A young family lost their lives on an Illinois interstate recently in a tragic accident. The family was returning home from a counseling session when they died not far from their home in Mulberry Grove. The truck accident that ended their lives occurred when the mother driving the car came to a complete stop for deer crossing the highway.
The car containing this mother and her daughters, ages 8 and 6, first slowed to allow a deer to cross the interstate, Illinois officials believe. Then, when another deer came into view, the mother driving the car came to a complete stop. Traveling behind her in the southbound direction, a tractor-trailer truck driver failed to react to the stopped vehicle in time which resulted in a violent impact as the large truck smashed into the back of the car. All of the occupants of the car died on impact. The truck driver survived the accident, suffering only minor injuries.
Accidents involving deer on the highway are fairly common in Illinois. State officials report that there were 17,135 such accidents in 2010 on our state’s roadways. In many of these collisions, injuries and even deaths occurred. Reports indicate that the family had just traveled through an area known for its heavy population of deer.
The truck accident that ended the lives of this mother and her two young daughters this month was just one of the many that happen in our state. This unspeakable tragedy has left this family devastated. Tragic accidents such as this one often leave surviving family members questioning whether the accident could have been prevented. In this case, there is not yet a clear answer.
Source: stltoday.com, “Truck slams into car that stopped for deer, killing Illinois woman, two girls,” Terry Hillig, Aug. 2, 2012