Commercial truck drivers are regularly reminded by law enforcement authorities across the country, including Illinois, to be aware of other vehicles and people around them at all times because most of these large vehicles have blind spots. This task is particularly important whenever pedestrians are nearby.
Unfortunately, the driver of a semi-trailer may not have been paying attention to his mirrors or the road ahead of him when he recently ran down and fatally injured a young mother and two children in the Back of the Yard neighborhood of southwest Chicago.
According to a Chicago Police Department report, the fatal semi-truck accident at Ashland and 43rd when the driver of the truck turned onto Ashland and struck the three victims crossing the street. The 30-year-old mother, 9-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son were taken to a local hospital in critical condition. All three died that evening.
Witnesses inside a nearby Dunkin’ Donuts said they saw the incident and that the truck driver did not stop until witnesses flagged him down a block later. The mother had been dragged several feet. The driver claims he did not see the three victims. Charges have not been filed against him.
Other vehicles owned by Monson & Sons have been involved in at least one other fatal accident, and company drivers have been cited for a few traffic violations, including driver fatigue and falsified driver logs. Even so, the company’s driving record has been described as better than average.
Failure of a vehicle to yield to a pedestrian is among the biggest safety hazards that pedestrians face when crossing any busy street. In this case, the histories and records of the company that owns the vehicle and the driver will certainly be cited in any civil litigation.
Source: EyeWitness News, “Mother, 2 Kids Fatally Struck by Semi in Back of the Yards,” March 7, 2015