Distracted Driving Becoming a Problem for Truckers in Connecticut

 Posted on May 24, 2015 in Personal Injury

While distracted driving does not appear to have reached the same levels of concern for truckers as it has for regular motorists, it is still drawing attention from national agencies. Federal agencies have launched campaigns to encourage commercial truck drivers to lower the number of truck accidents occurring in Fairfield County and elsewhere.

In 2009, tractor trailers were involved in 2,466 accidents according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Out of these accidents,472 involved injuries and 13 were fatal. It is unknown how many of these accidents were caused by a truck driver who was distracted by something.

Are truck drivers becoming more distracted?

Recently, a truck driver caused a four-vehicle collision when he became distracted according to the CT Post. Thankfully, while the drivers of the other cars suffered injuries, they were not severe and no one was killed. It is unknown what caused the trucker's attention to be drawn away from the road.

It is a well-known fact that truck drivers spend a great amount of their time in their truck and this can create a situation where the driver ismulti-tasking-something that is not advised. A September 2009 report on commercial truck driver distraction by the U.S. Department of Transportation,Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, acknowledged that truck drivers were not immune to the behavior.

The findings of the report showed that more effort was needed on the part of fleet managers to educate drivers on the high risks associated with distracted behavior.

The extent of distracted driving

According to the FMCSA, anything that causes a truck driver to take his or her eyes off of the road is considered distracted driving. These behaviors include:

• Eating/drinking
• Reading maps
• Focusing on external objects outside of the truck
• Smoking
• Cell phone use
• Using instrument panels or dispatch equipment

The agency quoted that a recent study showed that eating and driving at the same time can put a driver at a higher risk of being distracted and getting into an accident than using a cell phone. This can be a big challenge for truckers since they are on a time schedule and may be tempted to eat on the go.

Seeking compensation in a distracted driving accident

When a person is injured in a car accident involving a tractor trailer they can face months of recovery and thousands of dollars in expenses.Therefore, it may be necessary for them to file a personal injury lawsuit against the truck company and the driver for compensation. The compensation can pay doctors' bills, vehicle replacement, loss of income, and other damages allowed under Connecticut law. If you are injured by a negligent or distracted truck driver, you should talk to an attorney experienced with commercial truck accidents to learn more about the legal process.