Truck Driver Admits He Was Distracted in Fatal Wreck in OK | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

A tractor trailer driver involved in a deadly crash with a bus of college students in Oklahoma Sept. 29, admitted to the police that he was distracted at the time.

The 53 year-old truck driver was driving northbound on I-35 when he crossed the 90 foot wide median into the southbound lanes. He then slammed into a bus carrying the women’s softball team from North Central Texas College. Four women died and 11 were injured, including the bus driver.

The police stated that the truck drove in the median for several seconds, and that the driver admitted he was distracted.

The truck was a 2013 Peterbilt and there were no signs of braking or that any attempt was made to stop the crossing of the median. The NTSB stated in its early investigation that there was no sign of skidding, braking or evasive action.

Prior to this crash, the truck driver had a good safety record, ranking better than average. But it did not prevent him from a few seconds of distraction that proved fatal.

We see distracted driving incidents all too often as Virginia truck accident attorneys. A tractor trailer can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, and it takes a long time to stop such a large vehicle. It is incredibly important for all truck drivers to maintain complete attention on the road and to never be distracted for any reason. Cases of distracted truck drivers usually end in disaster, such as the above case, and our case in Virginia Beach we won a $3.5 million settlement. Our hope is that other truck drivers will learn from the tragic case in Oklahoma and drive more carefully.