Texting Increases the Risk of Trucking Accidents
Distracted driving is known to contribute to millions of automobile accidents each year, and the most common form of distracted driving is texting or using a cell phone while driving. Any auto accident can be damaging, but few are more catastrophic than trucking accidents. Interstate trucking accidents involve large, heavy vehicles that can severely damage other automobiles on the road, and their occupants. So, imagine the danger when you combine texting and trucking accidents. Unfortunately, many in the Scranton, PA, area do not have to imagine the consequences of this potentially deadly combination, because they have experienced it firsthand. Victims of trucking accidents caused by texting should work with an experienced attorney, such as those at Foley Law Firm, to ensure their legal rights are protected after such an accident. Our attorneys fight for maximum compensation for all damages stemming from trucking accidents involving texting.
The Dangers of Texting
Although numerous states have issued laws against texting while driving, it remains a common problem on the road. Many people continue to text while driving because they fail to see it as a risk factor for accidents. They believe that they are able to safely divide their attention between texting and driving. However, statistics tell us otherwise. On average, a person takes their eyes off the road for five seconds when reading a text while driving. Five seconds may sound like a pretty short amount of time, but a vehicle traveling 55mph could travel the entire length of a football field in that five seconds – all without ever looking at the road. This distraction has proven to make a person 23 times more likely to crash or be involved in a near-accident than those who avoid texting while driving.
Texting Among Truck Drivers
Because of the potential damages of a commercial vehicle accident, truck drivers have to follow rigorous standards regarding training, hours worked, and safety guidelines. Sadly, this does not prevent some truck drivers from texting while driving. According to research performed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (or FMCSA), distracted driving is a major cause of trucking accidents, and texting specifically, poses a large accident risk. Since commercial trucking is such a huge industry in the United States, the problem of texting among truck drivers can affect everyone on the road. To minimize the risk of accidents caused by truck drivers who are texting, a federal ban was put in place in 2010 prohibiting texting while driving by any commercial vehicle operator. This extends to commercial truck drivers in states that do not already have laws against texting while driving.
Liability
If a truck driver is involved in a trucking accident while texting, they or the trucking company may be held liable for the damages of the accident. The experienced trucking accident attorneys at Foley Law Firm will fight to ensure their clients are justly compensated for all applicable losses, which may include medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Schedule a Consultation
If you have been injured in a trucking accident that you believe was caused by texting while driving, you may be due financial compensation for your losses. Schedule a consultation with one of the experienced attorneys at Foley Law Firm at your earliest convenience to learn more about your legal rights.