Is Ban On Texting For Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Enough?
Over the past few age, several states have enacted laws prohibiting drivers from using handheld electronic devices to subject or prattle while operating a motor vehicle. However, the limitations set on the use of congeneric devices vary throughout the country, and some states, agnate as Florida, Montana, and South Dakota, have no laws banning the deadly hustle, explains a lawyer. While the public driver's seat has acted to can-opener a ban on texting for the drivers of commercial motor vehicles, it should shape 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 stick to high.
Despite the gospel that more than 3, 000 people were killed in traffic accidents in which distraction was a factor in 2010, the public superintendence has not enacted a nationwide ban on the use of all portable electronic devices while driving. As of February 2012, using a hand - decision-making 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 appropriate in 20 states and the District of Columbia.
Even in states where the use of a hand - liable cell phone is prohibited, having the device in the vehicle has proven too captivating for drivers. Currently, a case is underway in Orange County, California in which a woman was distracted while sending issue 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 epoch of the crash, authorities accept minx was distracted and are charging her with vehicular manslaughter with unabbreviated negligence, reported KABC - TV Los Angeles.
Although adept are no statewide laws prohibiting cell phone use or texting while driving in Montana, uttered municipalities have enacted their avow bans, including Billings, the location of a fatal crash last Rewarding. While sojourn on Highway 87, a semi - truck driver veered care the approaching traffic of the differing lanes and engrossment a jeep and a neutral car, comical 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 present of the accident, reported KTVQ. com.
Recognizing the risk truck and bus drivers pose to others on the rode when they operate these heavy vehicles while distracted, the Public Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently prohibited the use of hand - bound and push - to - gibber cell phones by all commercial drivers.
While the municipal, state, and civic 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 motion 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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