Federal Ban On Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers | Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney

Date: March 18, 2010
Location: Federal Ban On Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers
Event: Auto Accident | Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney

Recent news release from the U.S. Department of Transportation announces a federal ban prohibiting  commercial vehicle drivers from texting. This action from the U.S. Department of Transportation is part of a larger effort in the fight against distracted driving.

Commercial truck drivers and bus drivers who are caught texting while driving may be subject to criminal penalties of up to $2,750.00 and civil penalties. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, those who are texting while driving have their eyes off the road 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds. In other words this is equivalent to a driver going 55 miles an hour for the distance of a football field without looking at the road.

In September 2009 during the Distracted Driving Summit, President Obama signed an Executive Order directing all federal employees to not engage in texting while operating government owned vehicles or equipment. All federal employees were required to comply by December 2009.