Texting While Trucking: A Deadly Practice

Virginia (VA) Truck Accident Injury Lawyers
Offices in VA Beach, Hampton & Elizabeth City, NC

Crashes Caused by Trucks

7/29/2009
Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton
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Texting While Trucking: A Deadly Practice

The latest evidence that texting while driving can be as dangerous as drunk driving comes from Virginia Tech.

This past Monday, the school's Transportation Institute released data showing that truck drivers who used cell phone to send text messages from behind the wheel had a 23.2 percent greater risk of getting into an accident than did undistracted truckers. Texting took drivers' eyes off the road for an average of more than 5 seconds at a time.

What is most alarming is that the Virginia Teach researchers collected data in real-world situations. They put cameras in cars and trucks and actually recorded drivers focusing more on their cell phones than their driving. The tapes showed that reaching for and dialing phones also significantly raised risks for traffic accidents.

Virginia and several other states have banned texting while driving. Some federal lawmakers are also pushing for a federal ban on behind-the-wheel texting.

Outlawing texting while driving is a good start toward reducing people's distractions behind the wheel, particularly truckers'. However, as I've learned from many years representing victims of accidents involving trucks, getting cell phones out of drivers' hand is just one solution to keeping everyone safe on the roads.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border. The firm handles car, truck, railroad, medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton’s lawyers are licensed in VA, NC, SC, WV, DC and KY.

EJL

Labels: Accidents automobile accident car accident cell phone driving injury Attorney John C. safety texting tractor trailer crashes truck accidents Virginia Tech Virginia truck accident lawyer

How can you identify a top Virginia injury lawyer for your case? Look no further.

Our Virginia personal injury lawyers have been selected for many accolades.

Two of the VA injury attorneys with our firm, James Lewis and Rick Shapiro, have been named among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Lewis and Shapiro have also selected for inclusion in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Leiws and Shappiro, along with attorney John C. have been recognized as Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010.

Ours was the first personal injury firm in Virginia invited to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Rick Shapiro was named as one of the Top 100 Injury Lawyers in Virginia by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

In October, 2000 our law firm and co-counsel obtained what was then the largest verdict in Virginia's history for an injured person. Our brain-damaged client received an initial award of $46 million that increased to $60 million with interest compounded while the defendant pursued a failed appeal, and was confidentially settled during the appeal.

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Our lawyers handle personal injury cases throughout the eastern United States and work closely with lawyers in other states on signficant injury cases.

In Virginia, we are prepared to counsel and represent injury and wrongful death victims in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Richmond, Petersburg, Roanoke, Salem, Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, Ashland, Big Stone Gap and all of the Eastern Shore, including the towns of Accomack, Onancock, Chincoteauge, Wachapreague, Cape Charles, Bloxom, Eastville, Exmore, Greenbackville, Machipongo, Mappsville, Melfa, Nassawadox, Onley, Tangier, Temperanceville, Wachapreague and Wallops Island.

For clients in West Virginia (WV), we are happy to consider personal injury claims from residents of Bluefield, Beckley, Bridgeport, Charles Town, Charleston, Fairmont, Huntington, Lewisburg, Madison, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Moundsville, Parkersburg, Ripley, Sutton, Weirton, Wheeling and any other town or county.

Attorneys with Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton hold licenses to practice in VA, WV, North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), Kentucky (KY), Florida (FL) and Washington, DC.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia injury law firm whose attorneys focus on personal injury and accident law and have experience handling truck wreck cases. Check out our truck accident case results and our free consumer guide on what to do if you get involved in an accident with a commercial truck.

We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, VA, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in Virginia, including Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Newport News, VA, if you've been seriously hurt by someone else's carelessness.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been named to the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and included among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Jim and Rick have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010. Fewer than 5 percent of practicing lawyers receive this honor.

In addition, our VA injury law firm was the first in the commonwealth to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms, and we have the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization. The rating indicates we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free initial confidential consultations. Call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a message so we can get back to you.

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Texting While Trucking: A Deadly Practice

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