Two people were injured in a Minooka truck rollover accident involving two semi-trailers, according to the Illinois State Police.
Barrier Hit in Minooka Truck Rollover Accident
The Minooka truck rollover accident took place in the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 on the early morning of June 10, 2021. At approximately 4:10 a.m., the driver of a semi-trailer heading west reportedly lost control of the vehicle and collided with a cable barrier on the left side of the roadway. The force of this collision caused the semi-trailer to roll over onto the driver’s side.
At that time, another semi-trailer heading west was unable to reduce its speed and collided with the first semi-trailer, then also struck the cable barrier on the left side of the road and rolled over as well.
The driver of the first semi-trailer was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries sustained in the Minooka truck rollover accident, while the second driver was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.
Authorities closed Interstate 80 in both directions for several hours as they conducted an investigation into the cause of the Minooka truck rollover accident. They reopened both lanes of traffic by approximately 8:10 a.m.
The Illinois State Police have not yet released the names of the two drivers involved.
The Danger of Truck Rollover Accidents
Incidents like the Minooka truck rollover accident can inflict punishing, sometimes deadly injuries. Rollover crashes are disproportionately likely to be fatal, with approximately 33 percent of all American vehicle occupant deaths occurring in rollover accidents.
This danger is especially pronounced in rollovers of vehicles with higher centers of gravity, like SUVs, pickup trucks, and semi-trailers. While only 22 percent of car occupants die in rollover crashes annually, 48 percent of truck occupants die in accidents involving rollovers.
Why do large trucks roll over? The most common causes of these incidents include the following:
- Failure to Reduce Speed for Curves – This is especially common at on- and off-ramps and is often the result of driver misjudgment or impatience.
- Driver Inattention – The majority of truck rollover accidents occur because of inattention, whether because the truck drivers are drowsy, distracted, or simply “daydreaming” when they absolutely need to be focused on the road.
- Unsafe Steering – Frequently, truck drivers either fail to steer in a way that keeps the trucks safely within their lanes or steer in an “overcorrecting” fashion in order to right the vehicles, jeopardizing the trucks’ equilibrium in the process.
- Not Accounting for Transported Loads – When drivers do not adjust their speed and movements to account for the weight, height, and stability of the loads they are transporting, those loads may shift dramatically, throwing the trucks dangerously off-balance.
These truck rollovers not only impact truck drivers and their passengers, but also anybody else who happens to be on the road with them. And because trucks may be 40 or more times heavier than the average vehicle, the results can be tragic for everyone involved.
Fighting for Truck Rollover Accident Victims
The innocent victims of truck rollover accidents often face stiff opposition when they try to obtain compensation for their injuries. This is especially true in the case of incidents involving commercial vehicles, where plaintiffs may find themselves squaring off against large corporations or insurance carriers with vast resources on hand fighting to minimize their financial exposure. When faced with such seemingly insurmountable obstacles, consider doing what so many others have done before you and turn to the knowledgeable car accident attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.
With more than $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC is one of the leading Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. No other plaintiff firm in the state commands more respect – or more fear – from its adversaries, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Our Chicago car accident lawyers have the experience, the determination, the resources, and the reputation of success you need in order to get you and your family the justice you deserve.
To schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with one of our dedicated truck accident attorneys, contact GWC today. You may call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
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