Driving as enormous and cumbersome a vehicle as an 18-wheeler often requires a tremendous amount of skill on the driver’s part. Additionally, with several known blind spots on this type of vehicle, it is imperative that the driver be astute and focused on the task at hand. Sadly, the driver of an 18-wheeler caused what was apparently a drunk driving accident in Texas after reportedly failing to stop at a red light.
Police believe that the driver of a big rig was drunk when he caused a fatal accident on a recent Sunday night. After failing to yield to a red light, the driver of the semi pulled into the intersection and attempted a left hand turn. An oncoming SUV, which was driven by a man who was mere minutes away from his home, entered the intersection on a green light and struck the 18-wheeler.
Witnesses to the accident reported that it was the driver of the SUV, not the 18-wheeler, that had the green light. Due to the injuries sustained in the accident, the SUV driver, a father of four, was killed. The driver of the 18-wheeler was subsequently arrested and is facing charges related to the man’s death.
It may be difficult for the victim’s family to grapple with what was likely an avoidable death that occurred so close to home. In Texas, the family of those killed in a drunk driving accident may choose to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of their lost loved one. Financial compensation gained from a successfully presented claim may be unable to tend to any emotional wounds left lingering from a family member’s death, but it may go a long ways when it comes to covering any related expenses incurred from the accident
Source: click2houston.com, “Truck driver charged in deadly crash in southwest Houston”, Mary Cuervo and Amanda Perez, April 7, 2014