Grandmother, grandson die in rollover accident

For many years, SUVs have been among the biggest-selling new vehicles in motor vehicle dealer showrooms. They’re also some of the biggest passenger vehicles on American roads, and they pose some important safety risks.

A collision involving two SUVs and a pickup truck in suburban Lake County on December 19 shows just how susceptible SUVs can be to common mishaps such as rollovers. An SUV driven by a 64-year-old woman was heading north on Route 59 near Beach Avenue when a pickup truck towing a trailer pulled out from an intersecting road. When the truck turned north to join the traffic stream, the front of the SUV struck the rear of the pickup. The SUV rolled over and slid into the southbound lane of the highway. The SUV then was struck by another SUV heading south on Route 59.

Three people were in the SUV that rolled over. The driver and an 18-month old infant were pronounced dead at the scene. A 3-year-old child who was riding in the rear seat of the SUV was taken by helicopter to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. She is listed in critical condition. A 57-year-old man and a teenager were riding in the southbound vehicle on Route 59, and they were taken to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville with serious injuries. The driver of the pickup was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released from the hospital later in the day.

Police are continuing to investigate the exact events involved in this accident. Liability will in all likelihood not be determined until the investigation is complete. Causes such as vehicle speed, drug or alcohol impairment on the part of any of the drivers, condition and use of brakes and similar factors must be evaluated. Anyone who has been injured or lost a loved one in an accident in which the cause is not obvious may want to get more information about legal options in truck accident cases.