Truck Driver Dies When Tractor-Trailer Overturns After Leaving Road

Kentucky Case Report: 12KY011
Release Date: May, 2013

The following report is the product of our Cooperative State partner and is presented here in its original unedited form from the state. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the individual Cooperative State partner and do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

SUMMARY

In the early morning hours of a spring day around 5:45 a.m., a 55-year-old male truck driver was driving south on an interstate transporting sheet metal. It is unknown how long he had been driving when he exited from the highway, traveled partially up the ramp, and struck the left side guard rail. The truck left the road, traveled down an embankment and overturned onto its roof. A passing motorist called emergency medical services. The driver was extricated by mechanical means and declared dead at the scene.

To prevent future occurrences of similar incidents, the following recommendations have been made:

• Recommendation No. 1: Employers should provide training to drivers on the importance of being attentive and not engaging in distracting tasks or behaviors while driving.
• Recommendation No. 2: Semi tractor-trailer drivers should be trained to recognize signs of fatigue and drowsiness and when to seek appropriate rest areas.
• Recommendation No. 3: Places for truck drivers to stop and rest should be located at regular intervals along interstates that are heavily traveled by trucks.

Truck Driver Dies When Tractor-Trailer Overturns After Leaving Road [PDF 1.24 MB]