Driving Drunk Increases the Risk of Chicago Truck Accidents
With their semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, semi-trailers, and other large trucks weighing and carrying thousands of pounds, truck drivers cannot afford to drive carelessly or recklessly in any way. Taking their eyes off the road for just a few seconds, such as when retrieving a text message, can prove catastrophic for pedestrians and the occupants of the other vehicle in the event that a Chicago truck accident were to occur. Drowsy driving, or even worse, falling asleep at the steering wheel, kills many people each year, as does failure to stop at red light.
Another type of bad driver behavior that can cause catastrophic Chicago, Illinois truck crashes is drunk driving. Driving under the influence of drugs or heavy medication can slow down the trucker’s reaction time, cause blurry vision, poor coordination, and disorientation, impair the abilities to reason and act swiftly, and lead to blackouts. All of these side effects can turn a truck driver into a very dangerous motorist who has lost the ability to drive safely and keep his/her large vehicle in control.
As a Chicago truck accident victim, it is important that you do not speak with the trucking company or their insurance company without exploring your legal options first. Some trucking companies will try to persuade you to settle immediately. While this option may seem like the solution to the expenses you will likely incur because of the damage to your vehicle, any medical and recovery expenses, and the time that you need to take off work to recover, you don’t want to sign away your right to receive all the compensation that you are owed—especially once the full extent of your injuries and other costs can be assessed.
Drinking & Driving, Alcohol: Problems and Solutions
Impaired Driving, CDC
Related Web Resources:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
DUI, Illinois State Police
