White et al v. Pro Transport Savannah, Inc. et al

On May 18, 2026, a fatal multi-vehicle collision occurred on Interstate 95 near Savannah, Georgia, when a tractor-trailer owned by Pro Transport Savannah, Inc. crossed the median and struck a passenger vehicle head-on. The crash killed the driver of the passenger vehicle and seriously injured two others. The plaintiffs, surviving family members of the deceased driver, filed a wrongful death and survival action against the trucking company and its driver. The complaint alleged that the truck driver was fatigued from violating federal hours-of-service regulations, that Pro Transport Savannah failed to properly vet, train, and supervise its driver, and that the company knowingly allowed an unsafe operator behind the wheel. The plaintiffs sought compensatory and punitive damages, claiming the company prioritized delivery schedules over public safety.

The case remains pending as of the current date. The court has denied the defendants' motion to dismiss the punitive damages claim, finding sufficient allegations of conscious indifference to safety. Discovery is ongoing, with a trial date expected in late 2026 or early 2027.

Whether Pro Transport Savannah, Inc. was liable for negligent entrustment and whether its conduct rose to the level of willful and wanton disregard for safety warranting punitive damages; whether the driver's fatigue and hours-of-service violations directly caused the collision.

The case has drawn attention to trucking industry safety practices and regulatory compliance in Georgia, intensifying calls for stricter enforcement of hours-of-service rules and mandatory fatigue detection technology in commercial vehicles. It has also spurred debate over the adequacy of minimum insurance requirements for motor carriers and prompted legislative proposals aimed at increasing carrier accountability for driver fatigue-related crashes.