Truck Accident Lawyer US

Distracted driving

Distracted driving is a growing concern across all motor vehicle accidents, but the consequences are especially severe when a distracted driver is operating an 80,000-pound commercial truck.

Truck Accident Law Team avatar
  • Truck Accident Law Team
  • 2 min read
Article 2 of 6 in Causes of Truck Accidents/

Distracted Driving as a Cause of Truck Accidents

What Counts as Distracted Driving?

Any activity that diverts a driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving, including:

  • Manual distractions: taking hands off the wheel (e.g., texting, eating).
  • Visual distractions: taking eyes off the road (e.g., looking at GPS or paperwork).
  • Cognitive distractions: taking the mind off driving (e.g., daydreaming, phone conversations).

Common Truck Driver Distractions

  1. Cell Phone Use

    • Texting, calling, or checking apps.
    • Federal law prohibits truck drivers from texting or using handheld phones while driving.

  2. Onboard Technology

    • GPS systems, electronic logging devices (ELDs), and dispatch screens.

  3. Eating and Drinking

    • Long hauls encourage drivers to multitask while driving.

  4. Paperwork

    • Some drivers complete logs or review delivery documents on the road.

  5. Mental Distractions

    • Stress, fatigue, or personal issues that reduce focus.

Statistics

  • FMCSA research shows that truck drivers dialing a phone are 6 times more likely to cause a crash.
  • Texting while driving increases the risk of accident involvement by 23 times compared to attentive driving.

Regulatory Framework

  • FMCSA regulations ban the use of handheld mobile phones and texting for commercial drivers.
  • Violations can result in fines up to $2,750 for drivers and $11,000 for employers who allow it.
  • Distracted driving is strong evidence of negligence in accident cases.
  • Phone records, cab video footage, or ELD/GPS data can be subpoenaed to prove distraction.
  • Employers may also be liable if they encouraged or failed to prevent unsafe practices.

Summary: Distracted driving poses a serious danger when truck drivers split their attention between the road and other tasks. Strict federal bans and harsh penalties reflect its role as a leading contributor to catastrophic truck accidents.

You might also like:

Comment

Disqus comment here

Truck Accident Law Team

Written by : Truck Accident Law Team

Attorneys, investigators, and legal writers focused on U.S. trucking safety, litigation strategy, and victim advocacy.

Recommended for You

Driver fatigue

Driver fatigue

Fatigue is one of the leading human factors in truck accidents. Long hours on the road, demanding schedules, and insufficient rest put truck drivers at high risk of exhaustion, which can have deadly consequences.

Hours of Service regulations

Hours of Service regulations

Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of truck accidents in the United States. To address this, the FMCSA enforces strict Hours of Service (HOS) regulations that dictate how long truck drivers can be on the road before resting.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is the central authority for trucking regulation in the United States. Its rules are designed to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large commercial vehicles.

Key differences between truck and car accidents

Key differences between truck and car accidents

Although both involve motor vehicles, truck accidents differ significantly from car accidents in terms of scale, complexity, and legal implications.