Dallas, 09/21/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/
Long-haul semi-truck drivers have demanding jobs that keep them behind the wheel for hours at a time. Our country’s economy relies on these truck operators to make deliveries on time, every time. Most truck drivers are hard-working professionals who take safety seriously and follow the rules. Unfortunately, it only takes one negligent truck driver to cause a serious or fatal crash.
Truck drivers face harsh penalties for driving distracted. If they are caught, they could lose their driving privileges, which means losing their livelihood. They also face hefty fines.
Do You Know the 3 Types of Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving has become a major problem on American roads. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), distracted driving can be broken down into three different types:
Visual. Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road is a visual distraction. Common visual distractions include cell phones, email, and texting. Even glancing back to speak to a passenger qualifies as a visual distraction.
Manual. Your hands should always be on the wheel. When they’re not, you don’t have full control of your vehicle. Even a temporary loss of control on the part of a semi-truck driver can result in a catastrophic accident. Reaching for something in the truck’s cab is a potentially deadly manual distraction.
Cognitive. Many people claim they’re good at multitasking. Actually, it’s a myth that the brain can multitask. When you think you’re doing two things at once, your brain is really just shifting rapidly between two or more tasks. If you’re thinking about other things besides driving, you are not fully aware of your drive.
As you might guess, texting or even just talking on a phone is a task that can involve all three types of driver distraction. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) actually bans all commercial truck drivers from doing any of the following activities while operating a vehicle:
- Holding a cell phone to receive or send a call
- Dialing more than a single button on a cell phone
- Reaching for a cell phone if doing so causes the driver to move from a seated position
- Texting while driving
- Reading on any type of mobile device
- Typing more than a single button on any kind of mobile device
The FMCSA has stated that semi-truck operators who text and drive are 23 times more likely to cause an accident.
Serious Penalties for Truck Drivers Who Break the Rules
Semi-truck operators who break federal texting and mobile device rules face harsh consequences. Under current guidelines, any commercial driver who violates the texting and driving ban must pay up to $2,750 in fines per violation. The fines are even higher for commercial carriers, which can be forced to pay up to $11,000 per violation.
Do You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer?
Truck accident cases are not like other motor vehicle crashes. Long-haul truck drivers routinely cross state lines while driving their routes. For them, a normal day at the office may involve driving hundreds of miles, during which they will pass hundreds and perhaps even thousands of regular cars. When you’re involved in a crash with one of these massive vehicles, your case can easily involve parties in multiple states, major insurance companies, and big truck carriers from across the country. It’s important to work with lawyers who handle these cases every day.
See our related posts:
NTSB Cites Truck Driver Fatigue as Cause of Fatal Crash That Injured Comedian
Why Being Paid by the Mile Is No Excuse for Truckers to Drive Negligently
Call a Texas Truck Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Evaluation
The Texas truck accident lawyers at 1800 Truck Wreck will evaluate your truck accident case for free. Talk to a lawyer 24/7 about your case. Call 1-800-878-2597.
Media Contact
Lucy Tiseo
Eberstein & Witherite, LLP
Phone: 800-878-2597
Email: [email protected]
source: http://www.1800truckwreck.com/happens-truck-driver-caught-driving-distracted.html
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