Distracted Drivers

What do Oprah, the US Secretary of Transportation, the Auto Club, insurance companies and, state governors have in common? The United States Transportation Department just offered a plan to outlaw text messaging while driving by interstate truck and bus drivers. This regulatory action follows up on Transportation Department call to lessen the number of distractions that cause crashes. The proposal would replace an interim ban put in place in January by the Transportation Secretary. The proposed ban applies to drivers of passenger buses and commercial trucks operating vehicles with a gross vehicle weight over ten thousand pounds. To give an idea of the serious nature of the problem, the drivers could face civil penalties and/or even criminal charges. The United States Department of Transportation reported that 5,870 people were killed and over a half million were injured in 2008 in accidents involving driver distraction. They didn’t speculate how many of those deaths and injuries were linked to an electronic device. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reflects the Transportation Department statistics with an estimate that around eighty percent of accidents are caused by distracted drivers. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is funding research to find out the extent of the distraction problem. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) states that driver inattention is a determining factor in many crashes, and mobile phone use and sending text messages are some of the most common driver distractions. State legislators aren’t waiting for data and are issuing new laws dealing with cell phone calls and texting . The Governors Highway Safety Association reports that currently 20 states and the District of Columbia prohibit all drivers from texting when behind the wheel. Another nine states restricting texting by novice drivers. Most states are expected to implement the ban before too long. But it is also widely recognized that the laws are not enough to stop the problem and technology is required. The Governors Highway Safety Association purports to say it supports texting bans for all drivers, but does have concerns about enforcement. The trucking and passenger bus industries support the texting prohibition, and many corporations have strict policies against texting while behind the wheel. The government, industry and safety organizations have found common ground that driver distraction caused bysending text messages is a menace to society, and deserves action. Advocates for addressing the problem also include media powerhouse Oprah. The issue is a relatively new phenomenon. As navigation systems, cellphones and other mobile electronics have become common in vehicles, safety advocates and the government have pushed for action to curb the problem.