Distracted driving is a leading reason for road accidents. Anyone using a cell phone while driving is endangering not only themselves, but every other driver and passenger on the road, as well as pedestrians and their pets. People who text while driving can be particularly hazardous on the highways, especially when that texting is done by truck and bus drivers.Trucker Texting Banned
Thankfully, in Jan. 2010, the federal government banned truckers and bus drivers from texting while operating behind the wheel. That legislation is part of a growing trend to eliminate threats from distracted drivers.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, “We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe. This is an important safety step, and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.”
Truckers driving while texting are 23 times more likely than non-texting truckers to be involved in a crash or near miss, according to Virginia Tech’s Transportation Institute. Tech researchers examined commercial trucking data from 2004 – 2007 involving 203 truckers and three (3) million driving miles.
In 2011, a staggering 1.3 million auto accidents were caused by drivers texting. Texting drivers are twenty-three percent more likely to be part of an accident.
Texting Drivers endanger All
10 Reasons Not To Text And Drive
1 It’s likely illegal or may be soon in your area – Many cities and states are passing laws to make it illegal to text while driving.
2 Insurance Rate Hikes – Guaranteed price hike for those caught in an accident while texting, even if the accident is not their fault. Some insurance carriers will drop such people entirely.
3 Your Passengers – Your passengers depend on transporting them safely.
4 Other Motorists – Texting and driving puts everyone sharing the road at risk, too.
5 Pedestrians – Humans are smaller and harder to see than cars and trucks.
6 Safe time is worth your time – It takes less than a minute to park your potential killing machine. Don’t pull over and you may go to jail, or go broke if you hurt someone.
7 Hands-free Technology – Many cars are now equipped with technology that connects cell phone to a car’s stereo system. Bluetooth and voice recognition also allow hands-free communication.
8 Autocorrect Mishaps – Autocorrect features can create problems. Texting while driving is likely to help create such problems.
9 Slowed Reaction Time – Studies by Car and Driver magazine and others have shown that using a cell phone to read or send text messages delays reaction time as much as or more than drunk driving.
10 The Wreck You are about to cause –
Related
- Houston Truck Accident Lawyer
- Car Accident Attorney
- GM Recall Lawsuit
- Ten Reasons why you shouldn’t text and drive
by Matthews & Associates
