Philadelphia Trucking Distracted Driving Lawyers

Trucking Distracted Driving

In order to drive safely on the road, a driver must be focused on the task at hand. When a driver is distracted because they are reading, eating or drinking, talking to passengers or using their cell phone or other electronic device, they endanger themselves, their passengers, and every other motorist, pedestrian, or bicyclist around them. Distractions take a driver's attention off the road, whether visually, mentally, or manually, and greatly increase the probability of a Philadelphia PA truck accident. This is especially dangerous when the distracted driver is operating a heavy 18-wheeler.

Truckers have even more of a responsibility to remain focused while driving than drivers of passenger vehicles because the sheer size and weight of their trucks in accidents increases the risk of severe injuries and death. A truck driver, with a vehicle that is the equivalent of 4 or 5 car lengths, who drifts into other lanes because they were reaching over to check their cell phone, can cause much more damage than the driver of a passenger vehicle who does the same thing.

U.S. Distracted Driving Statistics

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), anything that takes a driver's hands off the wheel, eyes off the road, or mind off of driving is considered a distraction. This includes reading, watching a video, changing a CD or radio station, drinking and eating, grooming, using a navigation system, and using a cell phone. In the case of truck drivers, operating a tractor trailer while fatigued is also considered distracted driving.

NHTSA statistics have determined that 448,000 people were injured and another 5,474 were killed in distracted driving accidents across the nation in 2009. In fact, 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 were related to distracted driving and most of these involved drivers that were under 20 years of age.

Cell phones are a particularly popular distraction and have become one of the leading causes of distraction for drivers nationwide. The use of cell phones has, in fact, been determined to slow a driver's reactions to the level of a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08. Overall, hand-held devices, be it a cell phone, MP3 player or other device, increase the risk of a serious tractor trailer crash.

Pennsylvania Cell Phone Law

Many states have imposed bans for using a hand-held cell phone and/or texting while driving for school bus drivers, novice drivers and/or all drivers. No state has completely banned all cell phone use, hand-held and hands-free, for all drivers. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), Pennsylvania currently has no cell phone or texting ban for any drivers. This, however, does not mean they never will, and does not mean that a truck driver will not be held liable for a cell phone distracted driving accident.

Pennsylvania Distracted Truck Driving Accident Lawyers

Large truck accidents in Pennsylvania can cause serious injury and even death to the occupants of a passenger vehicle. In 2010, 157 people lost their lives in heavy truck accidents, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). A heavy truck driving has a duty to drive safely, especially because a distracted driving truck accident can be much more dangerous than a distracted driving accident involving a passenger vehicle.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Pennsylvania trucking accident that was caused by a distracted truck operator, you may be entitled to pursue compensation for your losses by filing a personal injury claim. At Anapol Schwartz, our dedicated Philadelphia distracted driving truck accident attorneys help our clients hold truck operators accountable for their negligent actions. Call us today at (866) 735-2792 to learn more about your legal rights and options.

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