Truck drivers crisscross Illinois and other states daily to deliver cargo. The recipients expect on-time arrivals, which is why even experienced truck drivers could make the regrettable mistake of hitting speeds above posted limits. Doing so may prove risky since speeding increases the chances of an accident.
Speeding and truck driving
An upcoming “Operation Safe Driver” campaign will focus heavily on speeding because reports indicate that many drivers tend to speed. Even if there aren’t many cars on the road, speeding remains a dangerous moving violation under any circumstances.
Commercial truck drivers should know better than to speed, but many violate the rules anyway. A massive tractor-trailer requires a significant distance to come to a complete stop. When speeding, the required distance increases. Being unable to stop the truck as quickly as possible could make an otherwise avoidable accident even worse.
Truck accidents and legal issues
Speeding represents an act of negligence. When a truck driver travels at an unsafe speed and causes a truck accident, the driver may find defending against a personal injury lawsuit to be challenging. Trucking companies may rely on insurance to cover any losses, which might also benefit the victims. An insurance settlement could move faster than a lawsuit, and a top insurance company likely maintains enough solvency to cover payments.
With that said, negotiating with an insurance company and navigating the legal process may require experience. An attorney may handle such steps on a client’s behalf.
Devastating truck accidents could result in severe injuries or even fatalities. Truck accident victims may want to contact an attorney to help them determine their legal options for seeking compensation.