The Legal Examiner Affiliate Network The Legal Examiner The Legal Examiner The Legal Examiner search instagram avvo phone envelope checkmark mail-reply spinner error close The Legal Examiner The Legal Examiner The Legal Examiner
Skip to main content

North Carolina State Troopers identified a woman and her seven year old son who died March3 in a dump truck crash in Lenoir County.

The 29 year old woman and her son were in a car that was struck head on by a dump truck on US 258 near Kinston, North Carolina. The dump truck driver was a 33 year old male from Nashville who has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of death by motor vehicle. The state highway patrol for the state stated that it was still investigating why the dump truck veered out of its lane.

Our View

Our North Carolina truck accident lawyers routinely handle tragic tractor trailer accidents where the truck driver was negligent in his driving duties. These cases, especially where the victims died, may lead to significant wrongful death lawsuit settlements.

Our experience as personal injury attorneys has shown us that a common reason for these tragic truck accidents is driver distraction. Distractions from both inside and outside the truck can lead to fatal accidents. Some common distractions are:

  • Dialing a cell phone
  • Texting
  • Using a dispatching device
  • Eating
  • Reading
  • Adjusting the radio
  • Falling asleep

It also is common for truckers to be distracted by something outside the cab, such as a person, billboard or passing building. Anything that draws the eyes away from the road for even a second can lead to a serious or fatal crash.

Truck driver distraction accidents are common. A 2006 study noted that driver inattention was the top cause of truck crashes. The study determined nearly 80% of truck accidents involved driver inattention in the three seconds before the accident. Also, a three year study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found that 11,000 crashes across the country involved trucker distractions outside the cab.

Another major distraction is cell phones – specifically texting. It is now illegal for all commercial truck drivers to text while driving. Texting and driving is one of the most dangerous activities you can engage in while driving. A 2009 study of drivers found that text messaging enhanced a drivers chance of being in a crash by 23 times. All truckers should make sure they are never distracted for any reason behind the wheel.

 

 

Comments for this article are closed.