1 dead, 1 injured in Illinois auto accident on Interstate 88

Interstates in Illinois are typically quite busy throughout the day. Cars, SUVs, trucks and other commercial vehicles often share the same roadway. For safety reasons, the law requires that, when emergency vehicles have their flashing lights operating, drivers should move over to another lane of traffic to allow emergency personnel to safely perform their jobs. Recently, a driver allegedly did not adhere to this safety precaution and ended up causing a deadly auto accident on I-88.

A vehicle was stalled at a toll booth, and a toll worker and Illinois trooper were attempting to help the driver move the vehicle. A truck driver who apparently failed to notice the police cruiser’s flashing lights collided with the stalled vehicle and police car. The vehicles burst into flames upon impact. The toll worker was killed in the accident, and the police officer was seriously injured.

Reports indicate that the truck driver who caused the accident should not even have been driving at that time. He had already exceeded the number of allowable hours that a trucker could drive in a given time period. Additionally, it appears that he attempted to alter his driving log. This driver is currently facing numerous charges in relation to this accident.

Almost daily, emergencies exist along Illinois Interstate highways. Laws are in place to protect these emergency personnel and to help prevent an auto accident such as this one from occurring. In this instance, a wife and children are left to grieve as well as deal with funeral expenses and other financial losses. Additionally, the state trooper who was injured will likely have mounting medical expenses. In addition to the criminal charges this driver is facing, he — as well as his employer — may also have to answer for his actions in civil court in the form of wrongful death and personal injury claims.

Source: CBS Chicago, Driver Charged In I-88 Crash That Killed Tollway Worker, No author, Jan. 28, 2014