In an on-going effort to combat the problem of accidents caused by inattentive driving, the United States Department of Transportation has proposed a federal ban on the use of hand-held cell phones by interstate truck and bus drivers. According to research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), commercial vehicle drivers who reach for a cell phone are 3 times more likely to cause a crash. Drivers dialing on a cell phone are 6 times more likely to crash. The FMCSA banned text messaging by commercial drivers in September 2010.
Proposed penalties for violations of the rule range from up to a fine of $2750.00 to the disqualification of a commercial drivers license for repeat violators. In 2009, five hundred thousand people were injured and almost 5,500 people were killed by inattentive drivers. For more information, see the artcle entitled "U.S. DOT Proposes Rule to Ban Hand-Held Cell Phone Use for Commercial Truck and Bus Drivers" on the FMCSA website.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed due to the inattention of a truck or other commercial vehicle driver, contact the truck accident lawyers at the Injury Law Center for a free consultation.
