Drilling Truck Driver Falls Asleep, Injured Three
Driling Truck Driver Falls Asleep, Injured Three by Texas Tractor-Trailer Accident Lawyer Justin A. Hill
Long hours, extreme demands, and lax company policies can lead to terrible accidents involving employees on the job and commercial vehicles. One of the worst imaginable situations is when a driver falls asleep at the wheel. Recently, in the oil rich area of Midland, Texas, a driver of a oil drilling company truck apparently fell asleep seriously injuring himself and his two passengers. According to CBS7KOSA.com:
An early morning rollover sends three people to the hospital in serious condition. According to DPS, it happened just after 8 a.m. at 3419 East hwy. and 158 in Midland County. A man driving the Big Dog drilling truck was heading west on 158 when he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel. The truck then hit a fence, a telephone pole, and a gas meter before it rolled multiple times. Trooper’s say the driver was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected. The driver and two other passengers were taken to the hospital in serious condition.
The Texas Department of Insurance provides a set of training materials for heavy truck and tractor-trailer drivers. The topics are many. One of the topics is preventing driver fatigue. In many trucking/commercial vehicle accidents, driver fatigue is alleged to have caused or contributed to causing accidents. Preventing driver fatigue is extremely important as it can cause serious and catastrophic accidents. NHTSA reports that fatigue/drowsiness/and drivers falling asleep causes approximately 100,000 accidents a year. If someone you know was injured or killed as the result of a commercial vehicle accident or sleeping driver, 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, and the rights of all claimants are protected.
