Distracted Truck Driver to Blame for the Crash He Caused While Talking on a Cell Phone

When you talk about drunk driving, most people understand that it is dangerous to consume alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a car. But when it comes to distracted driving, which has been proven to be just as, if not more, dangerous than drunk driving, people may seem less concerned. That indifference is especially dangerous when it comes to commercial trucks. When a big truck is involved in a crash with a smaller passenger vehicle, the chances of injury or death are far greater for the occupants of the passenger vehicle due to the vast difference in size and weight.

In November of 2016, a manufacturing company reached a settlement agreement with a couple who were severely injured when the company's truck crashed into the couple's vehicle from behind as they slowed down to turn into their driveway. The Post and Courier reports that the accident investigation included accessing the data in the Black Box of the couple's vehicle. The data showed that their vehicle had slowed down to about 10mph as the couple approached their driveway, and the driver had turned on the right -turn signal before making the turn. The truck driver, it turns out, was talking on his phone at the time of the crash.

This truck accident could have been avoided entirely

The company that owned the truck had a policy that drivers could not use their cell phones for longer than two minutes, and only if they used a hands-free Bluetooth device. (In addition to the company's policy to ban drivers from using their mobile phone or other devices while driving, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) banned truck drivers from using hand-held mobile phones in 2012, but they are permitted to use hands-free devices.) This rule was not enforced, and phone records show that the truck driver who caused the crash had been talking on his phone for about seven of the eight hour driving shift.

The result of the settlement was an agreement that the company would ban its truck drivers from using their phones and other electronic devices while they are driving. According to the Post and Courier, a settlement was reached in federal court after a trial had already begun.

Possibly the only thing worse than suffering serious injuries in a truck accident is when you find out that the accident could have been prevented. That kind of negligent behavior demands that the driver be held accountable for the injuries he or she caused. An aggressive Baltimore truck accident attorney from Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. is prepared to review your legal options with you when you have been hurt in a collision with a truck. Please contact us, or give us a call at 410-730-7737, to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case today.