Home » Telecommunications Articles » Hazardous and Outlawed: Texting While Driving a Commercial Truck or Bus
Hazardous and Outlawed: Texting While Driving a Commercial Truck or Bus
Commercial drivers, such as truckers, face many distractions both inside and outside the cab. One such distraction is cell phone use, which can include the dangerous act of texting while driving.
April 02, 2010 /Telecommunications PR News/ -- April 02, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Hazardous and Outlawed: Texting While Driving a Commercial Truck or Bus
As technological devices for communication and navigation become more portable and their use more widespread, there has been a marked increase in distracted driving. This rise has been so meteoric that U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently referred to distracted driving as an "epidemic." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the proportion of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of fatal crashes increased from 8 percent in 2004 to 11 percent in 2008. The 2008 crashes involving driver distraction resulted in 5,870 preventable deaths.
Big Trucks Mean More Damage
The danger for serious injury or death increases when crashes involve large commercial trucks colliding with smaller vehicles like cars. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, in 9 out of 10 fatal crashes involving both cars and semi-trailer trucks, the deceased was an occupant of the passenger vehicle. Further, since a large truck requires a longer stopping distance than a car, a truck crash often involves multiple vehicles.
Commercial truck drivers' long hours on the road offer many opportunities for distraction eating, reading maps, adjusting the radio, talking on a cell phone or texting. Aiming to eliminate one of the worst distractions, a federal ban on texting by commercial truck and bus drivers took effect on January 26, 2010. Drivers cited for texting can face civil or criminal penalties and up to $2,750 in fines.
The state of New York has banned talking on handheld cell phones while driving since 2001. Last fall, a new law went into effect for New York drivers that bans using a handheld device to send or read text messages or emails while on the road. These laws are applicable to everyone, including commercial truck drivers.
Drive Attentively and Defensively
Most collisions with trucks occur on straight and dry pavement, in normal weather, and without any indication of alcohol use. The U.S. Department of Transportation also found that more than half of fatal crashes involving cars and commercial trucks are caused by the drivers of the cars. However, this may not automatically excuse truck drivers and their companies from liability.
To avoid these serious car and semi-trailer truck accidents, both auto motorists and drivers of commercial trucks must be well-rested and pay constant attention to the road. Motorists can reduce their risk of colliding with trucks by avoiding the large blind spots, or "no-zones" in the front, back, and on both sides of a truck.
Everyone should obey the laws of the road, especially truckers and other commercial drivers. These laws now include a ban on texting and using other technology which distract drivers and can cause serious accidents or injuries. If you are in an accident where the truck driver was distracted, contact a local trucking accident or personal injury attorney today.
Article provided by O'Connor, O'Connor, Bresee & First, P.C.
Visit us at www.personalinjuryalbany.com
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