Tractor-Trailers & Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is one of the most dangerous behaviors in which a person can engage. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that approximately 3500 people died as a result of these accidents in 2021, and that number continues to rise. If a tractor-trailer is involved in a distracted driving accident, the odds are even higher that serious injury or death may occur. An attorney can help an injured victim seek compensation for what they have been through.

Distraction Kills

There are quite a lot of tractor-trailers on Florida roads at any given moment, and they do cause accidents, just as any other vehicle can. As one might imagine, anyone involved in a crash with a tractor-trailer is likely to sustain serious injury due to the vehicle’s size and weight. However, if a tractor-trailer driver engages in distracted driving, the odds of fatalities happening climb even higher.

There are several varieties of distracted driving that can take a person’s eyes off the road. Perhaps the most dangerous is texting while driving, as it is one of the few types to take all three types of attention away from driving (visual, manual, and cognitive). However, any behavior that takes your eyes off the road can be dangerous – anything from adjusting the GPS to eating to using a cellphone. For a person driving a vehicle that can weigh over 10,000 pounds, the danger is even more acute.

Serious Injuries Merit Suit

If you are injured in a tractor-trailer accident, and you believe that the driver was distracted, it can still be difficult to convince yourself to file suit. It can be difficult to establish that the driver was distracted (though not impossible), and you may also be under the misapprehension that since Florida is a no-fault state, you would have to file an insurance claim with your personal injury protection (PIP) insurer instead of filing suit in court.

In reality, Florida has what is known as an injury threshold – if your injuries are significant enough (generally, if they are permanent), you have the right to file suit in court, in the standard manner. If they are more minor, you will be required to pursue the insurance route – but only then. Injuries sustained after a tractor-trailer accident are likely to be serious enough to qualify.

Contact A Tampa Tractor-Trailer Accident Attorney

Any accident involving a large truck has the likelihood of being more serious, and if it has happened due to distracted driving, it can be even more important to hold the driver to account. A Tampa tractor-trailer accident attorney from the Rinaldo Law Group can help you determine how best to proceed in order to get the compensation you seek. Call our office today for a free consultation.

Source:

nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving