At times while driving, it can be difficult to gauge the speed at which other vehicles are traveling. This is especially true when those vehicles are up ahead and traveling in the same direction. This is a major reason why it’s so important for drivers of stalled motor vehicles to make sure to pull a stalled vehicle over to the far right shoulder of the road.
A recent fatal truck accidents in Alabama has called into question the actions of the driver of a crane truck. The 37-year-old man was driving the crane truck back from a job site when he contends the truck lost power and came to a stop in the middle of the road.
At this time, a man and his female occupant were traveling along in the same direction in a Ford pickup truck. The driver of the pickup truck failed to stop in time to avoid the crane truck and crashed into the back of the heavy equipment vehicle.
Both the driver of the Ford pickup and the female occupant sustained multiple serious injuries in the rear-end collision. Sadly, both died as a result of their variable injuries. The 37-year-old driver of the crane truck was not injured in the crash.
Upon arriving at the accident scene, police noticed the 37-year-old driver was slurring his speech and appeared disoriented. The man was given three field sobriety tests all of which he failed. Police also contend the 37-year-old confided in a nurse that he had taken some sort of pills as well as meth.
The man is currently in jail facing criminal charges related to the fatal accident. In additional to the criminal charges, the families of the car accident victims may choose to file wrongful death lawsuits.
Source: Alabama Live, “Crane driver involved in fatal wreck on I-65 bridge failed sobriety tests, trooper testifies,” Brendan Kirby, Jan. 31, 2013
