MONTGOMERY, MO- 59-year-old Eric Long was seriously injured after his vehicle collided with another vehicle on I-70. Authorities also reported that one other unidentified person was injured.
According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, the driver of a 2019 Volvo BNR fell asleep at the wheel, causing their vehicle to veer off the right side of the roadway and collide with a 2019 Volvo VNR parked outside the roadway.
Long was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The crash is still under investigation.
No other information was immediately available.
Thoughts on crash resulting in severe injury in Montgomery County, Missouri
While our firm always advocates for independent investigations into vehicle accidents, the facts here demand one. We wish Mr. Long and the other individual a speedy recovery, and both deserve to have any potential causes of their injuries identified, and any wrongdoers held accountable for their actions or negligence.
Truck drivers keep varied and demanding schedules due to the nature of their jobs. There are industry rules and regulations specifically designed to address this reality by clarifying how long the rest periods for drivers need to be between driving shifts. One reason we often see drivers fall asleep at the wheel is a willful disregard for these rest periods on the part of the driver’s employer. If an investigation finds that the employer of the driver who fell asleep here had neglected to enforce these rest periods for their drivers or actively encouraged their drivers to shorten or skip those rest periods, Mr. Long and the other injured individual may be able to seek legal recourse against the employer.
It is also possible that there was a technological failure that must be accounted for. Newer vehicles such as those involved here are now regularly equipped with crash avoidance technology designed to keep the vehicle in the lane, alert the driver to oncoming obstacles or slowed traffic, and sometimes even engage the braking system for the driver. An independent investigation would reveal if this technology was functioning properly or if the driver had been trained to use it. If the technology malfunctions, it is possible a claim could be made against the manufacturer. If the driver was not trained on such technology, their employer may be held accountable for those injured as a result.
Our firm is experienced at conducting these investigations and getting answers, and results, for our clients quickly. We don’t stop at the first possible cause—we pursue every possibility until we are certain we’ve identified all paths to recovery for our clients. We are grateful there were no fatalities in this case, and we wish Mr. Long and the other injured individual a speedy recovery.
