Truck Accidents & Texting

Understanding the Dangers of Texting Truck Drivers

It is no surprise to learn that texting while driving is a hazardous decision to make. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), texting is one of the rare activities that combines all three different kinds of distraction – visual, manual and cognitive. It is for this reason that drivers who are texting while driving are four times as likely to get into an accident than those who were not. In fact, texting drivers showed a level of impairment similar to drivers who were under the influence of alcohol.

Drivers of trucks are no different. While many classify them as professional drivers and do not believe that they are prone to the same dangerous behaviors as a regular driver, they are just as likely to get distracted by their handheld devices. In fact, a study held by Virginia Tech's Transportation Institute found that texting drivers were twenty three times as likely to get into an accident as their non-texting counterparts. It was found that every 6 seconds that a driver was sending a text message, they were only looking at the road for 1.4 seconds – a harrowing statistic.

Truck Drivers Banned From Texting by Federal Law

This has led to federal initiative to ban truck drivers from being able to pick up their phones. While there are several state-level laws that ban drivers from using their handheld devices (ex: California, Oregon, New York and Alaska), and other states that ban inexperienced drivers from texting (ex: Texas, Kansas and Maine), there are still many different states that have no such ban in place. For truck drivers who frequently cross state lines, this can pose a serious problem.

In 2010 this led to a release from DOT that announced that any commercial drivers (such as truck and bus drivers) who were found to be picking up their phone would be in danger of experiencing both civil and criminal penalties – including a monetary fine that could top out at $2,750. This, however, is not necessarily viewed as strict enough and many are looking at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to readdress the issue and introduce stricter legislation.

Have you been injured by a texting driver?

Unfortunately, texting drivers are not only endangering themselves, they are also putting every other driver on the road in danger of being involved in hazardous and painful situations. If you have recently been injured in a truck accident that was caused by a driver distracted by texting, it is highly important that you do not hesitate to get the involvement of a truck accident attorney that you can trust to help you file the claim and take the necessary legal action.

Arnold & Itkin is just the firm to help protect your rights. Based in Houston, TX, we are a personal injury firm that has been able to secure hundreds of millions of dollars on behalf of our clients. We are well-versed in personal injury law and have a legal team composed of uniquely skilled lawyers. Although we have only been around for a few years, in these few short years, we have been able to handle more cases than most lawyers can say that they have handled in a lifetime.

Better yet? We have had substantial success during these cases. This has led to our attorneys being honored with accolades such as the "40 Under 40"by Houston Business Journal, "Rising Stars" by the Texas Lawyer and "Top Lawyers for the People" by H Texas Magazine. With this level of experience on your side, you can rest assured knowing that your case will have been placed into trustworthy hands.

Do not hesitate to contact a truck accident lawyer from our firm today if you would like to schedule your case review.