The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that in 2011, about 10% of all traffic accident deaths across the country were related to crashes involving tractor-trailers. These types of truck accidents killed 3,373 Americans that year, and most of these fatalities involved occupants of passenger vehicles colliding with the much larger trucks.
Safety experts agree that driver distraction is a major cause of truck and car accidents in Davie and other cities. According to a 2009 study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), truck drivers are distracted by a number of factors and in many cases the FMCSA concludes that accidents resulting from distraction could be prevented if:
•Truck drivers did not read maps or check directions while driving
•Dashboard instruments were designed so that the truck driver’s eyes could remain on the road for longer periods of time
•Fleet safety managers spent more time training drivers to avoid distraction
•Truck drivers did not manually use a cell phone while driving
•Policies in the trucking industry were created to reduce distracted driving
•Fleet safety managers understood what devices and distractions may be in truck drivers’ cabs with them
Once this study was published, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration banned texting and driving and the use of hand-held phones for commercial truck drivers. Earlier this year, Florida banned texting while driving for passenger vehicles. However, as many safety experts point out, there is no way to legislate against all possible distractions in a car. Motorists and truck drivers still may contend with distractions such as:
•Eating and drinking while driving
•Adjusting the radio or other instruments in the car
•Speaking with passengers
•Daydreaming
•Watching external objects
•Smoking
•Checking directions or a map
What can be done to prevent more traffic accidents in Davie and other communities? It is obvious that laws alone cannot stop all of these distractions in Davie and other communities. Motorists need to become aware of the risks and need to take steps to reduce distraction on the road. One way to do this is to become more aware of distracted behaviors such as daydreaming in order to stop them. Another option is to always think three moves ahead while driving. This not only allows a driver to drive defensively, but it can also help prevent distraction by keeping a motorist’s attention fully engaged with the task of driving.
Have you been injured by a distracted driver? Contact Flaxman Law Group for a free, no obligation consultation to review your legal options. Your case may be worth more than you think. If you’re too injured to travel to our Hollywood, Homestead, or Miami offices, we can travel to your hospital, workplace, or home for your free accident consultation. If you’re concerned about legal costs, keep in mind that we take cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you will not have to pay for legal fees until we win your case in court or reach an out-of-court settlement on your behalf. Even if you’re not sure whether you want to launch a legal claim, keep in mind that we can help you with the insurance claims process and we can negotiate with insurance carriers on your behalf. To find out although we can do for you in your situation and to find out whether you have a claim, contact Flaxman Law Group today to schedule your free appointment.