By James Limbach
ConsumerAffairs.com
March 31, 2010
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing a federal rule that would specifically prohibit texting by interstate commercial truck and bus drivers.
And, in an effort to increase public involvement and collaboration in the rulemaking process, DOT has announced an e-Rulemaking Initiative (CeRI) partnership with Cornell University. The idea, according to the agency is to "make the federal regulatory process more accessible to the public through Regulation Room," an online public participation environment where people can learn about and discuss proposed federal regulations and provide effective feedback to the Department.
Citizens can find more information on the Cornell online effort and provide comments on the proposed rule online over the next 30 days.
Research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road.
Drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers. Because of the safety risks associated with the use of electronic devices while driving, FMCSA is also working on additional regulatory measures that will be announced in the coming months.
"We are committed to using every resource available to eliminate the dangers of distracted driving," said FMCSA Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "This rulemaking to prohibit texting by interstate commercial truck and bus drivers, along with the Cornell E-Rulemaking Initiative, reinforces our unwavering commitment and provides the public with a unique opportunity to share their ideas and comments on how together we can make our roads safer."
During the September 2009 Distracted Driving Summit, the Secretary announced the Department's plan to pursue this regulatory action, as well as rulemakings to reduce the other risks posed by distracted driving.
President Obama also signed an Executive Order directing federal employees not to engage in text messaging while driving government-owned vehicles or with government-owned equipment. Federal employees were required to comply with the ban starting on December 30, 2009.
The proposed rule would make permanent an interim ban announced in January 2010 that applied existing safety rules to the specific issue of texting.
