Witness videotapes distracted driver just prior to crash | The Law Offices of Tyler & Peery

On Behalf of | Apr 9, 2017 | Distracted Driving |

Texas residents have good reason to be concerned about the growing number of people texting while driving. This behavior takes not just a person’s eyes off the road but hands and mental concentration as well. A bill in the state legislature that aims to ban texting while driving was recently passed by the House of Representatives. It will now be voted on by the Senate. Interestingly, handled use of phones for non-texting purposes would still be allowed.

In the meantime, accidents continue to happen and innocent people are injured or killed. A tragic example can be seen in a crash that took place along a stretch of U.S. 83 not far from Garner State Park. Two people in a vehicle on the highway noticed a pickup truck swerving in and out of its lane. The truck was also reportedly driving at speeds up to 80 miles per hour. The witness passenger used her phone to videotape the truck while the driver phoned for help. In talking with Real County dispatchers, the driver was told this was out of that county’s jurisdiction.

While still trying to get help, the driver and his passenger witnessed the pickup truck ram head-first into an oncoming bus as it made its way around a bend in the road. Of the 14 people in the bus, 13 died. The sole remaining survivor was taken to a hospital and required surgery. The at-fault driver reportedly admitted that he was on his phone when the incident occurred.

People involved in these accidents may find talking to an attorney a useful way of learning how to seek compensation at times like these.

Source: My San Antonio, “Witness: Driver who hit church bus said he was texting,” Zeke MacCormack, March 31, 2017