Distracted Drivers

What do Oprah, the US Secretary of Transportation, the Triple A, insurance companies and, state governors have in common?

The United States Department of Transportation recently offered a plan to forbid text messaging while driving by cross-state truck and bus drivers. This regulatory action follows up on its public service program to mitigate distractions that cause crashes.

The proposal would replace the temporary ban put in place at the beginning of the calendar year by the Transportation Secretary. The proposed ban applies to bus drivers and truck drivers operating vehicles with a gross vehicle weight over five tons. As an indication of the scope of the issue, the drivers could face civil penalties and/or even criminal charges.

The US Department of Transportation reported almost 6,000 people died and over a half million were injured in 2008 in accidents connected to distracted drivers. They has not determined how many of those accidents involved mobile phone. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration mirror the Transportation Department estimates with an estimate that about eighty percent of accidents are caused by driver distraction. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is sponsoring research to find out the extent of the distracted driver problem. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that driver inattention is a leading factor in many crashes, and cell phone calls and texting are leading causes of driver distractions.

State legislators aren’t waiting for research reports and are issuing new regulations dealing with mobile phone use and texting . The GHSA reports that twenty states and the District of Columbia outlaw drivers of all types of vehicles from sending text messages while driving. An additional nine states against texting by new drivers. The remaining 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 technical solutions are 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 text message prohibition, and many companies have strict policies restricting texting while behind the wheel. The government, industry and safety organizations all agree that driver distraction caused bysending text messages is extremely dangerous, and deserves action. Advocates for dealing with the problem also include media powerhouse Oprah.

Undoubtedly there are numerous distractions which may prevent a driver focusing on driving: changing the radio or a inserting tape or CD, talking to passengers, observing an event outside the vehicle, and of course, using cellphones and sending text messages. Navigational and other interactive devices also distract drivers.

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