Did a distracted truck driver hurt you?
You might assume that an experienced commercial truck driver would know the dangers posed by distracted driving and never engage in it. Unfortunately, however, this is an erroneous assumption. Big rig drivers are just as susceptible to distracted driving as other drivers. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reports that distracted driving accounts for 71% of all big rig crashes and is a major factor in almost 80% of fatal big rig crashes.Victims of negligence sometimes look for College Park MD trucking accident lawyers.
Driver distraction, whether among truckers or the general driving population, is defined as anything that does one or more of the following:
- Takes a driver’s hands off the steering wheel
- Takes a driver’s eyes off the road
- Takes a driver’s mind off driving
Distraction Causes
Drivers can become distracted by things both inside and outside their trucks. Common distraction causes include the following:
- Talking or texting on a cellphone
- Using a dispatching device
- Eating or drinking
- Reading or otherwise using paper maps
- Writing notes or self-reminders
- Reading billboards
- Watching the passing scenery or buildings
Distraction Statistics
Consider the following trucking statistics:
- Texting while driving makes a driver 23 times more likely to crash.
- Using a dispatching device while driving makes a driver nine times more likely to crash.
- Writing while driving makes a driver eight times more likely to crash.
- Reading while driving makes a driver seven times more likely to crash.
- Using any hand-held device while driving makes a driver three times more likely to crash.
Crash Statistics
Approximately half a million trucking accidents occur each year in the United States, with over 5,000 of them resulting in one or more deaths. Of these deaths, 69% are of passenger vehicle occupants, 16% are of truck occupants and 15% are of pedestrians, bicyclists or motorcyclists. About 87,000 trucking accidents per year result in injuries, many of them serious.
What To Do After an Accident
If you sustain injuries in a crash involving a big truck, your wisest strategy consists of consulting with experienced College Park MD trucking accident lawyers as soon as possible thereafter. Why? Because you likely will face an extended hospital stay with its inherent skyrocketing medical bills. You consequently need to obtain the maximum amount of compensation possible to cover these and your other expenses and losses. College Park MD trucking accident lawyers can help you in many ways, including the following:
- Review police reports of what happened
- Conduct his or her own investigation to determine fault
- Talk with witnesses
- Review any video camera footage available
- Determine the value of your damages
- File a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf
- Effectively negotiate with the defendant’s insurance company
All in all, your lawyer can take your financial worries off your shoulders so you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a trucking accident, contact our College Park MD trucking accident lawyers today. Our attorneys have settled over 10,000 cases since we were founded. Contact Cohen & Cohen at (202) 955-4529 for a free case evaluation.
