Distracted Commercial Drivers Face Fine
Drivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and across the country can breathe a small sigh of relief. On January 26, 2010, U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced a federal prohibition on texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses. The prohibition is effective immediately. Truck and bus drivers caught texting while driving commercial vehicles are subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.
But is that enough? I sure don’t think so.
I read an article on Florida’s Labovick Injury Law Blog that had some interesting facts from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). On average, drivers who send and receive messages are distracted 4.6 out of every 6 seconds while texting. This means that operators, travelling at 55 miles per hour, will drive the full length of a football field without looking up from their phone. In fact, drivers distracted by texting are more than 20 times likely to be involved in a crash than non-distracted drivers.
In light of these sobering facts, I think the penalties for such risky behavior should be significantly higher. Why not suspend driver’s licenses or impose more significant fines on the companies for which the drivers work? $2,750 seems like a slap on the wrist that is not really going to get anyone’s attention. Also, giving this rule statutory authority might allow for strict liability suits to be filed out of motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted commercial drivers. This too would give the new rule some teeth.
The DOT, while on the right path, should take a harder line on this dangerous driving trend. Share this post :
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