Distracted Semi-Truck Driver Flips a Michigan Town’s Fire Truck
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A recent fire rescue in Warren went awry as fire fighters became the victims, not the rescuers. A tractor-trailer driver traveling southbound on Sherwood struck the rear of the fire truck as it headed westbound on Nine Mile responding to an emergency medical dispatch. Its lights and emergency equipment were activated at the time the fire rig was struck by the semi truck. The semi truck then careened into a utility pole cutting off electrical service for a period of time after the accident.
Three Warren firefighters were injured and treated at a local hospital. The fire truck has also been declared a total loss.
The semi driver claimed that his view of the speeding fire truck was obstructed by a tall building nearby, but officials believe he was also distracted at the time of the truck accident. He was cited and fined $175 for causing the truck accident.
Lawmakers, Employers Crack Down On Distracted Driving
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has estimated that six percent of all drivers were using a hand-held device at any given time in 2008. As new mobile technologies and applications become more popular, government officials and law enforcement agencies across the nation have stepped up enforcement of distracted driving laws. Michigan is one of 30 states that have banned texting while driving - other states have even stricter laws that ban any use of a cell phone or electronic mobile device while driving.
Employers nationwide have also enacted on-the-job safe driving policies that prohibit or highly regulate the use of mobile devices while driving on the job. Employers have recognized that they run the risk of a personal injury lawsuit if one of their employees causes a motor vehicle accident like the one involving the Warren fire crew.
Contact an experienced Ann Arbor personal injury attorney if you or a loved one was seriously injured or killed by a distracted driver.
