Tampa Street Car Accident Highlights Distracted Driving Issue

A Tampa personal injury streetcar accident occurred Monday, February 3, 2020 involving a TECO Line streetcar and a Ryder rental truck. Thankfully, there were no life threatening personal injuries. This rental truck accident in Tampa Bay happened at Channelside Drive and East Harbor Street in Tampa. According to the Tampa Police Department, the rental truck failed to comply with the TECO streetcar’s right-of-way and caused the Ybor city streetcar to crash into the truck. While there were no serious personal injuries or wrongful death in this Tampa distracted driving accident, our thoughts and prayers nonetheless go out to those affected negatively by this incident. At this point it appears unclear if the truck driver will be cited.

Many distractions exist while driving, but our mobile phones take the cake when it come to distractions. Many, many drivers use them for long periods of time each day when they have no business looking at their cell phones. Almost everyone has seen a driver distracted by a cell phone, but when you are the one distracted, you often don’t realize that driver is you. We weren’t meant to multitask behind the wheel. It’s imperative that you always stay alert when driving. It’s always just a passing thought – “let me quickly check my email” while driving, or a quick check to see if your Facebook or Instagram post received a like or comment while driving. A recent study from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission showed that the average driver checks their phone 2.4 times on every drive. The Florida driving statistics are even more abysmal. In 2015, there was estimated to be over 3,200 distracted driving wrongful deaths in Florida.

The statistics on wrongful deaths in Tampa Bay from texting and driving aren’t as clear. Anecdotally, however, the Riverview personal injury attorney community knows they are happening because we tragically receive calls from clients who have lost their loved ones to a Tampa wrongful death car accident everyday. Trust that whatever the reason your phone is beeping while driving it can wait. If you need a free consultation about a distracted driving car accident in Temple Terrace or a wrongful death accident in Tampa, call our Riverview car accident lawyers for a free consultation at (813) 445-6121. Our Brandon accident attorneys will travel to our clients in their homes or hospital beds at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Brandon Hospital and other Tampa area hospitals.