Texting and Driving Truck Accidents in Oklahoma City

Lawyers at The Law Firm for Truck Safety have successfully handled many cases involving texting and driving. Smartphone usage has rapidly increased over the past several years. Devices are now an everyday item as essential as a wallet or set of house keys. However, no one should use mobile devices when operating a moving motor vehicle, especially if that vehicle is a fully loaded tractor-trailer weighing tens of thousands of pounds.

Any truck driver who chooses to text behind the wheel is not only breaking federal and state laws and opening themselves up to civil liabilityLegal responsibility for one's acts or omissions. In negligence cases, liability includes proving negligence, proving causation, and resulting damages. when their negligent actions cause a truck wreck. That said, while fault may be clear when a texting truck driver causes a crash, how to pursue justice can be anything but. Personal injuryLegal term for an injury to the body, mind, or psyche, as opposed to an injury to property. claims involving a texting and driving truck accident in Oklahoma City can be deceptively complex and hard to manage on your own. The best outcomes for justice demand the support of a skilled, compassionate and experienced truck accident attorney which is why if you have recently been hurt in this way, you should seek the help of our truck accident attorney from the Law Firm for Truck Safety.

Does Texting While Driving Always Count as Negligence?

Put simply, if a truck driver is driving a commercial motor vehicle on a public highway, they have a responsibility to drive safely and lawfully behind the wheel. If they injure another person because they failed to do so, they can be held legally liable for ensuing damages caused by their negligence. Since it is not just irresponsible but also illegal, in Oklahoma City, sending messages while driving always counts as legally actionable negligence if it is proven that texting contributed to the truck wreck. Under regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)The U.S. federal agency that regulates the trucking industry., interstate commercial truck drivers cannot use a handheld mobile device for any purpose while their vehicle is in motion, other than to start or end a phone call with a single button press if the device is in hands-free mode. Furthermore, Oklahoma Statute § 47-11-901c prohibits all in-state drivers from reading or writing text messages on a mobile communication device, or even from holding it, while driving.

Holding Trucking Companies Liable for a Truck Driver’s Texting

Because of the statutes and regulations in place, proving that a trucker was texting behind the wheel prior to a wreck will often be enough to establish that they were directly at fault. This would also make them liable for ensuing losses. Trucking companies are legally responsible for ensuring drivers operating under its authority know and follow safety laws and regulations.

When lawyers at The Law Firm for Truck Safety suspect the truck driver was texting and driving, we look to see if the company had meaningful policies and procedures against this conduct. Or did they encourage it or even require it by texting its drivers when they are hauling loads? We are relentless in finding the truth and holding all parties responsible. There is no excuse for texting and driving.

Contact an Oklahoma City Attorney for Help After a Texting and Driving Truck Collision

Looking away from the road ahead for even a moment can cause someone to miss the chance to avoid a life-altering collision. In fact, sending or reading a text at 55 mph means you travel the length of a football field without looking — and research shows texting while driving can be even more dangerous than driving under the influence. Proving that someone else was texting behind the wheel prior to colliding with you on an Oklahoma road can serve as strong grounds for civil recovery.

At the Law Firm for Truck Safety, our team focuses exclusively on truck accident litigation and has more lawyers with commercial driver’s licenses than any other firm in the US. Call our lawyers today and discover how we can help you move forward from the aftermath of a truck accident in Oklahoma City caused by texting and driving.