CARROLLTON, Ga. — Police in Carrollton are using crash photos to remind motorists of the dangers of distracted driving after a driver admitted he was looking at his phone before crashing into an 18-wheeler.
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Carrollton police said the wreck happened Thursday at the intersection of Highway 166 Bypass and Newnan Road.
Officers say the driver admitted he was distracted by his phone and drove underneath the 18-wheeler.
Photos released by the department show the vehicle lodged beneath the tractor-trailer.
“Miraculously, the driver wasn’t more seriously injured, and we are so grateful because crashes like this often end much differently,” the department said in a statement.
The driver was taken to Tanner Medical Center-Carrollton with minor injuries. Police say he has not currently been cited.
Officials said the crash caused traffic delays earlier in the day and left many drivers stuck in the area.
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The CPD said the wreck is exactly why Georgia’s hands-free law exists.
Under the law, drivers are prohibited from holding or physically supporting a wireless device while operating a vehicle. While hands-free technology is permitted, texting or holding a phone while driving is illegal.
Officers stressed that distracted driving is not minor and can have devastating consequences in seconds.
“A quick glance at a phone can be catastrophic,” the department warned.
Police are urging drivers to use hands-free features.
“No notification is worth this,” the department said.
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