Earlier this year, the US Transportation Department announced a new guideline for commercial bus and truck drivers, banning them from texting while driving. The Secretary of the Department, Ray LaHood said that the new federal guidelines were introduced as safety on the roads was of absolute importance, and anything that could distract the drivers should be eliminated.
The new law came into place immediately. Bus or truck drivers caught texting while driving could be fined up to $2,750 – according to a press release issued by the Department of Transportation.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers’ Association extended their support towards the newly passed federal guideline, but raised concern about the decision to implement it immediately. The Association questioned the decision, stating that it had bypassed the usual processes with regards to implementing such laws – posing problems in terms of enforcement and implementation.
Even since LaHood took up the position as Secretary of the Department of Transportation, he has been constantly focused on dealing with ‘distracted’ drivers. In view of this, LaHood organized a two day summit regarding this issue in Washington in September 2009, and even launched a website (distraction.gov) to create awareness on the related dangers.
In January 2010, FocusDriven, an advocacy group created by Janet Froetscher, the President of the National Safety Council and Lahood was announced. It is a nonprofit move to support the families of victims of distracted driving.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration statistics indicate that for every six seconds spent texting, drivers spend an average of 4.6 seconds with their eyes off the road ahead of them.
