Truck Accidents

Driver Issues & Fatigue

Fatigue crashes, reaction-time math, drowsy driving, driver screening

7 articles

Who Is Responsible for a Semi Crash in Illinois Besides the Driver?

After a semi crash in Illinois, the driver is rarely the only one responsible. The trucking company answers for the driver’s work…

Seconds Matter in Truck Crashes

Section 11-601(a) keeps the duty to decrease speed for a special hazard. A count of seconds does not replace that duty or…

Federal Trucking Regulations and How Violations Affect Your Illinois Accident Case

The FMCSA enforces federal trucking regulations covering driver qualifications, maintenance, and hours of service. A violation can be evidence in the case.…

The “Unavoidable” Truck Crash Defense in Illinois: What the Evidence Actually Decides

By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney. He has handled personal injury cases across Peoria and central Illinois since 2009. Last updated October…

How Do You Prove a Trucking Company Is Liable for an Illinois Truck Accident?

Proof often concerns the driver, the vehicle, or the motor carrier’s own conduct. 735 ILCS 5/13-202 gives a personal-injury action two years…

Drowsy Truck Drivers: What You Need to Know (IL)

Federal safety rules are designed to reduce fatigued driving. A driver can still be unsafe when not alert enough to react, even…

Hours-of-service limits for property-carrying drivers

49 CFR 395.3 lets a property-carrying driver drive 11 hours during the 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty following 10 consecutive…

Equipment, Maintenance & Brakes

Brake failures, tire blowouts, inspection records, maintenance logs

1 article

Defective Truck Parts in Peoria Truck Accidents

The part groups discussed below are brakes, tires, steering and suspension, coupling, and lights. A failure can point to how the part…

Cargo, Loading & Hazmat

Overloaded trailers, unsecured cargo, hazmat spills, weight violations

3 articles

Overloaded Truck Accidents in Illinois: When Cargo Causes a Crash

Overloaded trucks cause crashes in Illinois when excess weight lengthens stopping distance, strains brakes and tires, and raises rollover risk. Federal law…

Truck Accident With Hazardous Materials in Illinois: What to Do and What Evidence Matters

By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney. Robert Parker handles truck accident and personal injury cases in Peoria and across central Illinois. Last…

Car vs. Truck Accidents in Peoria: Key Differences

Truck accidents cause far more severe injuries than car crashes due to the weight differential. Trucks take longer to stop and can…

Trucking Company & Carrier Liability

Negligent hiring, vicarious liability, multiple-party claims

3 articles

How Do Truck Accident Claims Work Under Illinois Law? (2026 Guide)

By Robert Parker, Illinois trial attorney handling commercial truck and personal injury cases across central Illinois. Last updated July 2026. 11-hour driving…

When a Semi-Truck Is Part of a Multi-Vehicle Pileup: What Changes

When more than one defendant is found liable, 735 ILCS 5/2-1117 makes them jointly and severally liable for the medical expenses. 49…

How Truck Accident Lawyers Help Illinois Crash Claims (2026)

Call a truck accident lawyer quickly after an Illinois semi-truck crash because evidence can disappear fast. 49 CFR 395.8(k)(1) says a motor…

Truck Types & Crash Types

Semi, jackknife, underride, tanker, delivery van collision patterns

2 articles

Underride Truck Accidents in Illinois: A Deadly and Preventable Crash

Underride accidents occur when cars slide under truck trailers, often causing fatal injuries. 49 CFR 571.224 requires a rear impact guard on…

Safety groups urge NHTSA to propose AEB rule

In 2017, 4,761 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks. On July 6, 2023, NHTSA and FMCSA proposed automatic emergency braking…

Settlement, Value & Evidence Preservation

Case valuation, black box data, spoliation, early evidence requests

3 articles

Truck Accident Settlements and Verdicts in Illinois: What Determines Case Value

Illinois truck accident settlements vary based on injury severity, lost wages, and medical costs. In cases we’ve handled, settlements have generally ranged…

Critical Evidence in Illinois Truck Accident Cases: What to Preserve and Why

Critical evidence in truck accidents includes the black box, maintenance records, and driver logs. 49 CFR 395.8(a) requires a covered carrier to…

Black Box Data After a Truck Accident: What It Shows

A truck’s electronic records can include speed, braking, throttle, and other operating data around an event. Those records do not by themselves…

Wrongful Death (Truck)

Fatal truck crash claims, black box evidence, liability in fatality cases

3 articles

Trucking accident fatality rate increases in 2017

The trucking accident fatality rate increased in 2017 due to factors like driver fatigue, inadequate maintenance, and aggressive driving. Truck accidents are…

Illinois high school student killed in crash

Last Updated: September 13, 2026 In July 2018, a John Hersey High School student died as a rear-seat passenger after an adult…

Pace of fatal crashes down a bit in Illinois

A slight decline in Illinois fatal crashes may reflect improved vehicle safety technology and enforcement efforts. Fatal crashes still result in devastating…

Weather, Visibility & Road Conditions

Fog, ice, rain, visibility-related truck crashes on Illinois highways

2 articles

Fog Truck Crash Reaction Time in Peoria

Fog is a weather condition under section 11-601(a). A speed within the posted limit does not relieve the duty to decrease speed…

Ice and a failure to reduce speed cited in a fatal Route 41 crash

A January 22, 2019 KWQC account said an 86-year-old passenger died after a 74-year-old driver lost control on ice on Route 41…