Commercial drivers banned from texting while driving
Effective immediately, drivers of commercial vehicles, such as large trucks and buses, are prohibited from texting.
The prohibition, announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Jan. 26, 2010, is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Department to combat distracted driving since Hood convened a national summit on the issue last September.
Truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.
According to research conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers.
The regulatory guidance on Hood's announcement will be on public display in the Federal Register January 26 and will appear in print in the Federal Register on January 27.
The public can follow the progress of the U.S. Department of Transportation in working to combat distracted driving at www.distraction.gov.
To learn more, see Hood's remarks at http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2010/lahood01262010.htm
Related reading:
Texting and Driving: Employee Cell Phone Safety Education and Enforcement
Employers: Apply the Brakes to Road-Raging Employees<p>Commercial drivers banned from texting while driving Effective immediately, drivers of commercial vehicles, such as large trucks and buses, are prohibited from texting. The prohibition, announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Jan. 26, 2010, is the latest in a series of actions taken by</p>