Taking and receiving cell phone calls may have distracted the truck driver responsible for a crash that killed eleven passengers in a church van in March, according to a news report released recently by local ABC news affiliate KMBC. The tractor-trailer crossed a median and struck a passenger van, killing the eleven passengers inside. The passengers were on their way to a wedding.
Cell phone use was cited as a “human factor” involved in the fatal trucking accident, according to the recently-released police report. However, police have still not determined whether the driver was actually using the cell phone at the moment the accident occurred.
Also according to the police report, the truck driver was traveling faster than the posted speed limit of 70 miles per hour when he crossed the median. According to witnesses, the driver attempted to brake for about 100 feet before striking the van, but the truck was still traveling faster than 80 miles per hour when the truck crash occurred. Neither weather nor alcohol appears to have been a factor in the accident.
Both the Kentucky State Police and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are continuing to investigate the accident. Although cell phone use by truck drivers is still permitted, the Department of Transportation has promised to consider issuing rules about cell phone use.
Distracted drivers are a factor in a large number of truck accidents in the U.S. each year. Drivers may be distracted by their cell phones, GPS locators, or other objects in the cab. Avoiding distractions is crucial to safe driving, especially for operators of large tractor-trailers.
If you have been injured by a distracted truck driver, you have certain legal rights that deserve to be protected. The experienced Missouri tractor trailer accident injury attorneys at Page Law can help you understand your options and protect your rights. Contact the attorneys at Page Law today by calling 314-322-8515 to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
