Trucking accidents sometimes occur because of circumstances beyond a driver's control, such as poorly designed roadways, ice on the roads, or defective equipment. However, many truck crashes happen because of driver negligence. An example of this type of accident occurred on October 14 in Bartonville, resulting in a citation for the driver.

The driver of the semi- truck was cited for disobeying a traffic signal. He also received a ticked for being overweight. The truck collided with the car driven by Thomas Maher of Bartonville; both vehicles then hit a pole. Maher was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

State police are continuing to investigate the accident, which occurred around 6:45 AM. Violating traffic laws, such as speeding, failing to signal, running stop signs and ignoring red lights, are common causes of truck accidents. Being overloaded is another frequent problem, making it more difficult for drivers to stop, causing shifts in loads that can cause a driver to lose control, and making rollovers more likely because of uneven distribution of weight.

Source: Peoria Journal Star, "Police ticketed truck driver in fatal crash", Oct. 21, 2011.