Distracted driving, specifically texting while driving, causes nearly 20% of all accident fatalities. Truck drivers spend day after day on the road, away from their family and friends, thus texting and driving is a well documented issue.
If texting and driving isn’t bad enough, texting while behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound tractor trailer magnifies the risk for catastrophic truck accidents in Ohio and throughout the country. Some truck drivers are even required (company policy) to communicate via text message regarding arrival times, load information, and other miscellaneous work information.
Distracted truck drivers, who use a dashboard-mounted dispatch system to communicate to their superiors, may be one of the greatest causes of trucking accidents in the United States.
These systems are mounted at eye level, near the driver’s steering wheel so drivers are able to read and send text messages while they drive! The length of these text messages can be as long as several paragraphs, causing drivers to be distracted for a dangerously long time.
While these devices are marketed to improve a trucking company’s efficiency and profitability, the true cost of lost lives may actually result in far greater financial cost.
Truck drivers spend their lives on the road, which means they are faced with many other forms of distraction, including:
- Cellphone use
- GPS system, radio or road maps
- Daydreaming.
- Eating, drinking, or smoking
- Reading
- Fatigue
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) studies reveal some scary statistics among distracted truck drivers and the risk for truck accidents:
- When a truck driver dials a cell phone, they are 5.9 times more likely to cause a truck accident.
- When a truck driver reaches for a cell phone, they are 6.7 times more likely to cause a truck accident.
- When a truck driver uses a dispatch device, they are 8.9 times more likely to cause an accident.
- When a truck driver looks at a map or GPS, they are 7 times more likely to cause an accident.
Don’t let yourself or someone you love become the victim of a distracted truck driver. If you’ve been involved in a truck accident, you have to call me immediately at 1 (800) 556-4769. As your Ohio truck accident lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over 33 years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio.” You can reach Tim by email at tmisny@misnylaw.com or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.