14 Injured on I-55 after Semi-Truck Driver Falls Asleep, Causes Accident in Forest View, Illinois

Forest View, IL — There were 5 people who were sent to a local hospital and 9 others who were also hurt on I-55 in Forest View this past Friday morning (June 19, 2015) when their vehicles were hit by an 18-wheeler truck.This happened along I-55 near First Avenue, in the northbound lanes, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on Friday. Truck driver Mark Tipton told the authorities that he was driving a load for delivery in his semi-truck that morning when he dozed off behind the wheel.

He told the police that he was worried about missing his deadline, so he drove for more than 14 hours straight with no rest.

After he fell asleep while driving, his semi-truck plowed into several other cars on I-55, causing 5 people to be hospitalized for their injuries. Another 9 were treated and released.

The accident is still being investigated, but it looks like Tipton is facing several charges for this wreck and had even been arrested as of Sunday morning. Among the charges was a citation for “driving while fatigued.”

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Map of the Accident

Commentary:

I’m glad nobody was seriously injured in this accident, but I don’t think that’s any reason to take this lightly. What this truck driver did – if the news reports are true – is completely unacceptable and both he and his company should have to answer for why he was so far over the limit on his driving hours. After all, that’s federal law, not just a “good idea” to limit the number of hours truckers drive.

At the end of the day, the driver’s employer should be monitoring that kind of thing so they can make sure their drivers are safe and well-rested. However, from what I read in one particular report, it sounds like this driver may have been trying to meet a deadline — which is why he was driving for so many hours.

The question then becomes whether that was his idea or his employer’s idea. While I don’t know who this trucker was working for, I can tell you that it’s not uncommon at all for companies to promote a culture of “hurried-ness” when it comes to delivering loads in a timely fashion. It means more profit for them and even more money for the truck driver — so while some companies won’t blatantly order their drivers to break FMCSA rules, lots of companies heavily imply that they want their drivers delivering their loads on a certain schedule, whether or not that happens to coincide with FMCSA regulations.

It’s tempting to get mad at the truck driver here for his mistake – and he’s certainly liable for any law he broke – but the real issue may be further up the food chain. I’d be curious to see who this trucker works for, what their Hours of Service policy is, and whether they have a way to monitor their drivers.

 
— Grossman Law Offices