There is little that is more mournful and tragic than the needless death of a young person or a child. The loss of promise that a young life holds is heartbreaking for not only for the immediate family but also for the community. Three Illinois families are now seeking answers after three teenagers were recently killed in a tragic truck accident.
The teens were traveling in a car together when the 19-year-old driver apparently pulled out in front of semi truck. A violent collision followed, and the teen driver and one passenger, both from Plainfield, died instantly. Another passenger, an 18-year-old girl from Naperville, later died at a local hospital. The 45-year-old truck driver, from Hodgkins, suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
When a tragedy like this occurs, police typically conduct a thorough investigation of the crash scene to try to determine exactly what led to the collision. An in-depth review of all evidence will likely include taking witness statements as well as a careful inspection of any skid marks or debris left after the crash.
In this case, authorities have already indicated that the teenage driver likely made a faulty split-second decision that led to the accident. It is believed that the truck driver had little or no opportunity to avoid a collision. Additionally, there is no indication that drugs or alcohol were involved. As the grieving families struggle to cope with their loss and continue to search for answers, all affected parties will likely want to review their rights and responsibilities under Illinois law.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Crash kills 3 teens: ‘Bad split-second decision’,” William Lee, Carlos Sadovi and Gary Gibula, June 5, 2012