Drowsy Driving Can Be Deadly
It is easy to summon outrage against drunk drivers and distracted drivers. We can all think of ways that the driver himself or herself could have prevented the collision. There are ways to plan a night of drinking so that no one has to drive drunk, from designated drivers to rideshare rides to destination drinking. Likewise, cars today are designed to minimize cell phone distractions. The default mode is for your phone to guide you safely to your destination with GPS navigation, play music to keep you focused, and let you know that your text messages will be waiting for you at your destination; if you give into the temptation to scroll or type on your phone while the car is in motion, that is your own failing. Drowsy driving is just as dangerous, but drowsy drivers usually only engage in such dangerous behavior when they feel that they have no other choice; if there were time to rest, they would. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident where a driver fell asleep behind the wheel, contact an auto accident lawyer.
Truck Driver Fell Asleep at the Wheel Before Fatally Striking Man Attending to Disabled Vehicle
Anyone who has taken a long road trip knows how hard it is to stay alert while driving for long hours. Imagine doing that multiple times per week, almost every week, and you will understand why being a commercial truck driver is not for the faint of heart. Federal and state regulations aim to reduce the risk of driver drowsiness. There are limits on the number of hours truckers can drive per shift, per day, and per week, as well as rules about when they must take breaks and what they must do during those breaks, to the point that, when the new rules were introduced, some drivers and employers complained about reduced productivity.
It appears that the Department of Transportation’s caution was well placed, though. One night in June 2026, a trucker was driving an 18-wheeler on Interstate 78 in Sussex County, when he dozed off. He crashed into a man beside the road, who was trying to push his broken-down vehicle, inflicting fatal injuries. An investigation revealed that the truck’s inward facing camera recorded that the truck driver was asleep for seven seconds before he crashed.
The family of the victim is suing the company that employed the truck driver. The plaintiffs claim that the employer scheduled the driver to work more hours than it was safe for him to drive, placing him at risk of drowsiness and the disastrous accidents that can result when truck drivers drive when they are too tired. When the at fault driver was driving in the context of his or her work, it is usually the employer who is legally responsible for the accident.
Contact Monaco Law About Truck Accidents
Contact Monaco Law PC in Marlton, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss your truck accident case. Joseph Monaco is a New Jersey and Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer serving Atlantic County, Bucks County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Camden County, Chester County, Cumberland County, Delaware County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia, Ocean County, Salem County, Susquehanna County and all of New Jersey.
Source:
nj.com/news/2026/06/dash-cam-shows-nj-trucker-asleep-for-7-seconds-before-fatal-i-78-crash-lawsuit-says.html
