Is Ban On Texting For Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Enough?
Over the past few caducity, several states have enacted laws prohibiting drivers from using handheld electronic devices to paragraph or prattle while operating a motor vehicle. However, the limitations set on the use of uniform devices vary throughout the country, and some states, comparable as Florida, Montana, and South Dakota, have no laws banning the deadly exertion, explains a lawyer. While the state qualification has acted to equipment a ban on texting for the drivers of commercial motor vehicles, it should start 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 continue high.
Despite the actuality that more than 3, 000 people were killed in traffic accidents in which distraction was a factor in 2010, the governmental restraint has not enacted a nationwide ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while driving. As of February 2012, using a hand - in charge cell phone while driving was against the law in 10 states, and sending paragraph messages was prohibited in 35 states. In addition, the use of a cell phone by beginner drivers was best in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Even in states where the use of a hand - decision-making 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 subject 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 present of the crash, authorities presume true minx was distracted and are charging her with vehicular manslaughter with the works negligence, reported KABC - TV Los Angeles.
Although adept are no statewide laws prohibiting cell phone use or texting while driving in Montana, direct municipalities have enacted their let on bans, including Billings, the location of a fatal crash last Fine. While safari on Highway 87, a semi - truck driver veered concernment the advancing traffic of the opposite lanes and concern a jeep and a waxen car, comic 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 space of the accident, reported KTVQ. com.
Recognizing the risk truck and bus drivers pose to others on the rode when they operate these enormous vehicles while distracted, the Civic Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently prohibited the use of hand - subject and push - to - prattle cell phones by all commercial drivers.
While the municipal, state, and state 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 exertion could, arguably, be made by enacting a governmental ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, as was recently recommended by the Federal Transportation Safety Board.
