A tragic Missouri accident that happened last year is attracting new attention as the NTSB focuses on the issue of distracted driving. The fatal Missouri texting while driving accident happened when a teenager was texting as he drove his pickup truck. The pickup ran into the rear of a tractor trailer, and caused a chain reaction of crashes involving two school buses.
The accident resulted in the death of both the pickup driver and a student on one of the school buses. Almost 40 others were injured.
Terrible accidents such as this demonstrate why there has been a nationwide push to promote awareness of the dangers of distracted driving, along with the enactment of laws banning texting while driving. Currently over thirty states ban texting while driving, and more are certain to follow suit.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called for bans on texting while driving, and all other forms of cell phone use, by bus drivers, commercial truck drivers and new drivers. So far, however, the agency hasn’t recommended a ban that applies to all motorists.
That may be changing. NTSB Chairperson Deborah Hersman explained that “This is trending very hot and it’s a growing concern for the NTSB.” She said that NTSB investigators are seeing an increasing amount of texting and cell phone use in all types of transportation. Not is routine for NTSB investigators to request cell phone records when beginning an investigation.
The next time you feel the urge to get one more thing done by texting while driving, think about the risk you are taking, and consider whether any text message is really that important.
Source: Insurance Journal, NTSB Focuses on Driver Texting in Missouri Crash, Joan Lowy, 14 December 2011
The legal team at Dempsey Kingsland Osteen works to ensure that the injured are fully compensated for their lasting injuries from medical malpractice or other negligence. We push for comprehensive damages that anticipate the long-term needs of our clients, rather than taking a quick settlement out of convenience.
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