Drivers of commercial motor vehicles are not allowed to text and drive. In fact, if caught, commercial drivers in Louisiana and throughout the country face the loss of their commercial licenses, significant fines and other penalties. However, the most significant loss is the loss of a life when a driver’s inattentiveness causes a fatal truck accident.
According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a texting commercial driver is 23.2 times more likely to cause a collision, near-collision or unplanned lane change, than a driver not texting. Texting commercial drivers spent almost 5 seconds looking at their texting devices between glances at the road. This can mean that drivers are covering great distances at high speeds without keep their attention on their driving responsibilities.
Due to the serious dangers that large trucks pose when they operate, federal rules prohibit commercial drivers from using devices that require pushing a button more than once to communicate. There are ways that drivers may use telecommunication devices while they are operating, but those methods require hands-free technologies and other approved voice-activated options.
Distractions are a major threat to the safety of Louisiana drivers when large trucks are on the roads. Commercial vehicle accidents hurt and kill many people throughout the country each year, and the rules regarding texting and driving (promulgated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) are intended to reduce the incidents of collisions in the future. But, even the most well prepared rules will not eliminate all distraction-related causes of truck accidents and those victims who suffer at the hands of negligent commercial drivers may have rights to compensation for their injuries.
