Investigators Say Trucker Fatigue and Meth Use Likely Cause of Crash That Left Six Dead

Fatigued driving has become an epidemic. Those most likely to drive while drowsy or fatigued are commercial truck drivers, cab drivers, and late-night shift workers.

A crash on a Tennessee highway that left six people dead last year was probably due to a fatigued truck driver who had taken methamphetamine to stay awake, according to a recent report by federal investigators.

On June 25, 2015, a tractor trailer failed to slow down in a construction zone and plowed into multiple vehicles on Interstate 75, killing six and injuring six others. Investigators said the trucker was traveling approximately 80 mph despite ample warnings that he was approaching a construction zone with a 55-mph limit. There was no indication of heavy braking or that he tried to take evasive action before causing the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also cited a failure in the trucking company’s employee screening process which would have shown that the driver had been fired from a previous trucking job two years earlier because of illegal drug use. The trucker even tested positive for meth less than three months prior to the crash, under a separate court order. The agency also found that the truck driver had likely gone without sustained rest for 40 hours before the crash. He was indicted on six counts of vehicular homicide, four counts of reckless aggravated assault, driving under the influence of narcotics, speeding and making false reports about his duty status.

At least two lawsuits have been filed against the truck driver and his employer alleging that the crash happened as a result of “their reckless and grossly negligent actions.” The complaints also allege that the trucker had a pattern of dangerous behavior prior to the deadly crash. Just a day prior, he was cited for careless driving in Florida after sideswiping another truck. Additionally, he did not submit a drug test after the Florida crash, a requirement under the Federal Motor Carrier Association, according to the claims.

While the lawsuits will help compensated victims for their loss, attorneys for the plaintiffs hope these claims will enforce stricter guidelines involving commercial truck drivers, so that such a tragic crash does not happen again. That will surely take time, just as it will to achieve a settlement in these cases.

The financial strain during times like this not only seriously impacts your life, it also impacts your case. A financially desperate plaintiff is not in a favorable position regarding settlement negotiations. If you are in need of a cash flow solution during the litigation process, lawsuit funding may be a viable option.

Lawsuit Financial Corporation helps provide legal finance cash flow solutions and consulting when necessities of life litigation funding is needed by plaintiffs involved in pending, personal injury litigation. With a lawsuit cash advance, you have a strategic advantage; litigation funding gives you leverage against the insurance company and prevents you from being forced to take inadequate offers. With the financial pressure removed, there is no need to resolve any case for less than the full value of your injuries.

Lawsuit Financial is a leader in providing auto accident lawsuit funding. Call us today for a complimentary evaluation of your case. Applications can be completed in less than 5 minutes, and require not upfront fees, credit reports, or employment verification. Funding decisions are often made within 24 – 48 hours. Best of all, repayment is made only when you successfully settle your case.

We also want to urge everyone to be mindful of fatigue and not drive. Eliminating this risk will go a long way to preventing serious and fatal auto accidents.

A Wake-Up Call for Your Safety and the Safety of Others

Many people are so wrapped up in their busy lifestyles that they often fail to get enough rest. For many, it is not uncommon to yawn while heading to work on Monday mornings. While some may see this sort of sleepiness as normal, data indicates that fatigued driving is a serious safety concern.

 

Driver fatigue and/or drowsy driving can be factors that prove just as dangerous as those related to drinking and driving. Lack of sleep in combination with operating a motor vehicle, can be extremely dangerous. When people experience driver fatigue, their decision-making skills and reaction time are negatively affected; they often fail to take any evasive actions such as braking or swerving.

One of the most tragic things about drowsy driving accidents is that they are completely preventable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that drowsiness is responsible for at least 100,000 auto accidents every year, with 1,550 resulting deaths, 71,000 injuries and $12.5 billion in costs. Experts believe that these figures might underestimate the magnitude of the driver fatigue problem. The actual numbers are almost certainly much higher since driver fatigue accidents are difficult to quantify; there is no drowsiness test comparable to blood alcohol testing for drunk drivers.

Falling asleep at the wheel is clearly dangerous, but just being sleepy is enough to affect your ability to drive safely. A driver may lapse into short periods of "micro-sleep.” “Micro sleep” is a type of sleep episode that can last anywhere from a fraction of a second up to 30 seconds at a time. These brief instances of sleep tend to occur when a person is notably sleep deprived, and in response, the body attempts to recharge a little bit at a time. During these periods, the mind will trick itself into believing it has been awake the whole time by forming false memories or giving the impression of simple daydreaming. In reality, a driver may be engaged in intermittent periods of sleep, leaving the car to drift into another lane, veer off the road, or strike a nearby vehicle or pedestrian.

Driver fatigue is not always caused by one being too tired or driving for hours at a time. Knowing the causes and symptoms of driver fatigue and learning effective strategies for preventing such dangerous driving could help save your life.

NHTSA identified the following as factors that increase the risk of an auto accident caused by driver fatigue: 

• Loss of sleep. 
• Unrecognized or untreated sleep disorders.
• Sedating medications. 
• Driving between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. 
• Mid-afternoon driving (particularly for the elderly). 
• Driving a significant number of miles every year or a significant number of hours every day. 
• Driving for long time periods without a break. 
• Alcohol consumption, even if the driver has not consumed enough alcohol to be near the legal limit. 

NHTSA advises to watch for these signs of fatigue:

• Difficulty focusing and inattentiveness.
• Frequent yawning, head bobbing, rubbing eyes, and inability to keep eyes open.
• Feeling restless, irritable or impatient.
• Disconnected or wandering thoughts; can’t remember the last few miles driven.
• Brief lapses in memory or "zoning out."
• Drifting in and out of your lane.
• Abnormal driving behavior, such as inappropriate speed, tailgating or ignoring traffic signs.

If you are feeling sleepy while behind the wheel, it is vital that you understand that you could be a danger to yourself as well as others on the road.

• Pull over at a rest stop and get out to walk around.
• Take a short nap someplace safe.
• Ask a traveling companion to drive for a while.
• Have coffee or other caffeinated products and don’t get back on the road for at least 30 minutes (when the anti-fatigue effects will kick in).

No one is immune to drowsy driving. You may get away with driving sleepy once in a while, but you are tempting fate. Do not underestimate your body's ability to force you to sleep.

Unfortunately, we are only in control of our own driving safety. While it is often hard to prove that another driver was experiencing driver fatigue, if you believe that you have a case against a driver due to fatigue contact an experience auto accident attorney to understand your rights. Once an attorney is retained and a lawsuit filed, the plaintiff may want to consult a litigation funding company to avoid financial devastation while pursuing the case.

Lawsuit Financial fights for people who have been seriously injured or who have lost a loved one due to the negligence of others. As the industry leader in auto accident litigation funding, Lawsuit Financial provides a lawsuit cash advance against the future settlement to help pay medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, mortgage payments, car payments, and important expenses bills so the plaintiff can wait for fair compensation. Litigation funding gives a plaintiff leverage against the insurance company; it prevents the plaintiff from being forced to take inadequate offers. With the financial pressure removed, there is no need to resolve any case for less than the full value of your injuries. Applying for a litigation funding can be done online or by phone. There is no cost to apply, no upfront fees, no monthly payments, no credit checks and no hassles. If you qualify, the money arrives fast, within 24-48 hours. Contact Lawsuit Financial at 1-877-377-7848 for more information.