Trucking Accidents

Illinois Semi Truck Accident Attorneys

Lake County Personal Injury Law Firm that Represents Individuals who have been injured in Truck Accidents

If you have been involved in a semi-truck accident, you know what a frightening experience it is. Unfortunately, you may also know how serious injuries from a tractor-trailer accident can be. If you or your family have been seriously or fatally injured in an eighteen-wheeler collision, you need to consult a lawyer who specializes in these big rig accidents.

The personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Robert T. Edens in Antioch, Illinois, know that truck drivers often have to adhere to strict delivery dates, which can result in long hours of driving with very little sleep. Fatigue, exhaustion, and distractions can have catastrophic consequences, causing major accidents involving tractor-trailers.

Vehicle operators who have a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) are expected to hold a higher standard of care than other drivers, according to Illinois Law. Therefore, a truck or bus accident can involve not only the driver but the company that hires them as well as the person(s) who maintain the vehicles. Poorly maintained vehicles, especially ones with unsecured loads, weighing anywhere from 10,000 – 80,000 pounds, also contribute to major trucking accidents, which cause some of the most catastrophic injuries and accidents on the road.

DIAL *999 TO REPORT SEMI-TRUCK ACCIDENTS ON THE ILLINOIS TOLLWAY

The Illinois Tollway System consists of I-80, I-88 The East-West Tollway, I-90 The Kennedy Expressway & I-94 The Edens Expressway, I-290 The Eisenhower, Congress Parkway, and in part, The Dan Ryan Expressway, I-294 The Tri-State Tollway, and I-55, I- 355, The North-South Tollway along with other roads have approximately 5500 non-fatal truck accidents and close to 200 fatal ones annually according to the Center for National Truck and Bus Statistics (CNTBS)

Illinois Semi-Truck Accident Statistics

• According to the most recent statewide crash report from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), in 2023, there were 11,980 crashes involving a truck-tractor with a semi-trailer.IDOT
• Of those crashes, 121 were fatal, and 1,957 resulted in injury.IDOT
• While semi-trucks comprise a small fraction of all registered vehicles, they account for a disproportionately high share of serious and fatal crashes. 

Because of the very large size and weight differential between semis and passenger vehicles, collisions with semi-trucks are especially hazardous for occupants of smaller vehicles.accidentdatacenter.com

Trends & Risks in Urban Areas — Why Northern Illinois Is Particularly Vulnerable

• According to the state’s freight and transportation planning data, urban corridors — especially highways and roads in the Chicago metro area — show a higher density of truck-involved crashes, compared with rural parts of Illinois.IDOT
• As Illinois has a dense highway network in the north, heavy freight traffic, frequent intersections, and high passenger-vehicle volume, these combine to increase overall risk. Commercial-vehicle crash statistics reflect this regional concentration.iltruckaccidents.com
• Because of the concentration of both population and freight traffic in Northern Illinois, many of the statewide semi-truck accidents likely happen in or near urban/suburban areas even if they are not always identified publicly as “Northern Illinois.”

Fatalities and Severity — What the Numbers Show

• Semi-truck crashes accounted for a notable portion of fatal and injury crashes: in 2022, there were 155 fatalities and 2,022 injuries statewide involving large trucks.
• According to one legal-data summary, in 2021, truck-related crashes accounted for about 8.5% of all fatal crashes in Illinois.
• Semi-truck accidents are especially dangerous for occupants of passenger vehicles — not just the truck drivers. Because of the mass and momentum of semis, even moderate collisions can prove catastrophic for smaller vehicles.

These data underscore that while semi-trucks don’t make up the majority of vehicles, their crashes disproportionately lead to serious injury or death, making truck-accident risk a serious public-safety challenge in Illinois.

Underlying Causes & Contributing Factors

According to crash-analysis sources and law-firm summaries focusing on Illinois truck crashes, common contributing factors include:

• Driver fatigue, distraction, or error— long hours on the road and demanding schedules for truckers raise the risk.
• High traffic density, especially around major urban interchange zones — e.g., northern suburbs of Chicago and major highways used for freight — increases collision opportunities.IDOT
• Speed, weather, and road conditions— as with all traffic accidents, poor conditions magnify risk; but large trucks have less maneuverability, increasing severity in adverse conditions.

Because of these factors, even state-wide efforts to reduce truck-involved crashes must often focus attention on heavily trafficked northern corridors.

What It Means for Northern Illinois Residents & Road Users

If you live or commute in Northern Illinois, especially around the Chicago metropolitan area, these are some practical takeaways based on the data:

• Be especially cautious when sharing the road with large trucks — give them extra space, avoid blind spots, and anticipate their slower braking or reduced maneuverability.
• During heavy traffic times or on major freight routes, be alert for potential congestion and merging truck traffic, as these are high-risk scenarios for collisions.
• For policymakers and urban planners: the concentration of truck-related crashes in urban corridors underscores a need for targeted safety measures — e.g., better signage, separated freight routes, stricter enforcement of commercial-vehicle regulations, and public awareness campaigns emphasizing safe driving around semis.
• For individuals involved in a trucking accident: because the risk to smaller vehicles and non-truck occupants is high, seeking knowledgeable legal and medical help quickly is often critical to ensure proper evaluation, care, and — where appropriate — compensation.

While statewide statistics reflect the total number of semi-truck crashes, a large share of those likely occur in Northern Illinois, where freight traffic, population density, and major highways intersect. Semi-truck accidents, though representing a small portion of all collisions, lead to a disproportionate share of injuries and fatalities.

Understanding these patterns can help individuals stay safer on the road and can guide policymakers as they work toward infrastructure, regulatory, and educational measures to reduce the risks associated with large commercial vehicles.

Most Common Causes of Semi Truck & Tractor Trailer Trucking Accidents

Contact Our Illinois Semi Truck Accident Lawyer

Contact Illinois semi-truck accident lawyer, Robert Edens, to protect your rights in northern Illinois including the following communities: Antioch, Barrington, Crystal Lake, Fox Lake, Grayslake, Ingleside, Lake in The Hills, Lake Villa, Libertyville, Lindenhurst, McHenry, Mundelein, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Heights, Round Lake Park, Woodstock, Waukegan, and Zion.

Free case evaluation with no obligation and no fees until a fair settlement offer is secured on your behalf. Call (847) 395-2200 for a free consultation to discuss your potential case.

Lake County • McHenry County