A tractor trailer driver from Coulterville IL was cited in a late  February truck crash for improper lane change in a wreck that left 1 man with non-life threatening injuries.

The Randolph County IL Sheriff’s Office stated that the truck driver, Leonard Woodside, was driving his big rig westbound on IL Route 150 when he crossed the center line and sideswiped a Ford van.

The truck hit the van on the driver’s side and continued 100 feet from the crash area. The wreck caused pieces of the van and truck to scatter across the roadway.

The driver of the van had to be extricated from the vehicle by the fire department. She was reported to be in stable condition at the end of February at a local hospital.

It is the highest obligation of all truck drivers to be alert and fit to drive their rigs at all times. Truck accidents lead to catastrophic and sometimes fatal injuries all too frequently. Our Virginia and North Carolina truck accident lawyers have represented many families whose lives have been shattered by a negligent truck driver.

The Virginia Commercial Driver’s Manual stipulates that it is very important that truck drivers stay alert at all times:

• Get enough rest
• Schedule trips at safe times
• Rest during down time
• Take a nap instead of drinking coffee
• Do not take drugs
• Avoid any medication when you drive that can lead to drowsiness
• Keep cool; a warm cab can make a driver sleepy
• Take breaks every two or three hours

We are pleased that the above IL truck accident did not lead to serious injuries, but this is not always the case. A distracted, sleepy truck driver once rear ended our clients in Virginia Beach, causing serious brain injuries to two children. This case ended in a $5.5 million settlement, but the children will never be the same again.