Accidents involving 18-wheelers in Texas aren’t always the fault of the truck driver. Car drivers can be just as much at fault, depending on the facts of the case.
In a recent accident, the car driver died because he was apparently driving while distracted.
It was a pretty egregious case of distracted driving, too; according to KWTX News, the driver had been using both a mobile phone and a laptop computer just prior to slamming into the back of an 18-wheeler.
There are simply more 18-wheelers on Texas roads these days, due to the oil boom in the Eagle Ford Shale. Hundreds of oilfield trucks dot highways and rural roads, making it more hazardous for all drivers. But in this case, you can’t blame the driver of the 18-wheeler, who had simply been slowing down while preparing to turn off the highway. Nor can you blame the fact that there are more trucks.
The moral of the story is that truck accidents are caused by both truck drivers and car drivers – and all it takes is distracted driving (or sleepy or drunk driving) to cause a fatal wreck. With all the additional oilfield truck traffic, it pays to pay attention to the road.
Source: Car Rear-Ends 18-Wheeler On Texas Highway; Driver Dies