A Nashville reporter did an analysis of truck wreck data and found that truck drivers who violated hours of service rules, fell asleep and caused wrecks were seldom ticketed and fined. Out of 64 truckers who were reported as “apparently asleep” and either injured or killed someone, 70% did not even get a ticket. Of 1900 truck drivers ticketed for driving excess hours, the average fine was $231. One trucker who admitted he fell asleep at the wheel slammed into a convenience store, killing a man pumping gas and causing an explosion. The trucker was never prosecuted or ticketed and still has a valid license – which shows no sign of the accident. He could be hired to haul hazardous material tomorrow.

The Shigley Law Firm represents plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases statewide in Georgia, and in other states subject to the multijurisdictional practice and pro hac vice rules in each state. Ken Shigley was designated as a “SuperLawyer” in Atlanta Magazine and one of the “Legal Elite” in Georgia Trend Magazine. He is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, Chair of the Southeastern Motor Carrier Liability Institute and former chair of the Georgia Insurance Law Institute. He particularly focuses on cases arising from truck wrecks and accidents (tractor trailers truck wrecks, semi truck wrecks,18 wheeler truck wrecks, big rig truck wrecks, log truck wrecks, dump truck wrecks).