Sharing the Georgia roads with large trucks requires focus, attention and care on the part of the truck driver, pedestrians and the drivers of any smaller vehicles. Truckers spend long hours on the road and often go through extensive stretches without breaks or interesting terrain to break up the monotony. At times, this can make them an extreme risk on the road. Truck drivers are susceptible to falling asleep at the wheel, which is what happened in a case involving a Georgia truck driver in California.
According to Bus & Motorcoach News the driver was en route from Alabama to California when the accident happened. Law enforcement officials testified in court that the man had driven more than allowed almost every day of his trip. There are laws mandating how long a driver can drive during a 24 hour period. These are used to reduce the risks of accidents and death on the road, and it appeared the man ignored these guidelines.
In this case, the driver fell asleep behind the wheel while traffic was at a stop for road work. When traffic opened back up, he did not move forward and a motorcoach carrying a large group of tourists crashed into the back of the truck. 14 people were killed and the man was charged with 42 counts of vehicular manslaughter and reckless driving. Other vehicles were able to move past the truck while the driver was sleeping but the motorcoach did not have the same option.
When truck drivers use the road responsibly and follow the rules, the risk of accident greatly decreases. If a driver causes a trucking accident because of a stupid choice they made, the injured and dead may have a legal case against the driver or company who hired the driver.
