TRUCK DRIVER TEXTING BAN

Federal Ban Enacted on Commercial Truck Driver Texting While Driving

On January 6, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced federal guidelines to prohibit texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses. The prohibition was effective immediately and is the latest in a series of actions taken by the department to combat distracted driving.

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.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration research 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 six seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road. Drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers.