Truckers, bus drivers and other commercial vehicle drivers face stiff fines and license suspensions if they violate a new rule intended to keep roadways safe from the dangers of distracted driving.
New York truck accident attorneys are praising the federal Department of Transportation's (DOT) final rule concerning the use of cell phones by commercial drivers. The joint rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) prohibits interstate truck drivers from using cell phones while driving.
The rule follows a regulation issued in 2010 banning text messaging while operating a commercial vehicle. PHMSA also banned texting by intrastate hazardous materials drivers last February. The regulations represent efforts by DOT to significantly reduce distracted driving. Distracted driving has received a lot of attention in recent years with the publication of studies establishing the link between distracted driving and auto accidents.
New Rule Has Steep Penalties for Cell Phone Use By Truck Drivers
The most recent regulation prohibits commercial drivers from using hand-held mobile communication devices while operating a commercial vehicle, but it does not prohibit the use of hands free communication devices. Drivers who are found to be in violation of the new restriction may face federal civil penalties. The new rule carries up to $2,750 in penalties per offense and possibly the loss of commercial vehicle driving privileges for multiple offenses.
In addition to the individual penalties, commercial truck and bus companies that allow drivers to use hand-held communication devices while operating a commercial vehicle will face up to $11,000 in fines.
States have also decided to get in on the act, agreeing to suspend a driver's commercial license after two or more offenses. States, much like the federal government, have begun to focus on the safety issues caused by distracted drivers.
The Dangers of Distracted Driving
Every year there are more than 30,000 people killed and another 2.5 million injured on U.S. roadways - and in 2009, 5,474 deaths and 448,000 injuries were directly attributable to distracted driving, according to DOT data.
In addition to the tragic loss of human life, the financial burden to state and local governments is also great. According to the Center for Disease Control, medical care and work productivity losses from distracted driving accidents exceed $99 billion annually.
Distracted driving accounts for 16 percent of all roadway fatalities. Hopefully new regulations, such as this one aimed at truck drivers, will work to decrease that number.
