Are Truck Drivers Liable for Weather-Related Crashes?

Winter driving in Illinois can be difficult. It’s best to stay off the roads during inclement weather unless you have to travel. Rain, snow, ice, and wind affect everything from visibility to maneuverability. Freezing rain, sleet, and snow can make large trucks harder to control and significantly increase stopping distances. If an accident does occur – especially one that involves another vehicle – the damages and injuries can be significant.

The liability for a weather-related Illinois truck crashes are fact-specific, and must be determined on a case-by-case basis. Was the truck driver speeding? Driving too fast for existing road conditions? Truck drivers are trained to operate under all types of weather conditions. They should reduce their speed to take into account existing road and weather conditions. Truck drivers and trucking companies can be held liable if their negligence contributed to an accident.

Whenever a truck accident occurs in bad weather, the tendency is to blame the weather. While weather can contribute to an accident – that is, be part of the reason that a crash occurs – truck drivers are tasked with the duty of responding reasonably to weather conditions, and operating their vehicles in a responsible manner. For example, an interstate posted with a sixty-five mile per hour speed limit may be unsafe to drive at that speed if the traffic lanes have standing water or are covered with snow or freezing rain.

For truck drivers who must drive in ice, sleet, or snow in Illinois, a reasonable response to adverse weather conditions is to drive at a slower speed, allow for more room between their vehicle and the vehicles ahead of them, and to take other reasonable precautions – including getting off the road if conditions become treacherous.

Safety should always be a priority. When a truck driver fails to act with a reasonable level of care behind the wheel, and this failure leads to an accident with damages and injuries, the truck driver may be held liable.

Winter is here. As you travel Illinois roads, please be aware the risk of an accident is greater in the winter. By paying attention and putting away distractions, avoiding driving while impaired, and slowing down when conditions demand it, you can reduce your risk of an accident.

If you are involved in a crash this winter caused by another motorist in Illinois, our experienced team of trial lawyers are ready to help. A trucking accident can be devastating if you have suffered serious injuries, or if you have lost a loved one. We will help you to prove that the truck driver or trucking company involved should be held liable for damages, regardless of weather conditions.

If you or your loved ones may have experienced a car crash, truck accident or motorcycle wreck, contact the experienced team of medical malpractice trial lawyers at Pignatelli & Associates, PC to schedule a confidential, no-cost, no-obligation consultation.

The experienced personal injury attorneys at Pignatelli & Associates, PC have held negligent healthcare providers accountable for their mistakes for over 40 years. The lawyers at Pignatelli & Associates, PC have recovered more than $90 million in verdicts and settlements for injured clients.

Pignatelli & Associates P.C., 102 East Route 30, Suite 1, Rock Falls, IL 61071, 815-626-0500, www.pignatellilaw.com