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Officials at a Sarasota County semi-truck accident on I75 on April 4, 2017 said, "This should be a warning, be aware of slow drivers on the interstate, and don't drive distracted."

Two semi-trucks were involved in the April accident just after 5:00 a.m. FPL (Florida Highway Patrol) troopers said a semi-truck carrying ice cream was moving with the flow of traffic but did not notice that a semi-truck carrying beer was moving slowly in front of him. The trucks crashed, and the driver of the ice cream truck died in the fiery crash, as reported by News Channel 8 in Sarasota County. 

Many truck drivers and motor carriers are good drivers. However, when accidents occur, the effects of the traffic accidents are frequently terrible. Because of the large size of semi-trucks and the nature of their cargos, accidents with these immense vehicles are usually catastrophic. 

Another Florida semi-truck accident occurred in Immokalee on April 18, 2017, just two weeks later, when a driver was cited after crashing into a farm-worker bus carrying 60 people. FPL believes distracted driving may have been the cause. The semi was behind the bus and did not stop in time but swerved left to avoid the bus hitting its left side as the bus was turning. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash statistics in 2015, 433,000 large trucks were involved in traffic accidents with 116,000 of those resulting in injury and 4,067 resulting in death. Of the fatalities in 2015, 74 percent were occupants of other vehicles. On a state basis, the highest number of large-truck occupants killed was 100 in Texas. The second highest was 31 each in California and Florida. 

State and federal laws strictly regulate truck drivers and motor carriers as any number of infractions may contribute to an accident. The common causes, according to NHTSA, are distracted driving, speeding, fatigued driving, unsecure cargo, rollovers, inadequate stopping distances, and inexperience. 

Distracted driving is cited as one of the top causes of car accidents, but when a distracted driver turns out to be the driver of a cargo-hauling tractor-trailer, the consequences increase twenty-fold says the NHTSA. 

A study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported by Anne Ferro, Administrator, in 2010 determined that truck drivers who text remove their eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 out of every 6 seconds. If the truck is traveling at 55 MPH, this is the equivalent of driving the full length of a football field without looking at the road. The FMCSA's study also revealed other unsettling statistics: 

• When a trucker dials a cell phone, they are 5.9 times more likely to cause a truck accident.
• When a trucker reaches for a cell phone, they are 6.7 times more likely to cause a truck accident.
• When a trucker uses a dispatch device, they are 8.9 times more likely to cause an accident.
• When a trucker looks at a map, they are 7 times more likely to cause an accident. 

Federal Texting Ban for Commercial Drivers 

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has enacted a federal law that prohibits truckers and bus drivers from texting while driving. Strict penalties, including a $2,750 fine and potential civil or criminal charges, can be incurred if the law is broken. For drivers who are convicted of two or more offenses, they risk losing their commercial driver's license. Additionally, if a trucking company allows its drivers to ignore the federal ban, the company can be fined up to $11,000. 

TruckingTruth.com, a blog site for truckers, says that the FMCSA, in the interest of public safety, kept it short and simple regarding the use of mobile devices by truck drivers: No Reaching, No Holding, No Dialing, No Texting, No Reading. 

Proving Negligence in Distracted Driving Cases 

A good attorney is needed in proving negligence in distracted driving cases as it is not always black and white. After negligence is proven, the attorney must then determine who is liable. It may seem clear that a driver would be responsible, but others may also be. Large truck accidents may have multiple defendants including the truck driver, the company which owns the truck, contractors, and insurance companies. 

"We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. have handled many truck accident cases involving negligence. If you or a loved one has been injured in any accident, please contact us. We are Fort Myers Truck Accident Attorneys," said Attorney Randall Spivey.

Fort Myers Truck Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney  the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com. Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.