On Jan. 27 U.S Transportation Dept. began prohibiting texting by drivers (Federal Register Vol. 75, No. 17, Page 4305) of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses. The prohibition, which applies to interstate vehicles over 10,000 lbs., is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Department to combat distracted driving since a national summit on the issue last September.
The action is the result of the Department’s interpretation of standing rules. Truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.
Research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. Drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers. Because of the safety risks associated with the use of electronic devices while driving, FMCSA is also working on additional regulatory measures that will be announced in the coming months.
American Trucking Associations approved of the ban. ATA also supports states’ efforts to ban texting by automobile drivers. The associations will continue to work with affiliated state trucking associations and diverse stakeholder groups to make that happen.