If you involved in a commercial truck crash while the truck driver was texting, that driver and/or their employer will most likely be liable for any damages you incur. New federal regulations clearly forbid commercial truck drivers from texting while behind the wheel. These new laws are the latest steps attempting to prohibit commercial truck drivers from distracted driving and with the goal of eliminating commercial truck accidents. Texting while driving is a very unsafe driving behavior for anyone behind the wheel, but in the case of a large commercial truck, such a distraction can easily be fatal. Should a commercial truck or bus driver be found to be texting while driving a commercial vehicle, that driver will face either civil or criminal penalties up to $2,750. With these new regulations, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is sending a very clear message to trucking companies as well as commercial truck drivers. Their message is that texting while driving a commercial truck is the type of unsafe activity that will not be tolerated and for good reason: drivers texting while driving are at least 20 times more likely to be involved in a commercial truck accident than drivers who are not texting. In conjunction with these regulations, President Obama signed an Executive Order instructing all federal employees that texting while driving any government vehicle or while in control of any government-owned equipment is strictly prohibited. If the driver of the truck that hit you was a government employee who was texting while driving a government owned vehicle, that driver is in direct contradiction of a Presidential Executive Order and will most likely be held liable for any injuries you incurred.
J. Price McNamara
Attorney
Losing my own brother, then my father and sister after long, disabling illnesses just a few months apart drove a career change for me. Before that experience, I never truly understood the place you’re in. I never understood the dramatic impact that receiving (or not receiving) the disability and life insurance benefits you paid for and counted on can have on your life especially when you need to focus on family and healing. What I experienced with my own family now drives the way I view my clients and my work, and I will never forget it!
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