An 18-wheeler truck driver died over the weekend when he crashed into a row of stopped vehicles on U.S. 287 in Arlington between Fort Worth and Dallas. The vehicles ahead of the big rig had come to a stop due to construction when the truck driver apparently did not notice in time to slow down. A multi-vehicle collision that sent four others to the hospital with injuries ensued.
The pile-up on the road was comprised of three 18-wheelers and two SUVs according to Arlington Police. It happened on Friday evening sometime after 10 p.m.
The Problem of Distracted Driving by Commercial Drivers
When someone operating a 26,000-ton 18-wheeler fails to pay close attention to the road, the results can be catastrophic. In Texas alone, over 400 car accident fatalities are attributed to distracted driving. This number rises to over 3500 if you look at the entire United States. When you further consider that the reaction time and stopping distance of an 18-wheeler traveling at 55 mph is 512 feet—almost the length of two football fields—the grave danger of distracted driving by commercial motor vehicle drivers becomes clearer. All drivers are at risk of injury when a commercial motor vehicle operator fails to pay attention.
The Duty Of Care Owed by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers
Drivers who operate commercial motor vehicles are considered “common carriers” under the law. This means they are held to a higher duty of care than ordinary drivers. They must exercise utmost care in the operation of their tractor-trailer. Since keeping a proper lookout and maintaining a safe following distance are duties even ordinary drivers are obligated to follow, commercial motor vehicle drivers are even more expected to do so. It does not appear that these rules of the road were observed by the truck driver in the Arlington truck accident.
Evidence of Distracted Driving in Arlington Truck Accident
Because the driver did not survive the collision, statements from other eyewitnesses, data from the truck’s black box, and other circumstantial evidence will be important to establish the cause of the collision.
In the present case, the circumstantial evidence seems strongly in favor of distracted driving as the cause. There was a construction zone on the highway. Typically, there will be a number of warning signs for approaching vehicles to observe long before reaching the construction zone. Drivers have a duty to read and observe warning signs. For larger commercial vehicles that take longer to stop, this can mean driving well under the speed limit.
Additionally, in the present case, there were already at least 4 other vehicles including two 18-wheelers that had safely brought their vehicles to a stop without causing a collision. The fact that they were able to heed warnings, observe traffic, and bring their vehicles to a safe stop suggests that a driver moving at a safe speed and paying proper attention would have been able to stop safely. A Texas truck accident lawyer can use this type of circumstantial evidence to demonstrate that if the driver had been paying proper attention, he could have stopped like everyone else. Thus, the logical conclusion is that the driver in this Arlington truck accident was simply distracted.
Conclusion
In any event, this accident resulted in the tragic loss of life of the truck driver and injuries to four others. It will likely be investigated by the police, the trucking company, and truck accident attorneys for the victims to determine the cause of the wreck. However, the circumstantial evidence strongly favors distracted driving.
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