An Illinois car accident has led to a traffic ticket for a trucker after two police officers were injured on Jan. 15. The two police were already stopped by the side of the road on I-74 in Peoria County at an existing car accident at the time of the crash. While they were at the scene, a large tractor-trailer skidded on the highway, hitting their cars in an additional collision.
The truck driver was issued a traffic ticket for driving too fast for the weather conditions even though he was apparently not exceeding the speed limit. The crash took place at around 5:15 a.m., while darkness still prevailed. One of the two police officers was inside her vehicle while the other was outside at the time of the accident. Both were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and later released. Police also said that both police cars had their emergency lights on before the crash.
At the time of the accident, the driver was attempting to change into the right lane from the left. The truck was a double-bottom trailer that lost traction due to ice on the roads, leading to the accident. After the crashes, the highway was closed in the area for over three hours before being reopened to traffic.
Many people simply pay traffic tickets without challenging them, due to not wanting to take time away from work to go to court and fearing little hope of success. However, traffic citations can have serious consequences; if they accumulate, they can lead to suspended licenses and higher insurance rates or even put a driver’s employment at risk. An attorney can help people in this type of a situation to fight back and present a strong defense.
Source: Central Illinois Proud, “Peoria County deputy, state trooper injured on I-74, trucker ticketed for speeding“, Kevin Schwaller, Jan. 15, 2019