Diesel Laden 18-Wheeler Accident Injures One in Louisiana
Driver inattention, coupled with slippery roads created prime conditions for an 18-wheeler accident in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. One person was injured in the accident that involved two trucks, besides an 18 wheeler.
According to one report, a tree-cutting truck was on its way from Texas to Florida through Interstate 10, after clearing up Hurricane Ike damage. It had been raining for a few days, and the roads were slippery. Following the truck was an 18-wheeler truck filled with 150 gallons of diesel. The driver later confessed after the accident that he had let his attention wander while he was at the wheel of the big rig. The 18-wheeler slammed into the truck sending it spinning and toppling it over on its side. The impact punctured the fuel tank of one truck, spilling diesel everywhere. Another 18-wheeler on the highway clipped the truck which was lying overturned. By the time the destructive sequence of events had ended, there was diesel and lumber debris scattered all across I-10.
Neither of the two 18-wheeler drivers was injured in the accident, although the driver of the tree-cutting truck had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. The highway was closed for hours, while crews cleared the debris and set the overturned truck upright.
Driver inattention can be a result of truck driver fatigue, multi-tasking at the wheel, or just plain negligence. In any case, it's lethal for a driver of an 18-wheeler to be less than 100 percent in control and focused while he is driving. Fatigue is one of the most common reasons why a truck driver's attention may slip while at the wheel. Federal trucking regulations specify the consecutive number of hours that a truck driver can spend at the wheel of a truck, as well as the rest periods that he must have to recover between shifts. This is why truck driver logs are maintained, so a driver can have records of the number of hours he drives.
Driver Fatigue Can be a Factor in Truck Accidents
Given the number of hours that truck drivers work, and the amount of time they spend alone on the road and away from their families, it's no surprise that truck driver error caused by inattention, fatigue, or stress is an important factor that causes truck accidents. This is precisely why there are laws that govern a truck driver's work and rest hours – to prevent the possibility of accidents due to driver fatigue.
In the event of an accident, an 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer will review driver logs and other records to determine the number of hours the driver had been working just before the accident, and the rest periods that were afforded him. An experienced truck accident lawyer can undertake these investigations to make sure that responsibility for the accident can be placed where it is due.
If you have been injured in an 18-wheeler truck accident, contact an 18-wheeler truck accident lawyer at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free consultation.
