If something goes wrong while you are behind the wheel, you may be stopped by officers to ensure that you are not driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This is just as much for your own safety as for that of other road users. Erratic driving could mean any number of things, such as a health condition like a heart attack, seizure or stroke.
In Phoenix, Arizona a truck driver was asked to submit to a field sobriety test after his truck was involved in a five-vehicle collision. According to reports, the truck driver did not smell of alcohol. However, he is said to have slurred his speech and struggled tokeep his balance during the test. He is also said to have had bloodshot eyes with drooping eyelids.
The driver explained that he had fallen asleep at the wheel. It has been suggested that prescription pain relief medication may have contributed to this. The drugs were intended to help him manage pain in his shoulder and back and he is reported to have been taking them since earlier in 2014. The driver now faces charges relating to the death of a 22-year-oldalso involved in the crash.
Events like this are tragic and unfortunate and all too often lives are lost, not through negligence, but sheer misfortune. If you have been involved in an accident as a result of circumstances beyond your control, you might benefit from the support of an attorney. He or she can evaluate your case and might be able to help you avoid conviction.
Source: AZ Family, “Truck driver in fiery fatal crash said he was asleep,” Mike Gertzman, Nov. 23, 2014
