18-Wheeler Accident Caused by Sleeping Driver
18-Wheeler Caused by Sleeping Driver by San Antonio, Texas Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer Justin A. Hill
An 18-wheeler traveling at highway speeds with a sleeping driver is a nightmare scenario. However, it is not uncommon. NHTSA reports that fatigue/drowsiness/and drivers falling asleep causes approximately 100,000 accidents a year. Recently, in Houma, Louisiana, a tractor-trailer accident caused by a sleeping driver has left another man, Leon Charpentier, dead. According to DailyComet.com:
A Galliano man was killed Saturday after the driver of an 18-wheeler fell asleep at the wheel, crossing the centerline and crashing head-on into a pickup, police said. The pickup’s driver, Leon A. Charpentier, 33, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to State Police Troop C. Charlie Ruffin, 53, of Houma, was driving an 18-wheeler west on the Bourg-Larose Highway about 9 a.m., police said. He was in Grand Bois, about five miles west of La. 3235, when he fell asleep. The 18-wheeler, owned by SONOCO, a Houma offshore-catering company, began to cross the centerline into oncoming traffic, said State Police spokesman trooper Bryan Zeringue. At the same time, Leon A. Charpentier, 33, of Galliano, was driving his 2006 Dodge pickup east when the truck drifted into his lane, Zeringue said. Charpentier apparently tried to swerve off the road to avoid the 18-wheeler but was struck head-on on the road’s shoulder. The impact forced both trucks into the woods, in an area of Lafourche Parish just across the Terrebonne line. Ruffin was taken to Terrebonne General Medical Center in Houma with what police described as minor injuries. “It just shows that you need to make sure you get the proper rest before driving — everyone, not just truck drivers,” Zeringue said. “Tragic accidents like this can be prevented if you get the proper rest.” Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. No charges had been filed as of Saturday evening, and an investigation continues. Blood-alcohol tests will be performed on both drivers, though police said they did not suspect alcohol was involved.
If someone you know was injured or killed as the result of a tractor-trailer accident, sleeping driver, or both, encourage them to immediately contact a competent attorney for advice. It is extremely important to do this quickly to ensure that evidence is preserved, statements are taken, the rights of all claimants are protected, and the interests of justice are served.
