Drowsy lorry driver survives high-speed crash off bridge
This is why you need to take rest breaks on long journeys
A LORRY driver in Texas has shown the dangers of taking to the wheel while tired, after driving his goods vehicle off a bridge.
Caught on camera by nearby CCTV, the crash occurred in the early hours of the morning on April 2, when the lorry veered off an interstate overpass — narrowly missing the bridge’s crash barriers and smashing through a brick wall, before coming to a stop at a junction at the bottom of a slip road.
The smash was the result of the driver falling asleep at the wheel, according to the Grand Prairie Fire Department.
Remarkably, the driver only sustained minor injuries and was discharged from hospital later that day — but will now face a charge of failing to keep in control of the vehicle.
To combat the dangers of fatigue, the UK Highway Code recommends motorists should take a break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours spent behind the wheel. The Code also says you must not begin a car journey if the driver is already feeling tired.
Credit: Grand Prairie Fire Public Information Office via Storyful
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