Several Hurt in Kane County Head-On Collision

It's common for drivers to want to reach their destinations as quickly as possible - even those people who usually obey the speed limits and other traffic laws. But there are times when saving a few seconds (or even a few minutes) is simply not worth the risk of making a potentially dangerous driving decision. This is especially true for drivers who are transporting passengers, for whose safety they are legally responsible.

This point was illustrated in horrifying fashion this week by a crash in Kane County when a driver tried to pass an 18-wheeler on a rural highway. On Monday afternoon around 3:15pm, a Bellwood woman was behind the wheel of a Chrysler Town and Country minivan which was also occupied by four other people, all of whom are from Chicago. The minivan was heading east on Route 72 and had just passed Reinking Road (which is about a mile and a half east of Starks and two miles west of Interstate 90) when it pulled up behind a tractor-trailer. The driver tried to pass the big rig on the left side in the westbound lane, but the minivan slammed head-on into an oncoming Subaru Outback. The Subaru driver and all five people in the minivan had to be transported to area hospitals, though none of their injuries appear to be life-threatening.

It appears that the Bellwood woman is primarily responsible for the head-on auto accident. If none of the passengers in the minivan is related to its driver (all of their surnames differ from hers), then they may choose to file personal injury lawsuits against her to recoup costs incurred from medical bills, physical therapy, prescription medications, and lost wages from work absenteeism. Also, the man from Wonder Lake who was driving the Outback could also file a personal injury lawsuit for the same reasons.