A deadly traffic accident that resulted in the death of a tow truck driver has prompted the Grapevine Police Department to warn about the dangers of driving while fatigued.
On April 16, just before midnight, police responded to an accident in the southbound lanes of North SH-121 along the 2000 block in Grapevine. A man was on the road suffering from “major injuries” some 30 feet away from his tow truck, which had damage to its rear, according to a news release by the Grapevine Police Department. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died the following day from internal injuries.
Another man at the scene who was involved in the crash told authorities that he had fallen asleep at the wheel and was awoken when his work vehicle hit the tow truck. No arrests have been made, but police said they were investigating the incident.
“Extreme fatigue can be just as dangerous as intoxication. If you are too tired to drive, please pull over or seek another ride,” the Grapevine Police Department wrote in a social media post.
A social media user commented on the department’s post, lamenting that drivers will likely not heed its advice.
“Everyone will sit here and act like it’s sad and continue the behavior. Like texting & driving. People do it until they wreck. THEN they change. The rules need to be stricter,” the individual wrote.
According to the CDC, roughly 1 in 25 drivers aged 18 and older have said they have fallen asleep while at the wheel.
“Estimates suggest motor vehicle crashes related to drowsy driving account for roughly 20% of all motor vehicle crashes. Data from the AAA Foundation indicate that sleepiness is implicated in 21% of all motor vehicle crashes resulting in a death and 13% of motor vehicle crashes resulting in hospitalizations — totaling over 300,000 police-reported crashes, over 100,000 injuries, and as many as 6,400 deaths in the United States each year,” a report by the National Sleep Foundation reads.
