1 Injured in Truck Accident on I-94 in Chicago, IL

Chicago, IL — January 5, 2026, one person was injured due to a truck accident at approximately 4:30 p.m. along the Bishop Ford Expressway.

According to authorities, an 18-wheeler was traveling on the Bishop Ford Expressway (I-94) in the vicinity of 127th Street when the accident took place.

Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, as the truck attempted to drive beneath a railroad bridge, the trailer struck the overpass, disconnecting it from the truck. The trailer then struck a garbage truck that had also been traveling on the expressway.

One person reportedly sustained injuries of unknown severity as a result of the accident; they were transported to a local medical facility by EMS in order to receive necessary treatment.

Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a semi-truck strikes an overpass and loses its trailer, people naturally ask: how does a professional driver end up hitting a bridge? Isn’t height clearance something every trucker is supposed to know?

That’s exactly the right question to be asking. Because in most cases, bridge strikes like this don’t happen because of a mystery—they happen because of a failure: either the driver was on a road not suited for their vehicle, misjudged the clearance, or didn’t have proper routing information to begin with.

One of the most likely culprits in situations like this is inadequate route planning. Many commercial drivers rely on GPS systems designed for passenger vehicles, which don’t account for low-clearance bridges. That’s why commercial motor carriers are expected to provide their drivers with truck-specific navigation systems or printed routing information that keeps them off roads that aren’t designed for heavy or oversized vehicles.

That brings us to the trucking company’s role. If the company failed to train the driver properly or didn’t provide the right equipment and guidance, it may bear just as much responsibility—if not more—than the person behind the wheel. In previous cases I’ve handled, companies cut corners on training or left drivers to figure out their own routes. When that happens, it’s only a matter of time before something like this occurs.

There’s also the question of whether the trailer was overloaded or unusually tall, which could have made a tight clearance worse. That’s something investigators will need to determine based on the truck’s cargo manifest, inspection records, and physical measurements.

Finally, because the trailer struck another vehicle after disconnecting, it’s critical to understand how the trailer became detached. Was the coupling system in good working order? Was the impact so extreme that separation was inevitable, or did the trailer detach more easily than it should have?

There’s a lot we still don’t know—but we do know this kind of crash doesn’t happen unless someone overlooked something important.

Key Takeaways:

• Bridge strikes often stem from routing failures, either by the driver or the company.
• Trucking companies are responsible for training drivers and ensuring safe navigation.
• Investigators will need to determine whether the truck was overheight or improperly routed.
• How and why the trailer disconnected will be key to assigning responsibility.
• Evidence like GPS data, maintenance records, and route instructions will be central to the investigation.