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Trucker texting puts motorists in harm’s way

On Behalf of | Dec 18, 2019 | Truck Accidents

Strict rules help protect the public from truck drivers who are texting while driving, which is a particularly dangerous behavior. Any type of distracted driving-related accident can be serious for victims, but because of the size of semi-trucks and commercial vehicles, a truck accident with a distracted truck driver can be devastating.

Truck drivers are prohibited from texting while driving. Research reveals that the odds of being involved in a safety-critical accident increase by 23.2 times for truck drivers who text while driving when compared to those who do not. Drivers who text while driving removed their eyes from the roadway for an average of 4.6 seconds. While driving at 55 miles per hour, that means a truck driver’s eyes are removed from the roadway for the length of a football field.

A truck driver who is texting while driving is an inattentive truck driver who can cause serious accidents and injuries to victims. Federal rules restrict the use of hand-held phones for truck drivers while they are driving. Texting while driving includes entering a text or reading a text while driving. Texting includes short message services, emailing, instant messaging, commands or requests to access a webpage, or pressing anything greater than a single button to initiate or terminate a phone call using a cell phone. Prohibited texting activity is not limited to the behaviors described and can include others.

Truck driver texting while driving rules are designed to protect the public and help keep them safe. Similarly, personal injury legal resources are available to protect truck accident victims who have suffered harm in a truck accident and may need to recover compensation from a negligent truck driver with their physical, financial, and emotional damages. Truck accident victims and their families should always be familiar with the legal remedies available to them.

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