Some people seem completely unable to put ever put down their phone. While using your phone at inappropriate times may be annoying for those around you, texting and driving can result in a deadly accident. Every day there are many devastating accidents that occur because a careless driver was distracted by their phone when they should have been focusing on the road. If you or a loved one has been hurt by a negligent driver, you may require months or years to recover from your injuries. A skilled Houston truck accident lawyer can recover the compensation that you need to move forward with your life.
To speak with an experienced attorney about your case, contact The Krist Law Firm, P.C. at (281) 283-8500.
Don’t Read About Texting and Driving Laws While You’re Driving
A trucker was recently pulled over and fined for operating his smartphone while he was driving on a highway. Shockingly enough, the trucker was reading messages about new laws against texting and driving. This incident happened in the United Kingdom, but it is a good example of the universal inability of some people to put their phone down while driving. The truck driver was apparently unable to pause his conversation about texting and driving laws until he was safely pulled over. Given the maximum fine permitted by law, the trucker is fortunate that he didn’t cause a deadly accident.
Truckers have caused many devastating accidents in Texas due to texting while driving. A truck accident in March 2017 near the town of Concan killed 13 people. The truck driver admitted to texting while driving in that case, and witnesses stated that the truck was driving erratically for many miles through several counties. Truck accidents due to distracted drivers happen all too often, and they can result in many injuries and even death.
Texas Law Specifically Target Drivers Who are Texting Behind the Wheel
Drivers in Texas can be pulled over and fined specifically for using their phones. Prior to September 2017, distracted drivers in the state were generally pulled over due to other violations such as blocking traffic or driving too slowly. State law now specifically outlaws reading or writing messages via SMS or another phone application. Fines for violators can be up to $200, and truckers subjected to federal regulations can be fined thousands of dollars and lose their licenses. Details to know about Texas texting and driving laws include:
- Phones can still be used by drivers for GPS navigation and music, but a driver will get pulled over if mobile phone use causes them to drive in a dangerous manner.
- It’s not a violation to be looking at your phone when stopped at a red light, but you can be pulled over if you impede traffic by not noticing the light turn green.
- Hands-free technology to dictate text messages and hear them read out loud is not illegal.
- Using a mobile phone to call 911 while driving is still allowed.
Texting and Driving is Extremely Dangerous
The Texas Department of Transportation reports that 444 people were killed, and thousands more injured, by distracted drivers in 2017 alone. Texting while driving accounts for a significant percentage of these deaths and injuries. A person can travel hundreds of yards down the highway while taking their eyes off the road for only a few seconds as they read or send a message on their phone. Truckers distracted by their phones can cause many different types of serious and deadly accidents, including:
- Head-on collisions
- Side swipe accidents
- Parking lot accidents
- Rear-end collisions
- Turning accidents
- Failure to notice pedestrians
- Failure to notice bicyclists
- T-Bone collisions
Hurt in a Texting and Driving Accident? We Can Help
A trucker caught texting and driving about texting and driving is a sad testament about the use of mobile phones. There are certain times when people must simply put their phones away. Texting and driving causes thousands of deadly accidents every year in the United States, and many of these careless drivers are behind the wheels of large trucks. If you are injured in a truck accident, you will need an experienced lawyer from The Krist Law Firm, P.C. who understands how to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
To learn more about your options after a devastating accident, contact us today at (281) 283-8500.