The interstates are a great option for getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. However, there are considerable risks when you are on these roadways. Crashes that occur at interstate speeds can lead to fatalities or catastrophic injuries when there are two passenger vehicles involved. When one of the vehicles is a semi truck, the effects of the crash might be even more serious.
All semi trucks drivers should make sure that they are keeping their eyes on the road so that they can drive safely. Here are a few things you should know about distracted trucking:
Phone usage is a serious problem
One of the primary reasons that truckers become distracted is their phone. Commercial drivers are six times as likely to be involved in a safety-critical event when they are dialling the phone.
Using cellphones and smartphones is something that can take the eyes, mind and hands off of driving duties. Since there are so many things that you can do on a phone these days, from talking to family members to surfing the Internet, there is no denying that phones can distract truckers.
Many laws govern the usage of phones while driving. This includes texting, talking and other activities. It doesn’t include truckers who are communicating with dispatch. However, handheld radios are usually used for this purpose.
Other activities can also distract
There are a host of other activities that can distract truckers. Radios, climate control, eating, drinking and talking to other people can all distract truckers. Personal hygiene and grooming can also distract truckers. It is imperative that a trucker keeps her or her attention on the road at all times. Any activity that prevents them from doing this should be avoided.
Dangers of driving distracted
A vehicle that is going 55 miles per hour, which is slower than some interstate speed limits, will move the length of a football field in only five seconds. Think about how long it takes to read a text and you can see how far a vehicle can move with just this short activity. This means that there is plenty of distance to veer off the road or to hit another vehicle.
Victims of distracted trucking crashes might suffer very serious and life-altering injuries, including injuries to the spinal cord or brain. These victims would be wise to seek compensation for these injuries and the effects that they have on the person’s life. The fact that the trucker was distracted might turn into a very important component of the case.