Everyone who drives any kind of motor vehicle on public roads is obligated by Pennsylvania law to keep their full attention at all times, including and especially tractor-trailer drivers hauling tens of thousands of pounds of cargo. Unfortunately, the long hours that truckers spend on the road can make them particularly prone to losing focus behind the wheel. Even a momentary lapse in concentration can have dire consequences for the trucker and multiple other people they’re sharing the road with.
Distracted driving truck accidents in Lewisburg can and all too often do cause extremely serious injuries for everyone involved. They can very often serve as strong grounds for civil litigation. When you want a good chance at getting a favorable result from a lawsuit built around this sort of wreck, you need help from a seasoned truck collision attorney well-known for winning cases like this on behalf of people just like you.
Is Distracted Driving Against the Law for Truckers?
Pennsylvania has joined most of the country in banning drivers of all ages from reading or writing text messages while behind the wheel. Federal law goes even further for truckers by prohibiting them from using a handheld electronic device for any purpose while driving. When it comes to distracted driving truck crashes in Lewisburg, there are many more potential sources of distraction than just a cell phone, including:
- Food and drinks
- CB radios
- Music playlists or radio stations
- Maps and GPS readouts
- Items in the passenger side or rear of the cab outside the driver’s reach
- Books and videos
While getting distracted by any of these things is dangerous and a breach” of the duty truckers have to act responsibly while driving, police officers often won’t include something like the driver was eating a burger immediately before the crash in an accident report the same way they might include a texting while driving citation. This means it may fall to you and your attorney to establish how a specific trucker was distracted and connect their irresponsible action directly to the crash that left you hurt.
Proving a Trucking Company Liable for a Distracted Driving Wreck
While an individual truck driver is the person most directly to blame for being distracted behind the wheel and causing a wreck in Lewisburg, they’re not the only ones who could hold civil liability for the accident. This is because, in Pennsylvania, you can often hold a company that employs a negligent person vicariously liable for harm caused by their employee’s misconduct.
You might be able to hold a trucking company directly liable for knowingly putting an untrained or unsafe driver on the road—for example, if the driver who directly caused your injuries had gotten in wrecks before because they were driving distracted. Guidance from an experienced legal professional is vital to building a strong civil claim against every person who played a role in causing your injuries.
Get in Touch with a Lewisburg Attorney After a Distracted Driving Truck Accident
Distracted driving is dangerous in every situation, no matter what kind of vehicle is involved. Being distracted behind the wheel of an 80,000-pound big rig is dangerous beyond anything you could possibly do in a regular commuter car, especially at highway speeds.
When you are hurt in a distracted driving truck accident in Lewisburg, you likely have grounds for a civil claim that a winning lawyer can help you take full advantage of. Call today to learn more during a free, no-obligation consultation.
