We have talked about the safety issues presented by trucks in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before. While these enormous vehicles can be a danger in any city, there seems to be a particularly great risk of truck accidents in the Steel City.
Usually these accidents involve a truck colliding with a smaller vehicle -- but in a bizarre and unfortunate out-of-state incident, three trucks crashed into each other, killing one of the drivers.
The wreck happened in Louisiana, where a convoy of two 18-wheel trucks was in the process of delivering heavy equipment. The second of the two trucks was being driven by a 25-year-old who crashed into the truck ahead of him, and was later ticketed for "following too closely." The rear-ended 18-wheeler swerved into oncoming traffic as a result, slamming into another big-rig truck.
Exact details in the crash are limited, though an investigation has surely been launched into the circumstances of the fatal truck accident. The 56-year-old victim in the third truck died in the crash, with the driver of the second truck eventually being released from the hospital after he suffered serious injuries.
One of the biggest issues facing the trucking industry right now is sleep regulation. Many drivers work long shifts over a long string of days, greatly diminishing their ability to react to changes in the flow of traffic.
Federal regulations are in place to ensure that truck drivers get enough rest so that they can safely operate these powerful vehicles. When companies skirt these regulations, they can make themselves liable should a truck accident occur with one of their drivers.
While it seems reckless driving may have been the reason for this truck accident, a lack of sleep may have also prevented the 25-year-old from braking in time causing the chain of events that caused this fatal truck accident.
Source: Associated Press, "Trucker cited in deadly crash involving three 18-wheelers," June 21, 2012
No Comments
Leave a comment