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No one would deny that driving a truck can be a stressful and lonely job and that a cell phone is a useful tool. But that tool, as useful as it is, should not be used behind the wheel. To understand why, consider the facts of one recent fatal accident.
In the early hours of a March 2010 morning, a van of 12 family and friends were traveling through Kentucky on their way to a wedding in Iowa. At the same time, a truck driver, traveling in the opposite direction on the same Kentucky interstate, was about to make a cell phone call; a call that would alter the lives of 11 people.
While the truck driver was making the fateful, one-second cell-phone call, the semi truck drove through a wire barrier, crossed the median and drove straight into oncoming traffic. The truck crashed head on into the Iowa-bound van; the truck accident took the lives of 11 people, including the truck driver.
Following its investigation into the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending that all cell phone use, including hands-free technology, be banned for truck drivers while behind the wheel. For its recommendation to be adopted, the NTSB, which does not have the authority to implement the ban, would need the cooperation of other federal agencies and the governments of the 50 states.
Distracted Driving Accidents
It has been widely reported that cell phones, especially when used to send, receive or read text messages, are a distraction for drivers - distractions that may lead to tragic consequences. According to statistics released in April 2011 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were approximately 286,000 police-reported accidents involving large trucks (semis) in 2009, of which, nearly 3,000 resulted in fatalities.
Cell phone use by truckers must be viewed in light of this troubling data. The NTSB's cell phone proposal is aimed at increasing the safety of all on the road by limiting the distractions that drivers of these very large trucks face.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident involving a semi truck, speak with an attorney with experience seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, long-term care, and pain and suffering.
