Common Sources of Commercial Driving Distractions
by
Kasie Braswell on Sep. 20, 2013
Accident & Injury Accident & Injury Car Accident Accident & Injury Wrongful Death
Summary: What causes commercial truck drivers to become distracted.
Common
Sources of Commercial Driver Distraction
The
law requires all drivers (not just commercial drivers) to be aware of their own
vehicle and their surroundings while driving.
However, drivers of 18-wheelers or tractor trailers must use extra
attention when driving because the vehicles that they are driving weigh
considerably more than the average passenger car and when involved in an
accident can cause catastrophic injuries and death.
Distracted
driving is now the most common cause of accidents in the United States. Truck drivers are no different when it comes
to being distracted while driving. Many
commercial trucks or 18-wheelers have on-board computers that the truckers use
while driving. Other common distractions
are reading while driving, talking on the phone, texting or surfing the web while
driving, eating, or trying to fill out paperwork while driving.
Luckily,
if you have been involved in an accident with an 18-wheeler, the aspects of
what might have caused the accident could be captured on the truck’s onboard
“black box.” These data devices capture
important data from an accident such as speed, direction of travel, etc. However, these devices (depending on the
company that maintains the data) are often “wiped” every 30 day (or sooner). Thus if you have been involved with an
18-wheeler it’s important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible so that the
data from the black box can be preserved as evidence in your case.
If
you have been injured because of a distracted 18-wheeler driver there may be
legal options available to help cover your car damage, medical bills lost
wages, and pain and suffering. To learn
more about your rights after an accident with an 18-wheeler, please contact us
today for a free consultation – 800-554-9260.