Top 5 Causes of Truck Accidents in Illinois

Truck accidents are uniquely dangerous for occupants of passenger vehicles and for anyone working on or walking near our roads. In Illinois each year, hundreds of crashes involve large commercial vehicles, and the consequences can be catastrophic: fatalities, lifelong injuries, lost income, and massive medical bills. In this blog, we discuss the five most common causes of truck crashes in Illinois, explain the mechanics behind each cause, and advise you what to do if you or a loved one is injured in a trucking accident.

“Truck crashes are complex: multiple parties, federal regulations, and vast amounts of documentary evidence. Because of their complexity, you need an experienced truck accident litigator by your side. At John J. Malm & Associates, we make sure victims and families recover the compensation they need to move forward after a crash with a semi.” — John J. Malm, Naperville truck accident attorney

The Data on Trucking Crashes

Large trucks account for a small share of total registered vehicles but a disproportionate share of severe crashes. Illinois’ annual crash fact reports document hundreds of crashes involving “large trucks” each year and show that truck-involved crashes frequently result in serious injury or death to occupants of other vehicles. Nationally, more than 5,000 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks in recent years, and most people killed in those crashes were occupants of other (non-truck) vehicles. These patterns make truck-crash prevention and careful post-crash investigation especially important.

Here are the top 5 causes of truck accidents in Illinois:

1) Driver Fatigue and Hours of Service Violations

Why it causes crashes:
Long drives, tight delivery schedules, unpaid waiting time, and pressure from dispatchers can push drivers to the limits. Fatigue reduces reaction time, narrows attention, and increases the chance of falling asleep at the wheel, which for a multi-ton truck usually ends badly.

How fatigue shows up in crash reports:

Falling asleep or “micro-sleeps” at the wheel.
Drift out of lane followed by collisions or rollovers.
Slower braking reaction leading to rear-end or intersection collisions.

Prevention (what helps):

Strict enforcement of federal hours-of-service rules.
Electronic logging devices (ELDs) to prevent falsified logs.
Adequate rest and planning by carriers and refusing unrealistic schedules.

Why this matters in Illinois:
Investigations of serious crashes and safety reports repeatedly point to driver fatigue and poor scheduling as systemic risk factors, and the lack of safe truck parking can make it harder for drivers to take rest when they need it. The NTSB and other safety bodies have also linked fatigue to several high-profile deadly crashes in the Midwest.

2) Distracted Driving

Why it causes crashes:
Distracted driving (texting, adjusting navigation, interacting with onboard dispatch apps) is not limited to passenger cars. A driver who takes their eyes off the road for even a second at highway speeds can miss a traffic slowdown, a stopped vehicle, or a merging car, and the size of a truck makes the outcome worse.

Common distracted-driver crash scenarios:

Rear-end collisions when traffic slows suddenly.
Lane-change crashes when a driver doesn’t check mirrors/blind spots.
Intersection collisions from missed signals or pedestrians.

Prevention and enforcement:

Strict company policies banning handheld phone use while driving.
Use of hands-free systems, but hands-free does not remove cognitive distraction.
Strong roadside enforcement and crash investigations that look for phone records.

National data show distracted-driving factors are a major contributing behavior in many truck-involved crashes, and Illinois’ broader distracted-driving statistics underscore the risk across vehicle types.

3) Speeding and Unsafe Maneuvers

Why it causes crashes:
A truck traveling even a little faster than safe for conditions needs far more distance to stop. Speed makes other mistakes, like late lane changes or problems avoiding hazards, exponentially more dangerous.

How speeding contributes:

Reduced stopping distance leads to rear-end and intersection fatalities.
Higher forces in rollovers and jackknife events.
Loss of control in poor weather or on curves.

Illinois context and weather:
Illinois’ mix of urban interstates (I-55, I-80, I-88) and rural high-speed stretches means differing speed-related risks and sudden weather events (dust storms, black ice) can turn a normal-speed run deadly. High-speed crashes involving large trucks are more likely to produce fatalities, particularly for occupants of smaller vehicles.

4) Improper Loading, Overweight or Unsecured Cargo, and Equipment Failure

Why it causes crashes:
An improperly loaded trailer can shift cargo, changing the truck’s center of gravity and causing rollovers, jackknifing, or sudden loss of control. Overweight vehicles stress brakes, axles, and tires. Separately, poor vehicle maintenance, such as worn brakes, bald tires, defective steering, directly increases crash risk.

