Effective January 3, 2012, interstate truck drivers were banned from operating a hand-held cell phone while driving. Rick Byrd of Charlotte, North Carolina says that the company for which he drives will definitely be checking his phone records if any accident occurs.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a truck driver is three times more likely to be involved in some sort of accident if they are reaching for or dialing a cell phone. Experts estimate that across the nation, more than half a million people suffer injury because of distracted driving and that distracted driving accounts for approximately 16 percent of traffic-related fatalities. Injury lawyers in Charlotte can attest to this fact, as such accidents contribute more and more to their case load.

Many truckers and trucking organizations endorse the ban because they understand that even a few seconds of distraction can cause an injury accident when operating a large vehicle such as a truck or a bus. Others, like the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, argue that cell phones provide no greater distraction than GPS devices or CB radios and should not be singled out. Others wonder why, if cell phones are so dangerous and distracting, the federal government did not simply call for an all-out ban that would apply to all drivers, not just truck drivers.

It remains to be seen if the federal ban will be effective in limiting cell phone usage by truck drivers or in reducing the number of injury accidents on the nation’s roadways. It will also be interesting to see how successful enforcement of such a ban can be. What is not in question, however, is the fact that a distracted driver is a much greater accident risk than a driver who is attentive and alert. This is true whether the driver is behind the wheel of an automobile, a commercial bus, or an 18-wheeler. When a loved one suffers injury or even death because of a distracted driver, the statistics do not seem to matter so much because that it is one accident too many.

If you or loved one has suffered an injury because of a distracted driver, whether the driver was talking on the cell phone, putting on make-up, texting, or eating a burger, you can benefit from the help of a qualified and compassionate injury lawyer in the Charlotte area. An experienced Charlotte injury lawyer knows and understands the statistics when it comes to distracted driving. In addition, your injury lawyer in Charlotte has the experience necessary to demonstrate how the driver that injured you was negligent and should be held responsible. When you are injured by a distracted driver, you have rights, and your injury lawyer will work diligently to make sure those rights are protected.

About the Author

Mary Wiglue Injury Lawyer Charlotte - With seven offices across North Carolina, the Charlotte injury lawyers at Nagle & Associates are dedicated to client service in injury litigation. To learn how you can benefit from our experience, focus, and past successes, contact a highly skilled injury lawyer in Charlotte at Nagle & Associates by calling (704) 331-6538 or visit us on the web at http://www.naglefirm.com/Charlotte/ for a FREE initial consultation.

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