In the United States today, texting while operating a motor vehicle has become one of the deadliest offenses committed on public roadways. Every year, thousands of lives are claimed in devastating motor vehicle accidents due to texting-related distracted driving. Although the laws banning texting and driving adopted in nearly every state have helped reduce cell phone use while driving, a vast number of drivers continue to operate motor vehicles while using a mobile communication or hand-held electronic device.
If your involvement in a texting while driving truck accident has left you seriously injured, you could seek to recover compensation for your physical and emotional trauma by filing a civil injury claim against the distracted driver who caused the accident. A local truck accident lawyer could work to ensure the amount of a monetary damages award adequately compensates victims for the losses endured from texting while driving accidents in Dallas.
Texas Distracted Driving Laws
“Distracted driving” is a term used to describe when a motorist engages in an activity requiring some level of attention or involvement while driving that drastically impacts their ability to operate a motor vehicle effectively. Distracted driving encompasses several types of activities that can take a motorist’s attention away from the road, the most common and dangerous of which is texting while driving.
In Texas, distracted driving is a punishable offense under state law, the extent of which will vary on a case-by-case basis. The act of texting while driving is prohibited explicitly under § 545.4251(b) of the Texas Transportation Code.
Although operating a cell phone while on the road is unlawful among all motorists on the road, what constitutes texting while driving can differ depending on the type of motorist and the activity they are engaging in. For example, when a lawful operator of an emergency or law enforcement vehicle uses a portable wireless communication device while in their official capacity, it is not an act of texting while driving, as provided under Tex. Transp. Code § 545.4251(d)(1).
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Dangers of Truck Drivers Violating Texting While Driving Laws
When a truck driver is distracted from operating a big rig, their reaction time is detrimentally delayed and can result in loss of control of the vehicle. If they cannot correct or maneuver the semi in time, the force of impact increases substantially and puts both truckers and motorists at an increased risk of suffering fatal injuries in the crash.
If a truck driver engages in texting while operating a semi-truck, they take their attention off the road for four and a half seconds, the same amount of time it takes a big rig traveling at 55 miles per hour to drive the length of a football field. While truck drivers are naturally at a higher risk of getting into traffic accidents due to the size and weight of the vehicles they drive, they are 23 times more likely to be involved in a motor vehicle collision if they attempt to text while driving.
Dallas Texting While Driving Truck Accident Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
Find a Qualified Texting While Driving Truck Accident Lawyer in Dallas
The practice of texting while also driving is a lethal epidemic that continues to severely and fatally injure the motorists and civilians that share local, state, and federal roadways daily. While efforts have been made on all fronts to mitigate motorist cell phone use while operating a vehicle, distracted driving accidents remain the leading cause of motorist fatalities.
If you or a loved one sustained severe bodily injuries from your involvement in a texting-while-driving traffic accident due to a distracted motorist, assistance with filing and pursuing a civil injury claim is available. When it comes to litigating cases involving jackknife truck accidents in Dallas, retaining a skilled personal injury attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve.
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