The instinct to check a smartphone when a notification pops up can be difficult for drivers. Looking at a phone screen while behind the wheel is responsible for thousands of accidents in North Carolina and the rest of the country. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, distracted driving caused approximately 3,000 deaths in 2016 alone. This is a particularly big problem for the trucking industry due to exacerbating factors like long hours on the road and hazardous road conditions.
In order to combat this problem, it’s first important for drivers and their employers to recognize that there are distractions everywhere. Even seemingly harmless actions like eating or changing the station on the radio can lead to a distraction that causes an accident. Employers need to educate their drivers about these distractions and let them know that certain violations, like texting, are cause for termination.
Employers should also encourage drivers to engage in some good habits that help prevent distracted driving. These include turning off all unnecessary devices while driving, practicing defensive driving and making sure to take all schedule breaks. New technologies, such as hands-free devices and vehicle sensors, may help the situation as well. Anything the encourages the driver’s eyes to stay on the road could be part of the solution.
Victims of commercial truck accidents have the right to seek the support and guidance of an attorney. They can help a client evaluate the circumstances of their particular incident to find out if seeking compensation is the right course of action. An attorney may perform a through investigation to obtain as much evidence as possible. Some cases get settled out of court while others go to trial.