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Fatal 18-Wheeler Wreck Result of Trucker Watching Porn on Laptop

by Caleb Johnson on January 29, 2010 at 07:44 AM

It's no secret how dangerous it is for truck drivers to use in-cab computers and navigation systems while driving. Yesterday, the federal Department of Transportation (DOT) prohibited truckers from texting on the road, but, unfortunately, there's no such ban on other devices.

Now, we're seeing the heartbreaking results of this lack of action. According to an Associated Press report, a truck driver who was watching porn on his in-cab laptop struck a car near Buffalo, New York this past December, killing the woman inside. Thomas Wallace, a 45-year-old trucker from Ohio, was arrested Tuesday and charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Julie Stratton, a 33-year-old mother. Police say Wallace also broke federal trucking laws by sleeping less than four hours in the 27-hour period preceding the wreck. Stratton was inside the car, which was broken down on the side of a New York State Thruway after she'd hit a deer, when Wallace's truck swerved and crashed into her vehicle.

While this is a horrible event, it often takes a tragedy to spur positive action. It's a shame that a woman had to die, but let's hope Stratton's death will encourage legislators to clamp down on the truckers who use personal computers while piloting those massive rigs through our highways and byways. [From: The Associated Press on Huffington Post and Buffalo News]

Tags: car, death, distracted driving, laptop, porn, top, transportation, truck, trucker

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