Any kind of an accident involving a commercial vehicle such as an 18-wheeler or a semi-truck has the potential of being disastrous. This is precisely what one truck driver found out when he failed to stop for a school bus in Sampson County, N.C.
Although truck accidents to this degree are rare, they do occur. In this case, the tractor-trailer hit and killed a young girl as she crossed U.S. Highway 421. The school bus had followed all appropriate laws for unloading passengers, including turning on the warning lights.
The U.S. Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood was appalled by the actions of the truck driver who held a CDL through the state of North Carolina. He was employed by Ricky Lucas Trucking in Roseboro. Secretary LaHood agrees that safety must be the highest priority in our country. He went on to declare that any professional driver who would demonstrate such a disregard for public safety, including endangering children, should not be employed as professional drivers, nor should they be on the roads at all.
Police in North Carolina arrested the truck driver involved in this incident. He was charged with felony hit and run, reckless driving, and involuntary manslaughter, among many other charges that were brought by the state of North Carolina.
An investigation into the incident by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration continues.
There are many causes of trucking accidents, including truck driver fatigue and drug and alcohol use while driving. These types of accidents are an indication of negligence on the part of the truck company as well as on the part of the driver.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, “U.S. Department of Transportation Declares N.C. Truck Driver in Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash to be an Imminent Hazard to Public Safety,” April 26, 2013