DOT Issues Immediate Ban on Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers

Commercial truck drivers in the United States are now prohibited from texting under federal guidelines recently enacted by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

"We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe," says Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving."

The action is the result of the Department's interpretation of standing rules. Truck and bus drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750.

• Read more on the ban here.
• Follow DOT efforts to combat distracted driving at http://www.distraction.gov/.
• Review state cell phone and texting laws here.

Post Script:
Do Cell Phone Bans Reduce Accidents?As legislators across the country enact laws that ban phoning and/or texting while driving, a new Highway Loss Data Institute study finds no reductions in crashes after hand-held phone bans take effect. Read more here.