Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
Distracted driving is a deadly roadway problem. An even bigger problem is when drivers of big rigs get distracted from using their phones, adjusting radio dials, reaching for things they dropped, or eating and drinking. Driving distracted wastes seconds that you could use to avert a close call or a fatal crash.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, so we wanted to highlight some of the dangers that can arise when drivers of semi-trucks get distracted behind the wheel.
Research from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), shows that the odds of a texting truck driver getting into a crash or near-crash are 23.2 times higher than truck drivers who do not text.
Texting drivers diverted their attention from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. This is equivalent to a car going about the length of a football field at 55 mph without even looking at the road! The likelihood of getting involved in a crash or near-crash is six times higher for truck drivers who dial a number on their cell phone while operating a vehicle.
These alarming figures demonstrate why the FMCSA fines truck drivers up to $2,750 for each instance of inattentive driving.
Safety Regulations for Truck Drivers are Important
Semi-trucks are the largest vehicles on the roadways. Unfortunately, they can also be the most dangerous vehicles on the road. The FMCSA imposes rigorous vehicle weight and size restrictions for safety purposes. Additionally, they have established strict requirements and norms for commercial truck drivers, including the number of hours truck drivers can be operating their vehicles and drug and alcohol testing.
Truckers are likewise prohibited from using cell phones while driving under rigorous FMCSA regulations. A truck driver is required to have a hands-free phone, use voice-activated dialing, or have a speaker phone to use a phone while operating a vehicle.
How To Prove a Distracted Truck Driver Caused Your Florida Car Accident
Our Florida Truck Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can review your case and gather all pertinent evidence to demonstrate that a distracted truck driver caused your accident. If there is evidence of a truck driver’s distraction, we will find it. Some of the things we can do include:
- Subpoena cell phone records of the driver to verify if they were in fact texting or talking on the phone at the time of the incident.
- Review the truck driver’s dash camera footage to determine if a distraction caused the accident.
- Speak to any witnesses of the crash to find out if they saw the truck driver engaging in any distracted driving behaviors.
- Utilize our accident reconstruction experts to show exactly what happened in the events leading up to and during the crash.
Speak to Us About Your Truck Accident Today
If you or a loved one were involved in a truck accident that you think was caused by distracted driving, our Florida Truck Accident Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can help. Call us at 866-608-5529 or contact us online to get a FREE consultation. We can begin helping you with your truck accident claim immediately.