No Texting for Truckers (or Bus Drivers)
Effective January 26, 2010, the US Department of Transportation has declared it illegal for drivers.jpg)
of semi-trucks, and for commercial bus or van drivers with more than eight passengers to send text messages while driving. Any truck or bus driver who violates the Federal regulations is subject to a penalty up to $2,750.
Researchers at Virginia Tech found that truck drivers who send text messages on a cell phone are about 23 times more likely to get into some type of accident or near-miss than drivers who keep their eyes on the road.
But continue to watch out for UPS or FedEx trucks. The ban announced today by the Transportation Department doesn’t apply to in-cab or fleet management type of computers. Drivers for shippers such as FedEx Corp. and United Parcel Service Inc. can still use portable computers in their vehicles to scan package deliveries and drop- offs and respond to messages from dispatchers.
Apparently the agency has the authority through its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to immediately prohibit texting by commercial drivers, but would have to go through the federal rulemaking process to bar the use of in-cab computers while driving. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says that the Agency is working on a broader rule for commercial drivers, but did not supply details.
According to the FMCSA, drivers texting take their eyes off the road for nearly five seconds per message. At 55 mph, a truck or bus could travel the length of a football field plus its end zones with the driver not looking at the road! The larger the vehicle, the greater the damage it can do in an accident to both people and other cars. Even if you don’t' drive a truck or bus, pretend that you do and adhere to this ban anyway.
If you have been injured in a semi-truck accident, be sure you hire an accident attorney to handle the complexities of your case.
Image from: www.guzer.com
It's hard to believe that we have to make laws about this. You would think it would be common sense.