Banning Commercial Truckers from Texting While Driving

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has become so concerned about the dangers of commercial truckers texting from behind the wheel that it plans to turn a temporary ban on texting into a permanent law. Research conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) revealed that the dangers of texting while driving were substantial. According to the results of the study, drivers who text while driving are twenty times more likely to get into traffic accidents than drivers who are not distracted.*

The new federal rule would apply to drivers who use commercial motor vehicles for interstate commerce. In addition to the application of the rule to cellular phones, the law would also apply to other types of electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants, pagers, computers, or devices that can input, write, send, receive, or read text. The rule would ban texting and many other types of activities conducted on electronic devices, including the following:

• Updating contacts
• Updating an address book
• Adding appointments to a calendar
• Getting directions from an online map service
• Using an electronic dictionary or calculator

The DOT recognizes that the elimination of texting while driving is vital to the safe operation of commercial trucks. Collisions between trucks and passenger vehicles often result in very severe injuries, and sometimes death. If you have been involved in a Texas truck wreck, a Houston truck-accident attorney can evaluate your case to determine whether you have a legal claim. Call Denena & Points at 713-807-9500or at 877-307-9500 for a consultation.

*Source: U.S. Department of Transportation: “U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Announces Federal Ban on Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers,” January 26, 2010