• 15
  • December
    2011

The problem of distracted driving has captured headlines over the past few years, as the number of casualties from this form of driver negligence has risen. Accidents caused by cell phone use occur so frequently that they have practically become synonymous with distracted driving. The issue has become so pervasive that regulators have increasingly pushed for tighter regulations regarding their use.

On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proposed it's most sweeping recommendation yet. The NTSB proposed a nationwide ban on all forms of cell phone use while driving. The ban would incorporate both hand-held and hands-free cell use, except in the case of emergencies.

Most states already have some form of cell phone restrictions in place, but their level of restrictions have varied from banning texting to permitting only the use of hands-free devices. NTSB member Robert Sumwalt told CNN, "This (distracted driving) is becoming the new DUI. It's becoming epidemic."

The number of fatalities caused by distracted driving in 2009 was conservatively estimated at over 3,000. Transportation experts estimate the number may be far higher. The precise number is often difficult to gauge because people are often reluctant to admit they were distracted prior to the crash.

The NTSB's recommendation was driven by devastating headlines. Most prominently, a teenage boy in Missouri sent or received over 11 texts in the 11 minutes before he plowed into the back of a tractor trailer entering a construction zone. The crash caused a chain reaction that killed two people and left 38 more injured.

A study of the causes of truck accidents by commercial drivers, such as semis and tractor trailers, has revealed that drivers are 163 times more likely to commit a serious safety error if they are texting, e-mailing or using the internet. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association has just issued a new rule banning the use of hand-held cell phones by truckers. According to Truckinginfo.com, the new rule goes into effect on January 3rd.

Source: www.cnn.com, "NTSB Recommends Full Ban on Use of Cell Phones While Driving," 14 December 2011, Mike M. Ahlers