A tractor trailer slammed into stopped traffic near Greenville, South Carolina on June 2. Two were killed and three were injured when the big rig rear-ended several vehicles that were stopped on I-385.

The tractor trailer crash with death and serious injury happened at the Woodruff Road exit on I-385 in Greenville.

The Greenville chief of police states that a big rig, a pickup truck and a car were stopped on the South Carolina interstate due to construction traffic. Another big rig slammed into the vehicles from the rear. The tractor trailer first hit the pickup truck, then the car, which was pushed under the other tractor trailer.

The driver and front car passenger were killed at the crash scene. Another passenger had serious injuries. The pickup truck driver also suffered unknown injuries and was taken to the hospital. One of the truck drivers also was injured.

Our View

Our experience as truck accident personal injury attorneys in North Carolina and Virginia has shown us that far too many tractor trailer accidents are due to distracted driving.

There are many causes of distracted driving: Drivers may fall asleep, looking at or texting on a cell phone, eating, drinking, talking to passengers, etc. Whatever the reason, distracted driving with a massive tractor trailer is a nearly certain recipe for a serious or fatal accident.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or FMCSA has recently published new texting and mobile phone restrictions for tractor trailer drivers that we hope will reduce the chances of these types of deadly distracted driving incidents. 

Recent FMCSA rules prohibit all US commercial vehicle drivers from texting while driving. Also, do not think that this means that the truck driver still can reach for or hold a cell phone to carry on a verbal conversation! This also is not allowed. Further, if the truck driver dials a phone while driving that means pushing more than a single button, this also is against the law.

Further, if the truck driver dials a phone while driving that means pushing more than a single button, this also is against the law. It is quite easy for police to get cell phone records today after a truck crash to determine if the driver did anything illegal that led to the accident.

Truck drivers who want to use a cell phone safely and legally while driving can do the following:

• Put the phone in a place so it can be legally operated by the driver, without the driver having to reach for it.
• Use an earpiece or speaker phone.
• Use a one button touch feature or voice activated cell phone.

The purpose of these rules is to eliminate disastrous truck crashes that kill far too many innocent people, such as this distracted driving truck crash that led to death and a $3.5 million settlement.