Kansas City Distracted Truck Driver Lawyers
Strong advocacy for truck accident victims in Missouri and Kansas
Driving a semi, 18-wheeler, tractor-trailer, or any type of truck requires a lot of concentration. Trucks have blind spots. The cargo can shift. Their center of gravity makes rollovers more likely. Just a moment’s distraction can cause a deadly crash or an accident that results in serious injuries. At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our lawyers are skilled at showing that a truck driver wasn’t focused on the road while driving. Our Kansas City distracted truck driver lawyers review cell phone records, electronic logs, black boxes, and everything the driver was doing just before the accident happened. For more than 30 years, we’ve helped personal injury victims obtain just compensation when drivers are negligent. Call us today to assert your right to hold a distracted driver accountable.
What is distracted driving?
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), distracted driving is any activity that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, and mind off of traffic.
Some of the many ways truck drivers are distracted while driving include:
- Looking at a GPS. Many drivers use GPS to know which roads to take and where to turn. Drivers who look at their GPS instead of listening to it aren’t focused on the road.
- Smartphone/cell phone use. Truck drivers should never text while driving. They should never hold a cell phone while driving. They should never read emails while driving.
- Eating and drinking. Drivers should eat and drink before they start their journey or after they stop.
- Drivers who are tired aren’t focused on their driving.
- Drunk driving. Driving while intoxicated is a form of distracted driving.
Other types of distracted driving include adjusting the radio or other entertainment devices, looking at the scenery while driving, watching videos, personal grooming, and any other activity that takes a truck driver’s attention away from traffic.
How dangerous is distracted driving among truck drivers?
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2022, more than 3,300 people died in the US due to distracted driving.
Many trucking companies pressure their drivers to meet strict deadlines for delivering their shipments. That means that many truck drivers are on the road as long as possible, traveling as fast as possible. These stresses can lead to fatigue and boredom. Drivers cut corners by sleeping and resting less than they should, eating a sandwich with one hand off the steering wheel, listening to music or podcasts to keep engaged, and doing other tasks they wouldn’t do if they had more time.
Distractions by truck drivers are particularly dangerous because:
- Trucks need more time and distance to stop
- The cargo may move around while driving, making it harder to control the truck
- Many activities like making wide turns and backing out require extra focus, not less focus
- Trucks are especially difficult to control due to the length, width, height, and size of trucks.
What laws regulate distracted truck drivers?
FMCSA regulations
The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Administration (FMVSA) has special rules on texting and the use of hand-held mobile phones by commercial truck drivers. According to the FMCSA,
The odds of being involved in a safety-critical event (e.g., crash, near-crash, unintentional lane deviation) are 23.2 times greater for CMV drivers who text while driving than for those who do not.
Drivers who text while driving take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. For a truck driver who is traveling at 55 mph, this means traveling 371 feet (longer than a football field) without looking at the highway.
Texting means “manually entering text into, or reading text from, an electronic device.” Texting includes:
Short message services, e-mailing, instant messaging, a command or request to access a Web page, pressing more than a single button to initiate or terminate a call using a mobile telephone, or engaging in any other form of electronic text retrieval or entry for present or future communication.
Commercial drivers who text while driving can lose their commercial driver’s license. The penalties can be up to $2,750 for drivers. Employers who allow or require drivers to use hand-held communication devices for texting while driving can be fined up to $11,000. Truck drivers who have multiple texting while driving convictions can be disqualified from driving by the FMCSA. Multiple violations of state laws against texting while driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) can result in a CDL disqualification for up to 120 days.
Missouri regulations
In Missouri, distracted driving between 2012 and 2021 resulted in 200,000 crashes. Those collisions led to more than 800 deaths. As of 2023, all drivers, including truck drivers, are prohibited from:
Physically holding or supporting a cell phone with any part of their body; manually typing, writing, sending, or reading text-based messages; recording, posting, sending or broadcasting video, including video calls and social media posts; and watching a video or movie.
Missouri’s texting while driving law is a secondary law, which means that the police must observe another traffic violation such as speeding or crossing a center line in order to charge a truck driver with distracted driving.
Kansas regulations
In Kansas, texting while driving is generally prohibited. Some exceptions do apply. Generally, using a cell phone is legal except for underage drivers.
Who is responsible for a distracted truck driving accident in Kansas City
At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our truck accident lawyers file personal injury and wrongful death claims against everyone responsible for driving while distracted. The defendants may include:
- The truck driver
- The truck driver’s employer
- The owner of the truck
- Any other responsible parties
Our Kansas City truck driver distracted driving lawyers work with the police, our investigators, and through the discovery process to show the driver who caused your accident was distracted and why they were distracted.
We demand compensation for all your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, property damage, and all other damages. If a loved one dies, we file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the family of the person who tragically died.
Do you have a Kansas City distracted truck driver lawyer near me?
Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys has eight offices throughout Missouri and Kansas. Our main office is located at Suite 100 on 510 Walnut Street in Kansas City, just a few blocks away from City Hall. We can meet with you at our Kansas City Office or in Lee’s Summit, St. Joseph, Parkville, and Blue Springs, MO - as well as Overland Park, Olathe, and Victory Hills, KS, by appointment. When necessary, we can make arrangements to see you away from the office. We also conduct consultations by phone and video conferences.
We can explain your truck accident rights, answer your questions, and guide you through the claims process.
Speak with an experienced Kansas City distracted driver truck accident lawyer today
Truck accidents due to driver distraction often cause catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Distracted driving is inexcusable. At Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys, our personal injury and wrongful death lawyers have the experience and professional relationships to build a case that shows how a distracted driver caused your accident. Our Kansas City truck accident lawyers demand compensation for all your financial and personal damages. To schedule a free consultation, please call us or fill out our contact form. We represent clients throughout Missouri and Kansas.