Distracted driving is a growing factor in serious accidents, and you don’t have to be on the road for long to catch a glimpse of someone staring at their phone. While any distracted driving accident is bad, ones that involve trucks can be especially catastrophic. If a truck driver takes their attention off the road for even a second, the sheer size and weight of their vehicle can generate massive forces in a collision.
Sadly, people in passenger vehicles don’t have much protection when their cars are hit by a truck that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. For this reason, truck drivers are held to strict standards that include being expected to only get behind the wheel with a clear mind and no distractions. Exploring why distracted driving is especially dangerous for truck drivers and others can help everyone do their part to avoid catastrophic accidents.
Raising Awareness of Common Truck Driver Distractions
Cell phone use is a common distraction, just like it is for many drivers. But, a truck driver could cause extensive damage compared to a passenger vehicle driver, which makes it even more important that they stay off their phone. Similar to other drivers, it’s also important for truck operators to avoid driving when they are fatigued. Nodding off for a split second can have devastating effects.
Truck drivers may know to stay off their phones, but using navigation systems can be another distraction. Needing to take a different route to avoid road closures or trying to figure out confusing instructions can distract truck drivers long enough to miss important details on the road. Eating and drinking can also be all it takes for a truck driver to get distracted. Ideally, truck drivers should have adequate time in their workday to take breaks for meals.
Preventing Catastrophic Injuries and Fatalities
When a massive commercial truck hits a passenger vehicle, the collision creates extreme forces that intensify the injuries that can occur. While the truck driver is often protected by a heavy-duty cabin, passenger vehicles aren’t designed to stand up to the forces of being hit by a truck that can easily be several times its size and weight. Broken bones, internal injuries, burns and spinal cord damage are common injuries that survivors are left with after a distracted truck driving crash.
Traumatic brain injuries are also common among survivors. Dealing with a traumatic brain injury can leave you with memory loss, cognitive processing challenges and other lifelong changes that impact your ability to work, care for your family and enjoy your hobbies. Severe spinal cord injuries could leave you struggling with chronic pain, loss of your range of motion and difficulty managing your daily needs.
Recovering from these injuries could be a lifelong process. Even when you have a prognosis for a full recovery, you could still face months or years of surgeries, physical therapy and other types of costly and time-intensive treatments. Making sure that your medical needs are met can help you achieve the best outcomes for your injuries. Personal injury claims are often necessary to help you get the funds you need to cover the cost of healthcare that could drain your finances, especially if you aren’t able to return to work.
Recognizing the Signs of a Distracted Truck Driver
Spotting a distracted truck driver on the road gives you time to move out of their path. You’ll need to be wary of any truck that appears to be drifting between lanes or weaving in and out of traffic. Erratic speed changes could also indicate a truck driver is taking their attention off the road and their vehicle as they daydream, nod off or look at their phone.
If you are next to a truck driver and can see them eating, drinking or looking at a screen, then you can safely assume that they are distracted. As soon as it is safe to do so, move to another lane or make other driving maneuvers that put as much distance as possible between you and the truck. Many trucks also have signage that indicates how to report unsafe driving. If you have a passenger in the car or another safe way to record the phone number, then do so. Later, you can report the incident once you have moved to a safe location where you can stop your vehicle.
If it’s too late and you’ve already experienced an accident, then reporting details that you noticed beforehand can help the investigation. Informing your legal team, police officers and other authority figures of what you witnessed the driver doing can ensure that they are held responsible for their actions.
Holding Truck Drivers Responsible for Serious Accidents
Truck drivers can be held responsible for any accidents that occur due to their actions. Truck driver liability is often based on whether they broke any laws or company policies. If a truck driver is believed to be responsible for an accident, then they may need to submit to drug and alcohol testing. A team of experienced injury attorneys can also request to see footage from in-cabin cameras and other forms of evidence of distracted driving.
On top of holding truck drivers responsible, it is also possible for lawyers representing personal injury cases to seek compensation from commercial trucking companies. For instance, these types of companies are required to follow strict laws regarding work hours for drivers. A truck driver who doesn’t properly log their hours or who is tasked with driving for extended periods could easily fall prey to distractions while operating their vehicle. A commercial trucking company may also be held liable for accidents caused by an employee who has engaged in distracted driving in the past.
The consequences of distracted driving for truck drivers can include fines, penalties at work and the loss of their commercial driver’s licenses. In a worst-case scenario, a distracted truck driver could cause an accident that threatens people’s lives. While it is always best to avoid being caught up in a truck accident, it’s important to know that help is available for survivors of these collisions. Holding truck drivers and the companies they work for responsible for the damages distracted driving causes can help protect other people on the road.
Lynn Martelli is an editor at Readability. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University and has worked as an editor for over 10 years. Lynn has edited a wide variety of books, including fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, and more. In her free time, Lynn enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.
