Although they’re required to share the road with each other, a bicyclist and a dump truck aren’t compatible combianation around each other. A bicyclist has a low and narrow profile, and if even if riding perfectly legally, he or she can get lost in a dump truck’s blind spots. Construction vehicles are seen throughout Chicago, and the most common of those are dump trucks.
Dump Truck Blind Spots
A blind spot on a dump truck can extend up to 20 feet in any direction. Blind spot accidents might occur under any of the following circumstances:
- If the truck is making a lane change and the truck hits a bicycle in its blind sport.
- When a dump truck makes a right turn and there’s a bicycle next to it.
- When the dump truck is making a left turn, and a bicycle is on its left side.
- When a driver is in reverse gear and strikes a bicyclist. The rear of a dump truck might be the largest blinds spot on the vehicle.
A Recent Chicago Dump Truck Fatality
A 37-year-old female bicyclist died recently in a crash with a dump truck at the intersection of Milwaukee and Kilbourn here in Chicago when the driver of the dump truck turned in front of her when he was making a right turn at the intersection. She was apparently in a bike lane when the fatality occurred. There’s a genuine question as to whether the truck driver failed to yield to the bicyclist.
Why are Dump Trucks so Dangerous for Bicyclists?
Aside from their large blind spots, a dump truck can weigh up to 30,000 pounds. Couple that weight with speed, and being near a dump truck can be treacherous for a bicyclist. Dump trucks aren’t nearly as maneuverable as cars either. Their turning radius is much wider and there’s far less visibility when backing up as opposed to a passenger car. Their drivers are required to hold commercial driver’s licenses in Illinois too. Many dump truck drivers in Chicago just don’t have the training or experience to obtain a commercial license.
What to Do After a Dump Truck Crash
After being injured in a collision with a dump truck, and if you’re physically capable of doing so, call 911 and ask that both police and paramedics be dispatched to the scene. Police can investigate the crash and write a report on it and paramedics can stabilize you and get you to an emergency room for care and treatment. If an opposing insurance company contacts you, don’t give a written or recorded statement to its representative. Illinois law doesn’t require you to do that, and there’s a strong possibility that you might harm your case.