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Distracted driving causes crashes.
Distracted driving truck accidents in Hackensack can cause death and serious injuries. Trucks and tractor-trailers on the New Jersey turnpike that are driven by distracted drivers are a threat to the safety of other drivers.
That is why New Jersey has laws to punish distracted driving.
These laws make it safer for other drivers, but the laws cannot stop all distracted driving.
Examples of distracted driving include the following:
The knowledgeable truck accident attorneys at O’Cathain Law Group are experienced at litigating cases against careless truck drivers and trucking companies.
When a trucker is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, proving their negligence can be as easy as a blood test or a Breathalyzer. While distracted driving can be every bit as dangerous as drunk or fatigued driving, it is much more difficult to prove. Drivers may not even realize they were distracted before the accident.
However, trucker distraction plays a huge role in many truck wrecks. Eating or drinking while driving, talking on the phone, and daydreaming are some common distractions. Some of those distractions, like texting, can be proven through electronic records. However, more subtle distractions can be harder to establish. Investigators, police, and lawyers often work backward from the results to prove the trucker was distracted at the time of the accident.
It is vital to contact the police after a truck accident. First, truck accidents often result in severe injuries, making it essential to get first responders on the scene as quickly as possible. Law enforcement officers also have special training to help them identify signs of distracted driving at accident scenes in Hackensack. They may look for signs of distraction, such as spilled food or reading material in the cab. If there is a fatality, the cops might also look into phone records to see if the trucker was texting behind the wheel. Even if direct proof of distraction is lacking, erratic or careless driving can still be used to show the trucker’s fault in the accident.
Distracted driving has three parts: cognitive, visual, and manual distractions. One reason states have cracked down on texting while driving is that it combines all three categories of distracted driving.
Cognitive distractions: when trucker’s mental focus is not on driving road. Distractions like music, audiobooks, and phone calls can cause a trucker to lose focus.
Visual distractions: when a trucker’s eyes leave the road. Think about changing the radio station, looking at a map, or rummaging through the truck’s cab. A truck’s size and braking distance cause awful injuries and death.
Manual distractions: when the truck driver’s hands are not on the wheel. Truck drivers often take their hands from the wheel to eat, drink, or try to locate things in the vehicle.
Truck wrecks can be catastrophic. The people in smaller passenger vehicles often sustain severe injuries while the trucker emerges unharmed. Distracted driving truck accidents in Hackensack can completely change the course of an innocent driver’s life.
Help is available when you are affected by an accident. Schedule a consultation with a personal injury law lawyer from O’Cathain Law Group Personal Injury Law Department, who handles truck accidents, to explore your options for holding the careless truck driver and trucking company accountable.