Maryland truck accidents are often results of one or more commonly occurring negligent driving behaviors, such as intoxication, distraction, or drowsy driving. In most truck accident cases, authorities are able to pin down the cause of a truck accident shortly after the collision. However, in accidents involving multiple vehicles or great loss of life, a more in-depth investigation is often required.
According to a recent article, authorities in California announced the results of a year-long investigation, indicating that they will be bringing charges against the driver of a truck involved in the fatal 2016 accident that claimed 13 lives and injured another 31 passengers. Back in October of last year, a charter bus with over 40 elderly passengers aboard slammed into the rear of a semi-truck that was stopped on the highway.
At the time, it was unclear how the accident could have occurred; however, the investigation uncovered what happened in the moments leading up to the fatal truck accident. Evidently, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) had conducted a routine closure of traffic lanes related to a construction project. Traffic began to back up, and the truck driver stopped the truck in the west-most lane. A short time later, CHP officers opened up the lanes of travel, and traffic began to move again. However, the truck driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel. As traffic picked up, the truck driver stayed asleep. He did not wake up until the bus slammed into the back of his truck, going over 75 miles per hour.