Is the Driver of the Eighteen-Wheeler in the Lane Next to You Texting? Learn More About the FMCSA Ban on Texting and Driving for Commercial Drivers

Professional truck drivers are responsible for safely sharing the road with other drivers. This entails paying close attention to the task of driving in addition to following the rules of the road, ensuring that the commercial vehicle is safe to drive, and checking that the load is secure. Texting while driving—a major distraction—is extremely risky behavior for any driver. However, when a driver is operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), the dangers are even more pronounced.

Several years ago, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) commissioned research regarding this issue and found the following not-so-surprising results:

• CMV drivers who text behind the wheel are 23.2 times more likely to be involved in a serious safety event such as an accident, near accident, or unintentional lane departure.
• CMV drivers who text take their eyes off the road for approximately 4.6 seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that equates to driving the length of a football field while blindfolded.

Due to these findings, the FMCSA published rules in 2010 that restrict texting and cell phone use by commercial truck drivers and bus drivers. So what does texting mean, exactly? As far as the FMCSA is concerned, it means, but is not limited to the following:

• Reading text on an electronic device
• Manually entering text into an electronic device
• Sending or reading a text message
• Sending or reading an email
• Sending or reading an instant message
• Accessing or reading a Web page
• Pressing more than one button to make or take a call

It is simply not safe for a CMV driver to use an electronic device while driving. If you have been injured in a truck accident on I-90, I-39, Illinois Route 251, or somewhere else in the greater Rockford area—due to the negligence of a trucker—you need an experienced truck accident attorney to protect your legal rights. Honest, knowledgeable, and highly skilled, the attorneys at The Fisk & Monteleone Law Firm regularly help accident victims just like you to obtain fair compensation for their injuries. Call them today at 888-716-7336 to schedule a complimentary consultation—you will be glad you did.