Sleepy truck driver injured after crashing into 7 parked cars

A sleepy truck driver dozed off and crashed into seven cars parked in the left lane of a road in the central province of Chachoengsao yesterday, September 11. The driver sustained only a minor injury.

Officers from Saen Phu Dart Police Station in the Ban Pho district of Chachoengsao province investigated the accident on Prawet-Thepparat Road at about 1pm, along with rescuers. The damaged vehicles included the green Hino 22-wheel truck, three sedans, one pickup truck, one six-wheel truck, and one motorcycle.

The damaged vehicles belonged to people who came to dine at a noodle shop on the roadside. Fortunately, no one was in their cars at the time.

The Hino truck driver, 28 year old Rachain, waited for the police on the roadside. He told officers that he was on his way to transfer rubbish and fell asleep while driving, waking up only when the crash occurred. He decided to open the truck door and jump out to save his life as the truck continued to crash into other cars.

The owner of one damaged saloon car, 58 year old Samroeng Sookjit, told Amarin TV that he had just bought the car at 4am on the day of the incident. He drove it from the central province of Samut Songkhram and was almost home in Chachoengsao when he stopped to eat noodles.

Samroeng stated that he saw the truck crash directly into his car and drag it along the road before hitting other vehicles. He realised immediately that his new car was likely a total loss, as the damage could not be repaired.

It is not reported whether the police conducted further medical or drug tests to confirm the truck driver’s account. The legal consequences for the driver have not yet been confirmed by the officers.

According to a similar previous case, Rachain may face charges under Section 358 of the Criminal Law: causing damage to another person’s property. The penalty includes imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to 6,000 baht, or both.

However, this fine does not include compensation that the suspect would have to pay to each victim. It is also unclear whether Rachain owned the truck or was employed to drive it.