Harlingen, TX — An accident involving a tractor-trailer sent a driver to the hospital on Thursday, April 23, 2015. The accident took place in Harlingen, Texas, on Highway 77, around 4:30 in the morning.
Reports from the area say the accident happened when the driver of a tractor-trailer fell asleep at the wheel and rear-ended a Nissan Altima. The collision caused the truck driver to lose control, driving across the median and the frontage road before rolling over on the side of the road.
The driver of the semi was not injured. However, the driver of the Nissan was taken to Valley Baptist Hospital in serious condition. The names of the two drivers have not been released.
The accident is currently being investigated. It’s not clear if any charges will be brought against the truck driver.
Scene of the Accident
View from the Road
Commentary
It may not surprise you to learn that truck drivers are required to take breaks after being on the road for certain amount of time. It also may not surprise to learn that they’re required to do this in order to prevent accidents just like this one. Unfortunately, I’ve seen several instances in the past of drivers falsifying their log books to make it look like they’re taking breaks, when in reality, they’re spending far too much time behind the wheel. Let me make it clear that I’m not accusing the driver in this accident of anything underhanded. But the fact of the matter is that there are safeguards put in place to help avoid these things, an accident happened anyway, and now we have to start asking questions.
Even without fudging the numbers, this is an accident that just shouldn’t have happened. Truck drivers are held to a higher standard for a reason. If the driver was tired, he should have pulled over. By failing to do so, he showed a big disregard for the safety of those around him, and an innocent driver paid for it.
Obviously, liability in this accident seems to be pretty obvious. However, trucking companies tend to defend accidents just like this one all the time, trying to push as much liability off of themselves and onto the other parties involved. This is very easy for them because, while your typical driver has no experience with this sort of thing, a trucking company has nothing but experience. So for those who are navigating in unfamiliar waters, it really pays to consult with experienced professionals. This sort of thing can be uncharted territory for a lot of people, which makes it very easy for them to be taken advantage of.
— Grossman Law Offices
