With the summer months coming to an end, and kids going back to school, many families will be travelling on those last minute trips that come in September. For the people who do their best to patrol our streets and keep us safe from vehicle accidents, this will be a hard month for them. They just want to ensure that everyone travels safely and avoids dangerous behavior behind the wheel, especially semi-trucks or tractor-trailers.
There are more than 10,000 state and local law enforcement agencies that patrol the roads and as part of the annual “drive sober or get pulled over” campaign kicks off, being aware of your surroundings when you are sharing the highway with big trucks is important right now.
Sometimes, passing a big rig can be frightening. You aren’t sure if the driver even knows that you are attempting to go around him or her. As a general rule, when you can’t see their mirror, they can’t see you either. What happens if one of these truck drivers is driving while intoxicated, or DWI?
If they get caught and have a Blood Alcohol Concentration of.08 or higher there is no doubt that they will be arrested.
In 2013, drunk driving took 10,076 lives. Of those, over half were at a .15 or higher, and that is nearly twice the limit. This can lead to jail time and financial penalties for truckers who are caught. They will be incarcerated for up to one year for a first offense and pay a fine up to $5,000. They will definitely not be able to get behind the wheel again for a good long time, if ever.
If you know the law, you may want to pursue a court case if you have been injured in a truck accident. Knowing your options is vital.
Source: U.S. Department of Transortation, “Celebrate Labor Day, Yes, but Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” accessed Sep. 15, 2015
