Driver Fatigue Causes Local Accident

Truck Driver Falls Asleep, Kills 2

Driver fatigue caused a local truck accident. A Berks County recycling company truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and drove into a line of stopped cars,  pushing the cars aside and  into a Dunkin' Donuts sign. Two persons were killed. The truck driver is in custody,  charged with vehicular homicide among other charges.  The accident occurred at around 6:30 AM. The truck driver had been working since 1:30 AM.

The National Traffic Safety Administration estimates that there are around 100,000 crashes occur each year due driver fatigue; resulting in 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries; and $12.5 billion in property losses. Since there is no consistent national/state standards for reporting accidents due to driver fatigue, self-reporting is unreliable and there is no test to determine if fatigue was an accident factor, so losses due to driver fatigue is only an estimate.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, young adults between the ages of 18-29 and shift workers are more involved in accidents where driver fatigue is a factor. Driver fatigue can cause driver inattention, poor response time and periods of dozing. Going long periods without sleep can have the same affects on the human brain as alcohol can.

Car and truck accidents can be devastating to families, tragically causing loss of life or disability.  The attorneys at Freeburn Law have spent years standing beside and holding the hands of  car and truck accident victims. We have 12 offices throughout Central Pennsylvania but will meet with our clients at their homes or hospital. Call us today.