or killed in a Chicagoland truck crash where driving distractions may be a factor, the victims may be able to seek damages as defined by law that include medical expenses; long term medical care; pain and suffering; lost wages; lost earning capacity; rehabilitation costs; psychological help; and more. Both the crash victim and loved ones as defined by law may be able to seek redress.
For more on truck crash liability, read:
- Shifting Loads and Unstable Cargo: Dangerous Causes for Semi-Truck Crashes
- When Defective Products or Manufacturing Mistakes Cause Fatal Semi-Truck Crashes
- Black Box Data in Semi-Truck Crashes: The Importance of EDR Evidence
- Fatal Car Accident and Deadly Truck Crash Investigations: What is Expectancy Violation?
Trucks moving through the Chicago area are huge vehicles, where even a crash at slow speeds can result in fatalities. The volume of large truck traffic here in Chicagoland is enormous and the risk of a distracted driving accident is high. Please be careful out there!
