Lawrence Dooley Killed In Peoria County Semi-Truck Accident On Interstate 474 By the Penkin Exit
Wrongful Death - October 13, 2021
Lawrence Dooley of Oquawka, Illinois Died In Peoria County Dump Truck Accident Involving Tractor-Trailer Truck On Interstate 474 Freeway By the Penkin Exit
PEORIA COUNTY, ILLINOIS (October 13, 2021) – A dump truck driver from Oquawka, Illinois identified as Lawrence Dooley has tragically died in a truck accident on I-474 not far from the Penkin exit.
Peoria County police officials are saying that the collision took place around 7:20 a.m. on Friday. Lawrence Dooley was stopped in his dump truck in the third lane of I-474.
A semi-truck was not able to stop in time and hit the dump truck. Firefighters and paramedics were called to the scene of the collision in order to help the victim.
Lawrence Dooley was airlifted to the OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Despite life-saving measures from doctors and staff, he died due to the severity of his injuries.
The Illinois State Police are continuing to investigate what may have caused the accident.
Liability In Peoria County Semi-Truck Accidents
Large trucks are involved in approximately 10% of all fatal collisions annually. According to the National Safety Council, 5005 large trucks were involved in collisions in 2019, which represented a 2% increase from 2018. In total, crashes are up 43% from 2010.As more people have returned to work in 2021, accidents are up again once more from their low point in 2020. Large trucks can be particularly dangerous for many reasons.
- Weight: A fully loaded semi-truck can weigh as much as 80,000 lbs. A semi-truck traveling at 65 mph can take the length of two football fields to come to a stop.
- Blind Spots: Semi-trucks can have large blind spots on the sides of the vehicle. This can often contribute to many collisions when truck drivers merge onto highways or make turns.
- Ground Clearance: Semi-trucks have a high ground clearance. This can lead to under-ride collisions with smaller vehicles. Some trucks, however, have side panels to prevent these types of accidents.
Commercial drivers in Illinois are held to a high standard in terms of safety. They must get a commercial driver’s license and avoid serious infractions to keep that license. When a commercial driver fails to exercise due care and hits a vehicle from behind, they could be liable for the accident. According to Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/11-710), “The driver of a motor vehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of such vehicles and the traffic upon and the condition of the highway.” Driver’s that rear-end other vehicles on the roadway are presumed to be a fault. But this presumption can be overcome with sufficient evidence.
Truck drivers are trained to be able to stop for hazards in the roadway. They must never travel so fast that they could not avoid a vehicle that stops abruptly. There is almost never an excuse for striking another vehicle from behind. These types of collisions are nearly always the fault of drivers that are distracted, speeding or following the lead vehicle too closely. Even if a vehicle is stopped in the middle of the roadway, drivers must take measures to avoid hitting them.
Depending on the specific facts of any case, the company that a truck driver worked for could be held liable for a collision. Generally speaking, companies are liable for the negligent actions of their employees – when those employees were working within the scope of their job duties. If the victim of a truck accident was working at the time of a collision, they may also have recourse through the state’s worker’s compensation system. Fault does not need to be established through the Illinois worker’s compensation system. There are many steps that should be taken after any truck accident.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- All driver’s involved should be interviewed.
- Victims should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Medical records from an accident should be preserved.
The family of any victim that died in a truck accident may be able to seek justice through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills and funeral costs. In order to win a civil claim, plaintiffs will need to be able to demonstrate negligence. Truck companies, however, will fight hard to deny accountability for any collision. A truck accident attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and get you the answers that you deserve about what went wrong.
Investigating A Peoria County Semi-Truck Accident
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of Lawrence Dooley. Any person that may have information about what happened should reach out to investigators. This was a senseless and preventable tragedy that should have never taken place. This accident raises a number of safety questions. Was the truck driver that hit the victim properly trained? Were they fatigued? Were they distracted? Nearly all rear-end collisions can be prevented when drivers exercise due care and scan the road ahead of them.
Have you or someone that you love been harmed due to the negligence of a truck driver? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of personal injury attorneys are here to answer any questions that you have. We are committed to helping accident investigation get the information and resources that they need and holding negligent drivers accountable. Whether you just have legal questions or need more information about an accident we are here for you. You’re always welcome to reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
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