Winter is here! With the season comes icy conditions and, unfortunately, accidents. Slick roads and parking lots often result in injuries to motorists and pedestrians alike. The good news is that many accidents can be avoided by following some commonsense guidelines.
According to the Illinois State Police, the primary cause of most automobile crashes during wintery weather is drivers traveling too fast for conditions. Poor visibility can also play a role, but the vast majority of crashes can be avoided if drivers simply slow down when the weather is bad. This is particularly true for semitrucks. Because semitrucks and other large commercial vehicles can cause devastating injuries when they are involved in accidents, special regulations apply to the operators of these vehicles. In addition to the Illinois Vehicle Code and Rules of the Road, semitruck companies and other commercial vehicle owners and operators must also comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). If semitruck companies and their drivers fail to comply with the rules and regulations and as a result hurt someone on the road, they are responsible for all of the harm they cause. The fact that icy roads contributed to a semitruck accident does NOT allow the semitruck company to avoid responsibility in such cases.
Businesses and other property owners also have obligations to their customers and guests when their properties are icy. The law in Illinois regarding icy business/residential premises is complicated, but owners must follow certain rules to keep their properties reasonably safe in certain situations. For this reason, the best thing a business can do for its customers is to keep its premises as safe as possible. Businesses want patrons to visit them and purchase their goods and services, so it only makes sense that businesses should ensure that their customers are safe.
Some of the most devastating accidents and injuries in Illinois result from drivers and businesses failing to take reasonable precautions during the winter months. I have been successfully representing the victims of such accidents for over 18 years. I have litigated issues relating to falls at businesses and trucking accidents extensively. I know the complicated laws regarding ice-related accidents thoroughly, and I know exactly what to do get injury victims the compensation they deserve in such cases.
Jeffrey I. Cisco, Esq.
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