Proposed Illinois law ups penalty for negligent truck driver
On Behalf of The Law Offices of Goldfine & Bowles, P.C.
March 11, 2015
Laws are intended to keep everybody in society safe. One way that laws do this is by setting punishments for those who break the laws. Illinois lawmakers are attempting to increase penalties in order to better protect first responders and pedestrians from suffering injuries due to a negligent truck driver.
State lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation that would increase the punishment for truck drivers who break rules of the road and cause injuries. Specifically, the proposed law would increase the severity of penalties for drivers of trucks who kill or cause great bodily harm to emergency responders. Along with first responders, the proposed legislation would also cover pedestrians injured by truck drivers who violate the rules of the road.
Knowing that punishment will be more severe will hopefully prompt truck drivers to be more careful when driving on the road. Not only will this help increase safety for emergency responders and pedestrians, but it will also help to protect other motorists on the road as well. The proposed legislation has just recently advanced in the Illinois House of Representatives. Those interested in road safety in the state will be watching the progress of the bill closely.
Regardless of whether the proposed Illinois bill passes, there is always the chance for somebody to be injured by a negligent truck driver. In many cases, the injuries can be serious or even fatal. Fortunately, those who are injured may be able to obtain some financial help by filing personal injury lawsuits. Families of those who are killed in truck accidents can file wrongful death lawsuits in order to receive monetary reimbursement for their losses.
Source: pantagraph.com, “Bill calls for tougher rules for truckers“, Jordan Maddox, March 5, 2015