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Texas Texting: Is It Illegal? for Truckers, It Is
Texas texting: Is it illegal? For truckers, it is
by Dilley Law Firm | May 3, 2017 | Truck Accident Injuries
You know that texting is not illegal while people drive in all of Texas, but federally, commercial drivers are restricted in what they can do behind the wheel. Texting while driving a commercial vehicle can lead to a driver losing his or her license and being disqualified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Texting includes reading or writing a text on a cellphone or other electronic device. It can also include using more than one button to end or begin a call.
Trucking and texting is extremely dangerous. There have been studies that showed that the odds of getting into an accident while texting is 23.2 times higher than for commercial vehicle drivers who do not next behind the wheel. When a driver looks away from the road while traveling 55 mph, he or she travels around 371 feet in just 4.6 seconds. Since the average text takes 4.6 seconds to read or send, that means there’s around that much time that the driver isn’t paying attention to the road. That’s enough time for the car in front to put on its brakes, for another driver to pull in front of the truck or for the truck driver to accidentally enter another lane.
What does this mean for you?
If you or someone you love was injured by a texting trucker, or if you lost a loved one in a trucking accident, it means you have a right to file a claim against the driver and his or her employer. You can use the fact that the driver was texting at the time to help you pursue your claim. Your attorney can use this information to help negotiate a settlement that is appropriate between your party and the insurance carrier.
Your attorney can talk to you about your case and what it means if you have proof that the other driver was negligent behind the wheel. You’re struggling with a loss, and your attorney can take the lead on filing your claim while you focus on your family.