Ohio’s roadways are an important part of the nation’s major trucking routes. This means that motorists should be especially careful while sharing the roadways with big rigs. Truckers, for their part, need to be equally cautious.
Unfortunately, not everybody on the road seems to realize the dangers of distracted driving — no matter how many warnings they’re given. Three separate accidents occurred in just one evening on a small section of I-76 as a result of inattentive drivers.
The first accident involved a semi-truck whose distracted driver didn’t slow down when he came upon traffic stopped in a construction zone. The truck plowed into three separate cars and set off a chain reaction that eventually caught eight different vehicles up in its wake.
About 90 minutes later, with traffic at a complete stop for miles, the distracted driver of a car then plowed into the back of a semi.
A third crash happened because yet another driver failed to spot the backed up traffic while approaching the second accident — although that driver chose to swerve into the median strip, landing on the other side.
Once again, Ohio highway patrol officers are trying to spread the word to pay attention when you’re driving and watch for slowed or stopped traffic on the highway. Construction zones are particularly hazardous, and you can’t take your eyes off the road for even a few seconds.
Distracted driving is always part of an accident investigation these days, with officers questioning drivers involved in accidents about what led to the accident. Texting, in particular, is prohibited. Adults can be fined if they’re already being ticketed for another offense. Teen drivers, however, can be pulled over just for texting and driving under Ohio’s new laws and fined $150. They can also lose their license for up to 60 days.
If you’ve been the victim of a distracted driver, consider talking to an attorney about how to protect your rights and recover fair compensation for your injuries.
Source: truckingindustrynews.com, “Distracted Driving Results in 3 Separate Crashes on Ohio Highway,” Jana Ritter, July 17, 2017