Truck Drivers On Their Cell Phones A Growing Cause of Truck Accidents

This video features Carson R. Runge, a Medical Malpractice attorney based in Texas.

Attorney Carson Runge | 888-364-6814 | Free Consult

"What we have seen time and time again is that the trucking industry is destroying evidence, removing evidence, changing evidence while the people who are injured are heading to the hospital in an ambulance. So it’s vitally important that people hire an attorney immediately."

An alarming amount of collisions are caused by truck drivers on their cell phones.

Carson R. Runge is a personal injury attorney with Sloan Law Firm with offices in Longview and Houston, Texas. In this interview, attorney Carson Runge explains why this is happening and what you can do if you are involved or witness a truck accident that may have been caused by a distracted truck driver.

To learn more, contact Carson Runge by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Key Takeaways from Carson Runge:

Using a cell phone while operating a vehicle is dangerous for anyone to attempt. Truck drivers are held to higher safety standards than most, due primarily to the immense size and weight of the vehicles they are operating.

Cell phone use is common among commercial truck drivers.

The government has passed minimum safety rules that truck drivers need to comply with, but this doesn’t always happen. As of three years ago, it is illegal for truck drivers to drive a commercial vehicle while operating a handheld cellphone. Hands-free devices are allowed, but drivers cannot use a cellphone with their hands while driving.

Truck drivers on cell phones put everyone at risk.

These vehicles can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. This massive vehicle going 70 MPH while distracted creates a significant threat of danger to everyone on the road. Physically it removes the drivers’ hands from the wheel, and mentally it distracts the driver from focusing on the road.

Runge says that his firm is currently handling multiple truck accident cases where the truck driver was using their phone at the time of the accident. The drivers’ cell phone records indicate this to be the case. The drivers are supposed to know these rules, and trucking companies are supposed to enforce them.

No driver or trucking company will hand over these cell phone records. You need an attorney’s help.

Once a lawsuit is filed, the attorney can subpoena the driver’s cell phone records. Runge says that he is seeing this type of accident more and more frequently. He says this is necessary as truck drivers and trucking companies will not voluntarily admit to cell phone use, nor will they willingly provide cell phone records. These records are often damning because they may show that the driver was on their cell phone for long stretches of the route.

Witness or suspect that a truck driver was on their cell phone before an accident? Tell someone.

Call the police if you’ve either been involved in a trucking accident or witnessed one in which you either know or suspect that the driver was using a cell phone. The subpoena process can find out if this is the case.

After you’ve called the police, get an attorney involved as soon as you can. The 18-wheeler industry is well-prepared to begin building a defense against trucking companies and driver. The driver is trained to call a number immediately after the accident, and that will cause insurance adjusters, investigators, and other professionals who work for the trucking company to immediately arrive on the scene. They will begin building a case for the trucking company. You need someone equally qualified on your side to begin building your case.

To learn more, contact Carson Runge by calling 888-364-6814 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

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