It’s a nightmare scenario that plays out far too often across the country, including right here in Tennessee: Innocent motorists being struck from behind at full force by fully loaded semi trucks while stopped at a red light or sitting in traffic on the highway.
While these serious — and often deadly — rearview crashes can sometimes be attributed to things like traffic signal failures or mechanical breakdowns, more often than not they are caused by inattention on the part of truck drivers. As shocking as this is, consider also that more often than not the source of this inattention is a cell phone.
The reality is that while though most of us would prefer to think that distracted driving — namely talking, surfing the web, emailing or texting while driving — is a dangerous habit practiced only by those driving passenger vehicles, those who hold commercial driver’s licenses are equally guilty of this risky behavior.
Indeed, the problem was once so prevalent that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration was forced to issue a regulation back in 2010 expressly prohibiting texting while operating a bus or commercial truck. Things were taken one step further the following year, when the Department of Transportation expressly prohibited the use of all hand-held cell phones while operating a bus or commercial truck.
The sad fact, however, is that despite these regulations and other applicable distracted driving laws, motorists and truckers alike continue to keep their eyes glued to their cell phones at every turn. While this conduct on the part of motorists is inexcusable, it is perhaps even more so on the part of truckers given the sheer size, weight and speed at which their rigs travel.
At the Terry Law Firm, we have extensive experience handling distracted driving truck accidents and, as such, we know how devastating they can prove to be for victims and their families. We also have extensive experience seeking justice on behalf of these grievously injured parties, holding negligent truckers and, if necessary, their employers accountable for everything that has transpired.
To learn more about our firm and our services in this area, please visit our website.
