Close X
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
ADVT 
Interesting

Indian-Origin Driver Jailed For Falling Asleep At Wheel In England

Darpan News Desk IANS, 23 Jun, 2016 12:27 PM
    LONDON:  A 31-year-old Indian-origin delivery van driver has been jailed for two years and four months by a UK court after he fell asleep at the wheel, killing his work colleague.
     
    Malkit Chaukria was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving of 29-year-old Aaron Ryan at Gloucester Crown Court in south-west England on Tuesday.
     
    Judge Michael Cullum also banned Chaukria from driving for four years and two months during sentencing and criticised his transport firm employer for sending the driver out for such long hours that he fell asleep at the wheel.
     
    "You did not set out to kill Mr Ryan in any way - he was your friend. But his death was utterly avoidable," The judge told Chaukria.
     
    "Tiredness when driving kills - we all know that. The hours you were expected to drive were utterly irresponsible and it is obvious to me that your employer bears a high degree of moral responsibility for what happened," Judge Cullum said.
     
    Chaukria was regularly starting work at 2.30 am, driving between 300 and 500 miles to deliver white goods for the Co-op in the West Country region of England, and not getting home till about 7-8 pm.
     
    He nodded off at the wheel of his Mercedes Sprinter van as he headed home on an evening of November 2014 and veered onto the hard shoulder where he smashed into a broken down 44-tonne lorry.
     
    Mr Ryan, who was in the front passenger seat, was killed instantly.
     
    "It is not for me to comment on the minimum wage that you and Mr Ryan were being paid for working ridiculously long hours and driving hundreds of miles each day, for, it must be said a modest payment," the judge said.
     
    "I presume that had you refused to work such long hours, which you should have done, then you would have lost your job," the judge added.
     
    The prosecution said during the trial that earlier the same day of the fatal collision Mr Ryan had to wake Chaukria up when he nodded off during another delivery run.

    MORE Interesting ARTICLES

    Shared pain strengthens bonds among people

    Shared pain strengthens bonds among people
    Despite its unpleasantness, pain may actually have positive social consequences, acting as a sort of "social glue" that fosters cohesion and solidarity...

    Shared pain strengthens bonds among people

    Why fat people tend to overeat

    Why fat people tend to overeat
    Triggers such as the smell of popcorn at a movie theatre or a commercial for a snack may have a stronger pull for obese people due to differences...

    Why fat people tend to overeat

    Fish as clever as chimps at choosing partner for tasks

    Fish as clever as chimps at choosing partner for tasks
    Fish may have smaller brains than chimpanzees but they perform as well if not better than humankind's closest evolutionary relative...

    Fish as clever as chimps at choosing partner for tasks

    Two parents can better shield teenagers from alcohol use

    Two parents can better shield teenagers from alcohol use
    Teenagers who live with single parents are more likely to use alcohol and marijuana than those who live with two college-educated parents, says a study....

    Two parents can better shield teenagers from alcohol use

    Skipping school leads to unsafe sex among teenage girls?

    Skipping school leads to unsafe sex among teenage girls?
    After combing through 80,000 diary entries written by 387 teenage girls in the US, researchers at Indiana University examined the day-to-da...

    Skipping school leads to unsafe sex among teenage girls?

    Learn belly dance to explore your true self

    Learn belly dance to explore your true self
    If you want to be mentally and physically present "in the moment" and feel good about yourself, shun inhibitions and try belly dance for a change....

    Learn belly dance to explore your true self