Distracted truck drivers are a big danger
In New York City, a hidden camera investigation revealed a dangerous trend on highways in which several truckers were caught texting and talking on their phones. One driver was even caught on two cell phones at once.
The New York State Department of Transportation reported that nearly 16,000 truckers were ticketed for distracted driving in 2013. However, only four were suspended and taken out of service.
Should stiffer penalties be handed down for distracted truck driving?
The family of a Pittsford couple believes so. George and Kathleen Weed died last May when their car was hit on the highway by a tractor-trailer. Police reported the truck driver was texting when he slammed into Weed’s car.
“We’re an extremely close-knit family, and this utterly destroyed us,” said Tricia Weed, a family member.
As a truck accident lawyer Memphis, TN trusts, it’s not just texting I’m personally worried about, but other forms of distracted driving as well.
These trucking companies push their employees to do far more than most are capable of doing, like driving longer hours to make better times, barely maintaining safety regulations, if doing so at all.
This forces the truck drivers to make a decision – take medicine to help them stay awake, drive drowzy or choose another way to make a living.
It’s scary thinking these truck drivers are towing 40,000 pounds of cargo while either drowzy or drugged up to make a living and please their employers. It takes one minor slip up – one wrong move – to completely throw off that big wrecking machine on 18-wheels and cause a catastrophic accident.
As far as this New York City investigation, National Transportation Safety Board leaders said it showed stricter penalties may be necessary.
Any driver caught texting or talking on their phone behind the wheel faces a $150 fine and up to five points on their license.
Yeah, I think stricter penalties are definitely needed.
If you’ve been injured in an accident on the road, your first instinct should always be to seek medical attention first and foremost, regardless of the extent of the injury. Even the minor injuries – the little bit of pain you may feel in your back or neck that seems so trivial – tend to turn into prolonged and nagging injuries moving forward.
After you’ve been treated, you should speak to an experienced accident attorney as you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, car damage, pain, suffering and more.
At Darrell Castle & Associates, we have a team of experienced personal injury attorneys and associates who have handled road accidents of all shapes and sizes. We treat every case with the respect and dignity it’s entitled to, while going to bat and fighting on your behalf to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
You can speak to one of our attorneys, free of charge, by filling out the “Get in Touch” form below or calling us (901) 327-1212.