This morning there is a KCCI report about a Runnels, Iowa car accident involving an SUV and a Lexus traveling southbound on SE 116^th Street in Polk County. The SUV is heading northbound at 4:10 a.m. in the 4100 block of SE 116^th Street, just north of Runnels when the Lexus driver comes across the center line hitting her head on. He died and she headed by air ambulance to Des Moines Hospital. Right now we have no ISP report to review that may disclose why this young man crossed the center line. We may never know. One place to look for clues would be his cell phone and another may be forensic clues. Another would be to talk with his family and friends. Why; because in this instance this young man's schedule may hold a clue to whether or not he simply fell asleep at the wheel. I've written previously about falling asleep at the wheel and whether that is a legal excuse from negligence. Driver fatigue is a challenge for truck drivers and for overworked and overstressed workers. 

Those allegedly involved: James Calhoun, 21 or Pleasantville. An obituary for Mr. Calhoun was printed in the Des Moines Register on September 30, 2011. He looked like a nice young man. This young man worked two jobs and was engaged to be married. I have to wonder if he just didn't fall asleep at the wheel. Hopefully he wasn't driving while distracted with a cell phone. The other driver who is mending is Kimberly Cooper of Runnels. 

This is a side to personal injury work other's don't see. There are many times when the at-fault driver is a nice person and as lawyers we get no pleasure out of doing what must be done to assist the not-at-fault driver for personal injury that is not of their own making. Even though it is a terrible situation for many to deal with, we can learn something useful from the tragedy to teach young drivers and overworked truckers from the facts of any accident, including those where a driver falls asleep and crosses the center line. For further reading about falling asleep at the wheel, driver fatigue or sleep-deprived driving follow this link.