Because of the dangers of talking on a cellphone or texting while driving a truck, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has banned truck drivers from using of a hand-held cellphone when driving. This includes holding a cellphone while making a call, using more than one button to call someone, and reaching for a cellphone if the trucker cannot remain upright. Reading and writing texts are also prohibited. However, a trucker’s use of a cellphone could still be the cause of your truck accident.
Why Hands-Free Cellphones Are Dangerous
Some truckers continue to use hand-held cellphones despite the ban. Others are using hands-free devices to continue to talk on their cellphones. Hands-free devices can include an earpiece, speakerphone, or dashboard system.
But is this really safer? According to the National Safety Council (NSC), thousands of people have been killed in accidents caused by cellphone use—including hands-free. The danger of a fatality is even greater when a truck is involved given its much larger size and weight than a passenger vehicle.
Safe driving requires a trucker’s eyes to be on the road, his mind on his driving, and his hands on the steering wheel. This is not the case when a hands-free device is used when driving. Here are some of the reasons that the NCS says hands-free devices are not risk-free:
- The brain cannot do two tasks at one time. Activity in the part of the brain that processes moving images decreases by up to one-third when a person is talking on a cellphone.
- Drivers who are looking out of their windshield can miss up to 50 percent of what is going around them when using a cellphone.
- Using voice-to-text instead of typing to text may be more distracting and dangerous.
You will need to obtain the truck driver’s cellphone records and other evidence in order to prove that his use of a hand-held or hands-free device was the cause of your truck crash.
Have You Been Injured In A Texas Truck Accident?
If you've been injured in a truck accident you need to speak with an experienced truck accident injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.
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