Texting While Driving Pickup Truck Crashes in Dallas

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Every day on Dallas-area roads, pickup truck drivers glance at their phones for just a few seconds, and those seconds can destroy lives. If you or someone you love was hurt in a texting-while-driving pickup truck crash near Denton, Dallas, or anywhere along I-35E, US-380, or the Dallas North Tollway, you deserve straight answers about your rights and real help from attorneys who handle these cases. The team at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, based in Denton, Texas, is ready to fight for you. Call us at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation.

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Texas Law Bans Texting While Driving, and Pickup Truck Drivers Are Not Exempt

Texas Transportation Code Section 545.4251 makes it illegal for any driver to read, write, or send an electronic message while operating a moving motor vehicle. That law applies equally to the driver of a Ford F-150 hauling a load down I-35E through Denton County and to every other motorist on Texas roads. There are no special exemptions for pickup truck drivers.

The statute defines an “electronic message” as data read from or entered into a wireless communication device for the purpose of communicating with another person. That covers text messages, emails, social media messages, and similar communications. Using a GPS navigation system is permitted, but scrolling through a text thread while rolling through traffic near the Denton County Courthouse on Locust Street is a clear violation.

If a driver’s texting causes the death or serious bodily injury of another person, the offense becomes a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. That criminal penalty exists alongside any civil liability the driver faces in a personal injury lawsuit.

Texas Transportation Code Section 545.401 on reckless driving can also apply when a texting driver operates a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for safety. Prosecutors and civil attorneys can pursue charges or claims under both statutes at the same time. So a pickup truck driver who was texting when they ran a red light near Rayzor Ranch Marketplace in Denton could face criminal charges and a civil lawsuit simultaneously.

The law also requires the Texas Department of Transportation to post signs at every point where an interstate or U.S. highway enters the state, informing drivers that electronic messaging while driving is prohibited and carries fines. There is no excuse for not knowing this law exists.

Why Texting While Driving Is Especially Dangerous in a Pickup Truck

Pickup trucks are heavier, taller, and harder to stop than passenger cars. When a distracted driver behind the wheel of a Chevy Silverado or RAM 1500 looks down at a phone, the consequences for anyone in their path are far worse than a similar crash involving a smaller vehicle.

Texting is considered the most dangerous type of distracted driving because it combines visual, manual, and cognitive distraction all at once. A driver who texts takes their eyes off the road, removes at least one hand from the wheel, and shifts their mental focus away from driving. All three forms of distraction hit at the same time.

Consider what that means at highway speed. At 55 miles per hour, a driver who spends five seconds reading a text travels the length of a full football field without watching the road. Now picture that same driver in a lifted pickup truck weighing over 5,000 pounds, merging onto I-35E near the University of North Texas campus in Denton. The stopping distance alone makes a crash far more likely to be fatal.

Pickup trucks also sit higher off the ground than most cars. That height difference means a texting pickup truck driver who rear-ends a smaller vehicle often strikes the passenger compartment directly rather than the rear bumper. Injuries from those crashes, including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage, tend to be severe.

Distracted driving claimed 3,208 lives across the United States in 2024. Texas consistently ranks among the states with the highest distracted driving crash totals. When the vehicle doing the hitting is a full-size pickup truck, the probability of a fatality or catastrophic injury rises significantly.

If you were hit by a texting pickup truck driver near Lake Lewisville, on US-380, or anywhere in the Dallas-Denton corridor, working with an experienced truck accident lawyer who understands the weight and physics of these vehicles gives your case a real advantage.

How Texas Negligence Law Works in Texting Pickup Truck Crash Cases

Texas uses a modified comparative fault system, which is the legal framework that governs how fault and damages are divided when more than one party may share responsibility for a crash. Under this system, a plaintiff can recover compensation as long as they are not more than 50 percent at fault for the accident.

When a pickup truck driver was texting at the time of a crash, that fact is powerful evidence of negligence. Negligence, in Texas personal injury law, means a person failed to use the ordinary care that a reasonable driver would use under the same circumstances. Violating Texas Transportation Code Section 545.4251 by texting while driving is strong evidence that the driver fell below that standard.

Texas also recognizes a doctrine called negligence per se. This means that when a driver breaks a safety statute and that violation directly causes an injury, the violation itself can establish negligence without needing to prove the driver acted unreasonably in some broader sense. A texting pickup truck driver who blows through a stop sign on FM 2181 near Corinth and T-bones your vehicle has almost certainly committed negligence per se.

Insurance adjusters know this, and they will work quickly after a crash to minimize the driver’s apparent fault. They may try to argue that you were also distracted, that you failed to avoid the crash, or that your injuries were pre-existing. Texas’s comparative fault rules mean that every percentage point of fault assigned to you reduces your recovery. That is exactly why having a car accident lawyer review your case before you speak with an adjuster matters so much.

