Before a fatal collision, a teenager sent or received 11 texts in the 11 minutes. The 19-year-old crashed his pickup into the back of a tractor-trailer, which resulted in a chain-reaction and caused two school buses to collide. A 15-year-old student on-board a bus and pickup truck driver were also killed in the collision. The NTSB chairman said the crash represents a “big red flag for all drivers.”
Revised recommendations on restricting driver use of electronic devices while driving will soon be released. The state where the collision occurred, Missouri, had a law that banned drivers under 21 from texting and driving, but it wasn’t enforced. Current recommendations say cell phones are not recommended for use by commercial truck drivers, bus drivers, and beginning drivers, but they have not yet to made a recommendation for all drivers. According to news reports, investigators also believe the pickup truck driver was experiencing fatigue prior to the crash.
As a Charleston auto accident attorney, I always urge motorists to avoid distracted driving. There are many other methods drivers can use to avoid making a dangerous mistake, such as using a hands-free system, having a passenger send and read txt messages for you, pull over on the side of the road, or using an app that auto-responds so you will get back to them when you aren’t on the road. If you or a loved one experienced a car wreck, discuss your case with a personal injury attorney.
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