Enjoy, relax, be safe and hope you have great weather!
The weather might limit some plans for the holiday weekend for many, but I hope that is the worst that happens. Millions of families will be hitting the road to visit relatives, travel to parks to camp, or take a long weekend vacation. So, please rest up and don’t drive while distracted or fatigued.
Recent Driver Fatigue Example:
This is a tragic reminder of what can happen to a fatigued driver, putting themselves and innocent victims at risk of serious injury or death.
After falling asleep while driving, a truck driver crashed his box truck into a rest stop in Ohio. According to the Ohio Highway Patrol, there was little evidence of braking and they found nothing wrong with the truck’s brakes. The truck driver was cited for driving a commercial vehicle with impaired awareness and failure to maintain control.
Another Recent Example of Driver Fatigue:
The driver of a 2001 International fell asleep at the wheel on the morning of May 5 while travelling southbound on Highway 169, causing a three-vehicle crash near the intersection of the highway and 193rd Avenue in Elk River. The Minnesota State Patrol was called to the scene shortly before 9 a.m.
The initial investigation determined Timothy Tillman, a 31-year-old Minneapolis man, fell asleep while driving his 2001 International 4000 series truck and rear-ended a 1995 International being driven by Brandon Belland, a 25-year-old Milaca man. Belland’s truck then rear-ended a 1998 International truck being driven by Steven Workman, a 21-year-old Princeton man. Tillman was the only one transported to a hospital. Belland suffered non-life threatening injuries. Workman did not have any apparent injuries from the crash. (Story Credited to Mille Lacs County Times)
Stay Safe While Traveling This Holiday Weekend
This is why so many of us safety advocates are pushing the trucking industry to adopt and install automatic braking equipment in their heavy trucks which have been proven to eliminate more than 40% of all rear-ender crashes; imagine, if the driver falls asleep, the truck will not run into cars or rest stops, and no one gets hurt!
Best wishes for a safe weekend, and safe travel home!