Truth is indeed stranger than fiction in this reported case, where a trucker was pulled over for watching TV while driving.
It is bad enough out there on the highways when you are traveling at high speeds, and your travel companions on the roadways are 18-wheelers as those larger than life monsters can cause horrific accidents. More often than not, the cause of a wreck with a big rig is driver error. This is not to say that mechanical failure cannot be a cause, because that happens as well. It is just that human error is more likely the cause of a wreck.
Take the case of the trucker who bent down to pick some papers up off the floor of the cab, while he was driving, and slammed into a line of cars waiting at a construction stop. The wreckage in that fiasco was strewn more 100 yards. There were three deaths and at least seven other people seriously injured.
Or consider the case of the man who drove himself to complete exhaustion to get his routes done on time and earn more money. One day while on the way to deliver a load of metal, he fell asleep at the wheel and drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic. The Jeep Cherokee he hit was completely obliterated, killing all four occupants in the vehicle.
Then there was the case that was just about a wreck, but not completely. The reason why the accident almost happened will shock you, but it should almost not come as a surprise as truckers seem to be taking more and more stupid risks these days while behind the wheel. In this case, police charged a trucker with watching TV while he was driving on one of the nation’s busiest highways.
Another driver on the same highway called police to let them know he was sure he had seen a TV mounted on the dashboard of a tractor-trailer barrelling down the highway. Sure enough, when the police caught up with the trucker, he had a portable DVD player on the dash. Can you just imagine what would have happened, if not on that trip, but on another one? You can be sure that driving while distracted will result in a collision. When you are piloting a big rig, paying attention to the road and everything else around you is important.
Why truckers seem to think they can drive a deadly machine while on booze, high on pills, or texting, watching TV or while sleep deprived is the million dollar question of the year. Sure, it is a job for them and they need to make money. However, while trying to make money, they may end up losing everything, including their lives, by driving while distracted or under the influence.
Have you been in an accident with a big rig? Don’t know what to do? Call an Austin personal injury lawyer right away. In these kinds of cases, time is of the essence to preserve vital evidence. These cases are never easy for anyone, and your Austin personal injury lawyer will get on it right away, assess the situation and discuss his recommendations with you.
Robert W. Lee is an Austin personal injury lawyer for The Lee Law Firm. If you need an Austin personal injury lawyer, contact an Austin personal injury attorney from The Lee Law Firm. Visit RWLeelaw.com.
