Take a short drive on any of the roads in Knox County, and one is bound to eventually see a semi-truck or tractor-trailer traveling alongside him or her at some point. Given the prevalence of these vehicles on the road, one may assume that there should be a much greater number of truck accidents reported than there actually are. Truck drivers should be credited with keeping accidents numbers low, as these men and women often prove to be very adept at controlling their vehicles. Yet in those instances were driver error or negligence does come into play, the results can be catastrophic.
Such was the case in a recent accident that occurred in Chattanooga. A truck traveling along I-75 struck several vehicles, killing six people in the process. A subsequent investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the driver had been in violation of his federally-mandated operating restrictions. It was shown that leading up to the accident, he had been driving for more than 15 uninterrupted hours. Aside from exceeding his allotted consecutive work hours, he was also accused of having drugs in his system at the time of the crash. He is also believed to have been speeding. Not only has his alleged gross misconduct placed him in the position of facing numerous criminal charges, but two parties involved in the accident have already filed lawsuits against him and the company he was driving for.
In some truck accidents, any negligence shown by the driver could potentially be as apparent as it would appear to be here. In other, it might not be so. Yet regardless, the need for compensation for accident victims may not be diminished. Those needing such assistance may wish to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press “Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash faces drug trafficking charges in Kentucky,” Shelly Bradbury, Aug. 10, 2015