Compensation in these cases can include medical expenses, lost wages, future medical costs, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In cases where the texting driver’s conduct was especially reckless, punitive damages may also be available under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.003, which requires clear and convincing evidence of malice, fraud, or gross negligence.

Evidence That Proves a Pickup Truck Driver Was Texting at the Time of the Crash

Proving that a pickup truck driver was texting requires specific, targeted evidence. The fact that someone was on their phone at the time of a crash rarely appears directly in a police report. Building that proof takes deliberate legal work, and the window to preserve key evidence closes fast.

Cell phone records are the most direct form of proof. An attorney can send a legal preservation letter or file a subpoena to obtain the driver’s call and message logs from their wireless carrier. Those records show the exact timestamps of sent and received messages. If a message was sent 30 seconds before a crash on US-380 near McKinney Street in Denton, that timestamp places the driver’s eyes on the screen at the moment of impact.

Many modern pickup trucks also contain an event data recorder, commonly called a black box, which captures vehicle speed, braking, and steering inputs in the seconds before a crash. That data, combined with cell phone records, can paint a complete picture of what the driver was doing and how they failed to react in time.

Surveillance footage from nearby businesses, traffic cameras, and dashcam video from other vehicles can also capture the crash itself or the moments leading up to it. Denton and Dallas have significant camera coverage along major corridors like I-35E, Loop 288, and the Dallas North Tollway. Witnesses who saw the driver looking down at a phone before the crash provide additional support.

The Texas Department of Transportation maintains a statewide automated database of reportable motor vehicle crashes through its Crash Records Information System, known as CRIS. The CR-3 crash report filed by the investigating peace officer becomes part of that database and is a foundational document in any injury claim. Your attorney will obtain that report and analyze every notation about distracted driving.

Working with personal injury lawyers who know how to request, preserve, and present this evidence is the difference between a strong case and a weak one. At Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, we move quickly to gather this evidence before it disappears. Call (940) 800-2500 to get started.

What to Do After a Texting Pickup Truck Crash in the Dallas-Denton Area

The steps you take in the hours and days after a crash directly affect the strength of your injury claim. Acting quickly and carefully protects both your health and your legal rights.

Call 911 immediately. A police report is a required document in any serious injury claim, and it creates an official record of the crash. Texas law requires a peace officer to file a CR-3 crash report for any accident involving injury, death, or property damage over a threshold amount. Make sure the officer notes any information suggesting the other driver was on their phone.

Seek medical attention right away, even if you feel fine. Injuries from pickup truck crashes, including whiplash, soft tissue damage, and internal injuries, often do not show full symptoms for hours or days. A gap in medical treatment gives insurance companies a reason to argue your injuries were not caused by the crash.

Document the scene if you are physically able. Take photos of vehicle damage, road conditions, skid marks, and any visible injuries. Note the exact location, whether that is a specific intersection near Denton’s historic downtown square, a stretch of I-35E near Corinth, or a parking lot off Loop 288.

Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Adjusters are trained to ask questions that can be used to reduce your claim. Anything you say can be used to shift fault onto you under Texas’s comparative fault rules.

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 sets a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. That clock starts on the date of the crash. Missing that deadline almost always means losing your right to compensation entirely. Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 as soon as possible so we can begin building your case while the evidence is still fresh.

FAQs About Texting While Driving Pickup Truck Crashes in Dallas

Is texting while driving in a pickup truck illegal in Texas?

Yes. Texas Transportation Code Section 545.4251 prohibits all drivers, including pickup truck drivers, from reading, writing, or sending electronic messages while operating a moving vehicle. A first offense carries fines, and if the texting causes serious injury or death, the driver can face a Class A misdemeanor with up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

How do I prove the pickup truck driver was texting when they hit me?

The most reliable proof comes from the driver’s cell phone records, which show the exact time messages were sent or received. Your attorney can subpoena those records from the wireless carrier. Event data recorder data from the pickup truck, surveillance footage from nearby cameras, witness statements, and the official CR-3 crash report filed with TxDOT can all support your claim as well.

What compensation can I recover after a texting pickup truck crash in Dallas or Denton?

You may be able to recover medical expenses, lost wages, future medical costs, loss of earning capacity, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. In cases involving especially reckless behavior, such as a driver who was texting at high speed in a school zone or construction zone, punitive damages may also be available under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 41.003. Each case is different, and past results do not guarantee the same outcome in another matter.

What if I was partly at fault for the crash?

Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule. You can still recover compensation as long as you are found to be 50 percent or less at fault for the crash. However, your total damages are reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 20 percent at fault and your total damages are $100,000, you would recover $80,000. Insurance companies often try to inflate your share of fault to reduce what they owe you, which is why legal representation matters.

How long do I have to file a claim after a texting pickup truck accident in Texas?

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 gives most personal injury victims two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline typically bars you from recovering any compensation. There are limited exceptions, such as when the injured person is a minor, but those situations are fact-specific. Contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 as soon as possible to protect your right to file.

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