Texting and Driving Truck Accidents in Murfreesboro

Nearly every truck crash raises questions about the driver’s attention. When a collision involves drivers distracted by a phone screen, records can disappear within days. Texting and driving truck accidents in Murfreesboro require prompt investigation into the driver’s activity leading up to the impact.

At Ponce Law, our dedicated truck accident attorney can preserve phone records and carrier documents before they disappear. We have served the local community for decades, and we pursue these claims aggressively. We are also the only law firm in the state to receive the Better Business Bureau Torch Award for ethical commerce.

What Are the State Texting Laws for Commercial Truck Drivers?

Under Tennessee law, a driver may not physically hold or support a wireless device while operating a vehicle. The law also bars writing or reading a text-based communication, restricts reaching for a device in a way that pulls a driver out of a normal seated position, and prohibits watching or recording videos.

The penalty shows how seriously state law treats the conduct. A violation is normally a Class C misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $50. This fine doubles to $100 when the violation results in an accident, and it reaches $200 in a work zone with workers present. A citation resting solely on this section counts as a moving traffic violation.

For Murfreesboro truck accidents caused by texting and driving, injury claims still require proof beyond the citation itself. Our attorneys can compare the crash timeline with phone activity and carrier records to show whether a driver was using a device when their attention should have been on the road.

Federal Texting Rules Can Hold the Trucking Company Responsible

Federal regulations also prohibit commercial drivers from texting while driving.  This rule also prohibits a motor carrier from allowing or requiring its drivers to text. A trucking company can therefore face responsibility alongside the driver when its own policies or dispatch practices encourage prohibited texting.

For distracted driving truck collisions involving texting, a Murfreesboro attorney can explain why the federal definition of “driving” matters to your case. A driver is still driving when the commercial vehicle is temporarily stopped at a signal or due to traffic, with the engine running. Claiming texting occurred in a stopped truck is not, by itself, enough to avoid liability.  This exception only applies after the driver has pulled off the roadway and safely stopped somewhere the vehicle can remain.

Evidence in a Texting Truck Accident Claim

It is important to preserve accident records in texting-related negligent commercial driving crashes in Murfreesboro. Our attorneys can use the following evidence to strengthen your claim:

• Device-use and phone records, along with electronic logs
• Carrier dispatch communications and internal policies
• Witness statements about the driver’s conduct
• Video footage showing the driver or truck before the collision

RoadProof gives Ponce Law a real investigative advantage. Ponce Law is the only law firm with  RoadProof, which lets us download footage from the state Department of Transportation cameras when it exists. On high-traffic roads where these collisions occur, this footage can corroborate a witness’s account or show a driver’s negligent behavior.

Call a Murfreesboro Attorney About Truck Accidents Involving Texting Drivers

Both the driver and the carrier can hold responsibility for phone-related truck accidents, so a focused investigation is especially important. Texting and driving truck accidents in Murfreesboro depend on evidence of who was using a phone and what the company required of that driver.

If you sustained injuries in a commercial truck accident involving a distracted driver, contact Ponce Law today to discuss your options. Our local team can help preserve important evidence and pursue the compensation you deserve under state law.