Behind the big shoulder pads, victories and tackles of the professional football players in the NFL are real stories. They have real families, homes. Some have real tragedy in their lives. This week, Vikings running back Matt Asiata lost his father in a fatal motor vehicle accident.
The Associated Press reports that Asiata’s dad worked as a tour bus driver and was on-the-job when the crash occurred on Monday. Investigators continue to try to unravel the details of the fatal accident in order to determine where liability might be assigned. Victims involved, as well as their families, also deserve to know what caused their loss and injuries.
Initial reports and the image of the wreck indicate that Asiata’s dad, the bus driver, rear-ended a utility truck that was in front of him on a highway. The utility truck reportedly had slowed down to make a turn before the bus crashed into it. As a result of the collision, only the bus driver died. A few others involved were injured in the crash.
Both vehicles that were involved in the fatal incident were driven by professional drivers. Those drivers have a certain standard of safety that they must meet while working every day. It is a matter of their individual safety, as well as the safety of those whom they serve through their jobs. If the driver of the utility truck was injured, his injury is a work injury and, therefore, could warrant his need for workers’ compensation.
Answers regarding the cause and possible prevention of the bus accident could help victims of the wreck, including the Asiata family, determine whether they believe justice could be served through civil action. Was something wrong with the bus? Was something wrong with the truck? Did either driver fail to follow traffic laws? These are just some of the questions that authorities will try to answer.
Source: The Associated Press, “Bus driver killed in utility truck crash was NFL player’s father; 3 others injured,” Oct. 29, 2013