Speed and slick road conditions are causing accidents throughout the area as winter settles in across the windy city and surrounding communities. It is an annual concern and truck drivers are cautioned to pay attention to the region’s fast changing road conditions.
“State law requires all drivers to reduce their speed to drive safely for conditions. This includes drivers of commercial vehicles. Drivers who fail to do this are likely to cause accidents even if their vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes, airbrakes, and brand new tires,” warned Chicago trucking accident lawyer Michael Cogan.
The faster a commercial truck is traveling, the greater the potential for serious injuries or death. It boils down to basic physics. A full laden truck, traveling at a high rate of speed, will have a significant amount of momentum. The greater the momentum, the greater the force exerted at impact. On slick and icy roads, truck drivers will have difficulty reducing their momentum to prevent an accident.
To counter the dangerous conditions on the city’s roads, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation maintains a fleet of trucks and equipment to clear snow and ice. However, even with these efforts drivers should never assume that a clear road is an ice free road. That is because black ice is a common problem in the region and is responsible for dozens of accidents each winter.
“Last year in Illinois, 4,318 people were injured in bad weather vehicle accidents. A further 49 were killed. Many of these injuries and fatalities occurred in truck collisions with passenger vehicles. Speed, weather, and roads that are in bad condition are a deadly combination. Until the snow and ice melt in the spring, the State Patrol and other government agencies are urging drivers to slow down and remain vigilant,” remarked Chicago trucking accident lawyer John Power.
