Truck driver distraction can result in serious accidents on our roadways. To protect drivers and passengers on shared roadways, truck driver distraction is prohibited. It is important that truck driver distraction is taken seriously and that victims of truck driver negligence are familiar with the legal resources available to protect them.
Why it is important to avoid truck driver distraction
Distracted driving is a significant concern in the trucking industry. According to a 2006 study, driver distraction was the leading factor in truck accidents and near-accidents. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data collected over a 3-year period estimated that 11,000 truck truck accidents nationwide involved driver distraction dues to distractions external to the truck’s cab. Any distraction that takes the driver’s eyes or attention off the roadway, or hands off the wheel, is considered distracted driving and is a danger on the roadways.
Texting while driving is especially dangerous
Texting while driving is considered especially dangerous because it involves several types of driver distraction. A 2009 study found that text messaging while driving increased a driver’s chances of being involved in a safety-critical event by 23 times. The study also found that in moments leading up to a safety-critical event, drivers who were texting while driving spent close to 5 seconds looking at their phones. When a driver takes their eyes off the roadway for 5 seconds while traveling at 55 miles per hour, that is like traveling the length of a football field without looking.
Texting while driving and cell phone use while driving is banned for commercial truck drivers. Truck driver distraction can cause truck accidents which can be catastrophic in nature. For that reason, personal injury legal protections can help victims who have suffered the misfortune of being a truck accident victim with the harm and damages they have suffered and the hands of a negligent truck driver.