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Every driver needs to be focused and alert while operating a vehicle. This is even more important for truckers, who operate trucks in excess of 80,000-lbs with the potential to cause severe damage to passenger vehicles and their occupants on the road.
However, sometimes truckers are not as focused and alert as they should be. Learn three major distractions among truckers.
Truck Driver Distractions
Driver distraction is the diversion of attention from activities critical for safe driving. Driver distraction increases the risk of getting into a crash.
The Federal Motor Carrier and Safety Administration (FMCSA) lays out several distractions prevalent in the trucking industry. These include:
- Hearing messages and alerts from dispatching devices
- Using paper maps or looking at a GPS device
- Eating and drinking
FAST FACT: A recent study found that using a dispatching device while driving increased a driver’s chances of being involved in a safety-critical event by 9 times.
In addition to these distractions common in the trucking industry, truckers must also be aware of the distractions that every other motorist does on a daily basis, such as incoming calls and texts to a smartphone, erratic drivers, animals crossing the road, attention-grabbing billboards, bad weather, and more.
It is important for trucking companies to train their drivers to understand that distracted driving does not just involve cell phone use. It involves any activity that could take a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off the task of driving.
Sadly, this does not always happen, and many truckers engage in unsafe activities while driving. This can have devastating consequences, as a recent study found that 71% of large-truck crashes occurred when the truck driver was doing something besides driving the truck.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a truck crash caused by a distracted trucker, our Los Angeles trial attorneys are here to help. We have represented countless clients who were seriously injured in car and truck crashes, and we have recovered billions on their behalf. Learn how we may help you.
Call Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP at (866) 634-4525 to schedule a free consultation.