Details about this story

• Source: WCBD-TV 2
• Date: February 22, 2007
• URL: Read the story
• Bylines: Andy Pierrotti
• Topics: Safety , Transportation
• Data Types: State Data
• Description/Excerpt: Johnson's death brings to light an increasing trend of tired truckers driving in South Carolina. During a five month investigation, we looked at every accident report in South Carolina that involved truckers who crashed when the contributing factor was fatigued or asleep. We discovered a 75 percent increase in crashes from 2001 to 2005. Those fatigued drivers contributed to 158 accidents that killed nine people, and left more than 100 injured. The worst happened in 2002 when a school bus was hit by a tired trucker in Lee County. 31 students were injured. Despite property damage, loss of life, and injuries, only 42 percent of those tired truckers were never ticketed.