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(804) 821-0090 Anytime a driver chooses to look at their phone to read a friend’s text or type out a reply, they put the lives of everyone around them on the roads at risk. However, when that person is driving a massive commercial semi-truck, the risk of life-altering or even fatal injuries occurring is significantly higher. These texting and driving truck accidents in Richmond have the potential to cause people severe harm.
If you believe the truck driver who caused your wreck was distracted by their cellphone, you need to fully understand your legal rights and options. One of our knowledgeable truck crash attorneys from Latham & Martin Accident and Injury Attorney could help.
State law strictly forbids texting while driving for all drivers. According to Virginia Code § 46.2-818.2, it is illegal for anyone to hold a handheld personal communication device while driving a moving motor vehicle. Drivers who text face monetary traffic infraction fines. In addition, if the driver who was texting was a commercial driver, such as a trucker, who drives on interstate roads, they face additional, harsher federal penalties as outlined in 49 Code of Federal Regulations § 392.80.
Truck drivers can face larger monetary fines and risk losing their commercial driver’s licenses. A truck driver’s employer could also face fines if the trucking company allowed or required its drivers to use cellphones while driving.
If the truck driver who caused your Richmond accident received a citation or fine for texting while driving, our seasoned attorneys could use that citation as evidence of the truck driver’s negligence and start building a claim. Even if the driver did not receive a citation for texting, we could also perform our own independent investigation if you suspect they were.
We could follow the correct procedural channels to subpoena copies of their cellphone records and interview bystanders to see if they noticed the trucker pick up their phone or look down while driving. This behavior could indicate they were checking their texts.
Truck drivers should always give their driving duties full attention because even a slight distraction can lead to an accident. Texting is dangerous because it can cause several types of distractions to drivers.
When sending or reading a text message, a driver faces a visual distraction. They cannot keep their eyes on the road, so they might not notice changes in traffic patterns or curves ahead.
Holding a cellphone or typing a text creates a manual distraction. Drivers may have to take one or even both hands away from the steering wheel, which can make a truck much harder to handle.
Even thinking about a response to a text message creates a cognitive distraction. Drivers should be thinking about their driving and not about their texts.
Our seasoned Richmond lawyers understand the dangers of truck drivers texting while driving. We could work effectively to hold the negligent drivers legally accountable.
Texting and driving truck accidents in Richmond frequently result in devastating consequences. Our compassionate attorneys at Latham & Martin Accident and Injury Attorney understand how frustrating it can be to face the aftermath of such a serious collision. Call our office and let us help advocate for you.