Federal Law Prohibits All Truck Drivers From Texting and Driving in Indiana

Close up of the hands of a man driver, holding phone in hand while driving, phone displays no texting while driving on screen. Very unsafe driving habit. Driving in front of, beside, or near a semi-truck puts me on edge. Whether it's the size, noise, or simple intimidation factor of a tractor-trailer, most people will admit to feeling a level of uneasiness while traveling in the vicinity of a semi-truck.

The jitters and double-takes I experience on interstates are most likely due to the large number of tragic semi-cases that our firm handles. Speaking to someone who has lost their child, husband, or spouse to a trucking accident is obviously a mournful occasion, but the fact that it involves a semi-truck always seems to heighten the level of animosity on behalf of all the parties involved. Our Indianapolis truck accident attorney team works on semi-truck accidents every day. The unfortunate truth about semi-truck accidents is that our clients often sustain traumatic or fatal injuries as a result of the truck driver's and/or the company's negligence.

However, looking up to see a semi-truck driver texting while he's behind the wheel is an entirely different kind of 'frightening.' And it happens more frequently than you would ever know. Fortunately, the Department of U.S. Transportation has taken notice. Effective immediately, semi-truck drivers and bus drivers who are caught texting while driving will be subject to civil or criminal fines of up to $2,750.00

Indiana Drivers Should Avoid Using Handheld Devices While Driving

Common sense should tell us that texting and driving are not only dangerous, but it's also simply foolish. There are endless examples of texting tragedies, yet, in spite of our better judgment, people continue doing it. I have yet to hear a good argument for texting and driving, and if you think you have one, I imagine you will have a difficult time convincing someone who has lost a child or was a victim of an accident themselves, due to texting and driving. Hopefully, future laws will bring similar penalties and fines not just to truck and bus drivers, but to everyone who operates a motor vehicle.

James R. Keller
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