Identifying information on a vehicle can become useful when it is suspected to have been involved in a hit and run accident. When a hit-and-run involves a tractor-trailer and a bicyclist, it may be vital to find the truck involved in order for appropriate legal proceedings to be carried out. Truck accidents can cause serious injuries, and a driver that leaves the scene of an accident could face criminal charges, among other legal issues.
A similar situation recently occurred in Illinois. It was reported that a bicyclist was struck by a tractor-trailer and that the driver of the truck continued driving. The accident took place before 6 a.m., and the weather conditions were apparently wintry as snow is suspected to have been a contributing factor in the incident.
The bicyclist was reported as being male, but his age was not included in the report. He was seriously injured, and he was taken to an area hospital to be treated. Authorities are currently looking for the truck and driver involved in the incident, and they have stated that the semi-truck had a sleeper cab and box trailer attached.
Though icy and snowy conditions can be a cause of truck accidents, the law requires that drivers remain on the scene. Because the driver involved in this Illinois accident continued traveling, he or she could potentially face criminal charges. In addition to those possible charges, the injured bicyclist may wish to file legal claims of his own for personal injury. Pursuing such a civil case may allow him to work toward gaining reparations for medical expenses and other damages.
Source: journalstandard.com, “Bicyclist hurt in hit-and-run on Ogle County highway“, Maggie Hradecky, Jan. 22, 2015