In June 2014, comedian Tracy Morgan made national headlines, not for the content of his comedy, but because his limo-van was impacted and nearly destroyed in an accident involving a tractor-trailer being driven for the big-box retail giant Walmart.
Tracy Morgan's good friend James McNair, a well-known comedian in his own right, was killed in the crash, and Mr. Morgan himself spent time in a coma in critical condition. Kevin Roper, the driver of the semi-truck that hit Mr. Morgan's limosine van, was confirmed to have been working for 13 consecutive hours prior to the accident, and was only a half-hour shy of the federal daily limit when it occurred. Prosecutors have alleged that he had not slept for at least twenty-four hours straight in the time prior to the crash.
One detail often left out of news articles about this tragedy is that, unfortunately, wrecks with tractor trailers are not a rare occurance. Wrecks involving tractor trailers are actually increasing nationwide, according to this report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The rates of semi-truck accidents have gone up more than 16% since 2009. Your chances of being involved in a wreck involving a tractor trailer are higher than you think. It's important to be informed and aware of your rights in case you or a loved one is involved in one of these dangerous collisions.