Last week a father and son travelling in Toyota minivan sustained serious injuries in an accident on Illinois highway 75 when their vehicle collided head-on with a semi tractor trailer. According to an article from the Rockford Register Star, the accident occurred early Tuesday morning when the semi truck driver lost control of his rig which then jackknifed and crossed the center line. After crossing the center line it struck the minivan head-on. The article indicates that the highway was covered in snow at the time of the accident.
Both father and son were able to speak to first responders after the accident and were then transported to Rockford Memorial Hospital where they were admitted to the intensive care unit. The Father was listed in critical but stable condition and the son was reported to be in stable condition. The truck driver, a Milwaukee resident, was not injured in the accident.
The father is the head coach for the Dakota basketball team and is also an assistant coach for football and golf. He had previously coached in Orangeville and Harlem, Illinois. The son is in eighth grade at Dakota Junior High School.
As you likely remember, driving conditions in Illinois were far from ideal for most of last week. The article in the Rockford Register did not provide any details on why the semi driver was driving in these conditions, but semi drivers are sometimes expected to keep to their delivery schedule despite inclement weather. Even when driving conditions do not make driving conditions extra hazardous, the additional size and weight of a semi truck can often result in more serious injuries during an accident.
Source: Rockford Register Star “Dakota basketball coach in critical but stable condition” Doug Goodman, February 1, 2011
