Is Ban On Texting For Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Enough?
Over the past few second childhood, several states have enacted laws prohibiting drivers from using handheld electronic devices to content or talk while operating a motor vehicle. However, the limitations set on the use of congeneric devices vary throughout the country, and some states, coextensive as Florida, Montana, and South Dakota, have no laws banning the deadly activity, explains a lawyer. While the governmental charge has acted to gadget a ban on texting for the drivers of commercial motor vehicles, it should author a uniform ban on all cell phone use. As long as laws permit some use, the incidence of fatal and injury crashes like those that recently occurred in Orange County, California and Billings, Montana may progress high.
Despite the fact that more than 3, 000 people were killed in traffic accidents in which distraction was a factor in 2010, the national limitation has not enacted a nationwide ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while driving. As of February 2012, using a hand - bonded cell phone while driving was against the law in 10 states, and sending words messages was prohibited in 35 states. In addition, the use of a cell phone by recruit drivers was defined in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Even in states where the use of a hand - incumbent cell phone is prohibited, having the device in the vehicle has proven too tempting for drivers. Currently, a case is underway in Orange County, California in which a woman was distracted while sending text messages and failed to decelerate for stopped freeway traffic, rear - ending a vehicle at 80 miles per hour, explains a lawyer. The renter of that vehicle suffered fatal injuries. Although the woman contends that her cell phone was in her cup holder at the instance of the crash, authorities deem jail bait was distracted and are charging her with vehicular manslaughter with faultless negligence, reported KABC - TV Los Angeles.
Although ace are no statewide laws prohibiting cell phone use or texting while driving in Montana, categorical municipalities have enacted their confess bans, including Billings, the location of a fatal crash last Content. While crossing on Highway 87, a semi - truck driver veered interest the onrushing traffic of the contradictory lanes and racket a jeep and a ivory car, blithe the two occupants of the jeep and the driver of the car and critically injuring a mother and child. Authorities claimed that the truck driver was distracted at the month of the accident, reported KTVQ. com.
Recognizing the risk truck and bus drivers pose to others on the rode when they operate these hefty vehicles while distracted, the Public Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently prohibited the use of hand - high and push - to - prattle cell phones by all commercial drivers.
While the municipal, state, and public laws against distracted driving currently in place may prevent some accidents, a greater impact on the incidence of injuries and deaths caused by the dangerous action could, arguably, be made by enacting a national ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, as was recently recommended by the Public Transportation Safety Board.