Typical outcomes:

Rollover collisions when cargo shifts.
Tire blowouts and brake failure causing loss-of-control.
Trailer separation or load shedding that creates dangerous road debris.

Prevention (industry and driver responsibilities):

Proper cargo securement and weight checks before departure.
Routine preventive maintenance and timely repairs by carriers.
DOT roadside inspections and stricter enforcement of weight limits.

Illinois crash documents and trucking-safety summaries repeatedly cite cargo-shift, overload, and maintenance failures among contributing factors in serious truck crashes. Post-crash investigations commonly examine logbooks, maintenance records, and weigh-station inspections to determine responsibility.

5) Driver Impairment and Medical Fitness

Why it causes crashes:
Alcohol and drugs impair judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Separately, untreated medical conditions (e.g., sleep apnea, cardiac events, seizure disorders) can incapacitate a driver or degrade performance. Even a single impaired or medically unfit driver can trigger a catastrophic crash.

What the data shows:

National large-truck crash reports show that while a minority of fatal truck crashes involve driver alcohol use, the consequences are severe when impairment is present. Recent analyses have shown troubling trends in impaired driving fatalities in certain years and regions.
Illinois traffic safety reports also note alcohol remains a leading factor in many fatal crashes statewide. When combined with a heavy commercial vehicle, the outcomes are more often fatal for other road users.

Prevention:

Robust pre-employment and periodic medical screening (including sleep apnea screening).
Random and post-crash drug and alcohol testing for commercial drivers.
Carrier policies and enforcement around substance misuse, together with access to treatment.

What To Do After a Truck Accident

Being involved in a crash with a commercial vehicle creates unique evidentiary and safety issues. If you can do so safely:

Get to a safe location and call 911.
Do not move seriously injured people unless there’s immediate danger.
Report the crash and get the responding police report number and officer’s name.
Take photos of the scene, vehicles, license plates, road markings, and visible injuries.
Write down witness names and contact information (bystanders, other drivers).
Preserve receipts and records for towing, medical treatment, wages lost, etc.
Don’t give a recorded statement to an insurer without consulting a lawyer. Insurers for trucking companies sometimes seek to minimize benefits early.

Because commercial carriers must keep driver logs, maintenance records, and load manifests, early preservation of evidence by counsel can be critical to proving who was at fault and whether the carrier violated safety rules.

Frequently Asked Questions about Illinois Truck Accidents

Q: Who can be held responsible after a truck crash?
A: Potentially multiple parties: the truck driver, the trucking company (carrier), the vehicle or parts manufacturer, the shipper or loader (if cargo was improperly secured), maintenance shops, and even third-party contractors. Determining liability requires investigating logs, maintenance records, inspection reports, and loading documentation.

Q: Are truck drivers always covered by commercial insurance?
A: Trucking companies generally carry commercial liability insurance and cargo insurance; however, large commercial insurers often vigorously defend claims. Recovering fair compensation can require an experienced Illinois truck accident lawyer who understands federal trucking regulations and how to use them in court or settlement talks.

Q: Will the truck driver’s logbook or ELD be available?
A: Yes, federal rules require carriers to maintain driver logs or ELD records. After a crash, those logs are important evidence but can be altered if not immediately preserved. An attorney can request and preserve electronic and paper records quickly.

Contact the Top-Rated Illinois Truck Accident Attorneys at John J. Malm & Associates

If you or a family member was injured in a truck crash on an Illinois road, the time after the crash is critical for both health and legal reasons. At John Malm & Associates, we can:

Help preserve and subpoena driving logs, maintenance records, and manifests.
Coordinate accident reconstruction experts and medical specialists.
Handle communications with insurance companies so you can focus on recovery.
Advise you on deadlines, liability issues, and realistic compensation expectations.

Truck crashes often involve complicated laws and powerful corporate defendants. You don’t have to navigate that alone. Contact our award-winning semi-truck accident attorneys for a free consultation. We’ll review the facts, explain your options, and get to work preserving evidence while it’s still available. If you’ve been injured, call us today so your rights are protected.