In January, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced federal guidance expressly prohibiting texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as buses and large trucks.
In January, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced federal guidance expressly prohibiting texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as buses and large trucks. The prohibition was put into effect immediately and is the latest in a series of actions taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) to combat distracted driving, since the Distracted Driving Summit last September.
The action is the result of the U.S. DOT's interpretation of standing rules. Bus and truck drivers who send cell phone text messages while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.
"We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe," said Sec. LaHood. "This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving."
Research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every six seconds while texting. This means that at 55 miles per hour, the driver is traveling the length of more than 100 yards without looking at the road.
Texting while driving also increases by 20 times a driver's likeliness to get in an accident than a non-distracted driver. Because of the safety risks associated with the use of electronic devices while driving, FMCSA is also working on additional regulatory measure that will be announced in the coming months.
During the September 2009 Distracted Driving Summit, Sec. LaHood announced the U.S. DOT's plan to pursue this regulatory action, as well as rule-makings to reduce the risks posed by distracted driving.
President Obama also signed an Executive Order directing federal employees not to engage in text messaging while driving government-owned vehicles or with government-owned equipment. Federal employees were required to comply with the ban starting Dec. 30, 2009.
Further information on the U.S. DOT's work to combat distracted driving can be found at www.distraction.gov.
From Metro Magazine, February March 2010 issue