July 20, 2015
Kenneth N. Jefferson, loving father of four daughters and grandfather of 10 children, was killed on Sunday after a tractor-trailer went off the road and crashed with several motorcycles parked along Interstate-85 in Guilford County, North Carolina.
Jefferson, a Chesterfield resident, was part of a group travelling from the Northern Virginia/Southern Maryland area to Atlanta, GA to attend a bikers rally.
NBC12 reports that the accident occurred after a tractor trailer driver drifted from the middle southbound travel lane and went off the road, colliding with six parked motorcycles.
Neither Daniel S. Serna, who was driving the tractor-trailer at the time, nor his co-driver Jacob Salazar were injured as a result of this collision. Both men were evaluated at the scene by NC State Highway Patrol, and neither was impaired by alcohol or drugs. According to NBC12, it appears that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that drowsy driving caused about 72,000 crashes, 800 fatalities and 44,000 injuries in 2013 alone – a staggering figure, considering that drowsy driving is widely acknowledged to be an underreported cause of crashes.
While driving time for commercial truck drivers is heavily regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation, truckers can be particularly susceptible to behind-the-wheel drowsiness. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 750 people die and 20,000 more are injured each year due directly to fatigued commercial vehicle drivers.
If you or a loved one is injured by a driver asleep at the wheel, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at ReidGoodwin today to schedule a legal consultation.