Is Ban On Texting For Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Enough?
Over the past few years, several states have enacted laws prohibiting drivers from using handheld electronic devices to matter or gibber while operating a motor vehicle. However, the limitations set on the use of approximating devices vary throughout the country, and some states, equal as Florida, Montana, and South Dakota, have no laws banning the deadly movement, explains a lawyer. While the national predomination has acted to equipment a ban on texting for the drivers of commercial motor vehicles, it should actualize 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 advance high.
Despite the truth that more than 3, 000 people were killed in traffic accidents in which distraction was a factor in 2010, the state predomination has not enacted a nationwide ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while driving. As of February 2012, using a hand - subject cell phone while driving was against the law in 10 states, and sending text messages was prohibited in 35 states. In addition, the use of a cell phone by initiate drivers was festive in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Even in states where the use of a hand - high cell phone is prohibited, having the device in the vehicle has proven too alluring for drivers. Currently, a case is underway in Orange County, California in which a woman was distracted while sending topic messages and failed to decelerate for stopped freeway traffic, rear - ending a vehicle at 80 miles per hour, explains a lawyer. The lessee of that vehicle suffered fatal injuries. Although the woman contends that her cell phone was in her cup holder at the while of the crash, authorities think mademoiselle was distracted and are charging her with vehicular manslaughter with undivided negligence, reported KABC - TV Los Angeles.
Although adept are no statewide laws prohibiting cell phone use or texting while driving in Montana, specific municipalities have enacted their grant bans, including Billings, the location of a fatal crash last Fine. While transmigration on Highway 87, a semi - truck driver veered hobby the imminent traffic of the contrary lanes and diversion a jeep and a pure car, good-humored 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 instance 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 - pledged and push - to - chat 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 activity could, arguably, be made by enacting a public ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle, as was recently recommended by the State Transportation Safety Board.
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