Picture this you are on a busy highway and look in the rear view mirror. You notice an 80,000 lbs. commercial truck speeding up behind you. This can be a frightening event even for the most experienced driver. Hopefully, nothing occurs from this situation except a case of shaken nerves. Unfortunately, the result from a commercial truck crash can be devastating.

It has been proven, over and over that it takes a loaded heavy commercial truck additional distance to stop than a passenger car. More often than not these large rigs are traveling at very high rates of speed. Traveling at a high rate of speed is considered normal for many truckers. Typically they are paid by the mile or the load. The faster that a load can be delivered the more money the truck company makes. Speed, then is a competitive advantage.

Acccording to Illinois truck accident lawyer David Nemeroff, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, submitted a petition to mandate speed limiting devices on all commercial trucks to be set at 68 mph. This petition was filed on January 3, 2011.

Truck drivers, who drive at high rates of speed, endanger the safety of motorists and pedestrians. The dangers of traveling at high rates of speed are:

• Traveling with an increased momentum can increase the force of the impact
• Traveling at a high rate of speed can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
• Traveling at a high rate of speed can limit or decrease the reaction time of the driver to changing road conditions.
• Traveling at high rate of speed triples the stopping distance. It also makes it difficult to safely stop a large object.

Regardless of the reason the results from an accident can be catastrophic. Significant injuries including death can results. As a Chicago injury lawyer, I have seen the devastation from truck related injuries. They can significant injuries such as head trauma and brain injury, spinal cord injuries, and internal organ damage. These injuries can completely change the lifestyle of the truck accident victim. Some injuries can adversely affect a truck accident victim for the remainder of their lives. Even minor injuries can go undetected for many years before the symptoms manifest into serious health conditions.

If you have sustained an injury due to a truck accident in Chicago or in the state of Illinois it is in your best interest to consult with a qualified truck accident lawyer. An experienced Chicago truck accident lawyer will promptly investigate the details of your truck accident. This includes a site visit to the accident scene. It will be necessary to take photographs of the truck accident scene. Along with interview all witnesses to the event. It will be necessary to obtain the police report and the truck driver's log book. This is all necessary to determine the cause of the truck accident and who is liable for damages. The liable parties will then be pursued for the damages.

At Nemeroff law offices, we handle all types of truck accident cases. We have obtained millions of dollars in settlements and awards for our injured clients. The truck laws that are signed today have the goal of ensuring that safety of all drivers and pedestrians on the roads. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of truck related fatalities and catastrophic injuries on our roads.