World · Europe · 2 days ago
Truck driver jailed after fatal crash while a series played
A 24-year-old truck driver in France was sentenced after his truck hit and killed a gendarme on the A13 motorway in the Eure region in October 2022.
The gendarme was working at the roadside with colleagues.
Investigators found that a series was playing on the driver’s tablet at the time of the crash.
The driver said through his lawyer that he had fallen asleep briefly and had heard the series but was not watching it.
He was sentenced to five years in prison, with four years suspended.
French law bans screens in a driver’s field of vision, except for GPS, and violations can bring a fine and penalty points.
A study cited in the story found that 27% of truck drivers admitted to often texting or browsing the internet while driving.
A truck driver was sentenced after a crash that killed a gendarme on the A13 motorway in France.
The crash happened in October 2022 while the gendarme was working with colleagues in Eure.
Investigators found that a series was playing on the driver’s tablet at the time of the crash.
The driver said he had not watched the series and had fallen asleep briefly.
The article gives two different accounts of his sentence: one year in prison without suspension and five years, with four suspended.
- Who
- A 24-year-old truck driver and a gendarme who was killed in the crash.
- What
- The driver was sentenced after his truck hit and killed the gendarme. A series was playing on his tablet.
- When
- The crash happened on a night in October 2022. The article says the driver was sentenced on 17 September, but does not specify the year.
- Where
- On the A13 motorway in Eure, France.
- Why
- The gendarme was working at the roadside when the truck hit him. The driver said he had fallen asleep; the article reports that a series was playing on his tablet.
The driver
Catherine Le Jeune Bolloch
Account of the series
The driver
The driver said he had not watched the series and had fallen asleep briefly.
Catherine Le Jeune Bolloch
Bolloch said the series was on its third episode on the driver’s tablet when the crash happened.
Responsibility
The driver
His lawyer said he was acting in good faith.
Catherine Le Jeune Bolloch
Bolloch said the driver’s behaviour had devastated her family.
A truck hit a gendarme working with colleagues on the A13 motorway in Eure.
Bolloch learned that a series was playing on the driver’s tablet at the time of the crash.
The driver was sentenced, though the article gives conflicting accounts of the prison term.
- Crash location
- A13 motorway, Eure, France
- Crash date
- A night in October 2022
- Driver’s age
- 24
- Series
- The driver’s tablet was playing the third episode, according to Bolloch
- Sentence
- Article reports both one year in prison without suspension and five years, with four suspended
What people are saying
This driver, by his behaviour, smashed us. He destroyed our lives.
He says he was simply hearing the sound and not watching it. That's his version and I think he is acting in good faith.
There is a withdrawal of three points and a 1,500-euro fine, it is a fifth-class offence and the confiscation of the phone or tablet used to commit the offence.
Sources
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