subject: Fmcsa Looking To Restrict Use Of Mobile Phones For Drivers [print this page] Washington DC. Washington DC.
At this time, Monday December 20, 2010, the united states Department of Transportation proposed a brand new safety legislation in which, as part of its commitment to safety, would likely attempt to lower distracted operating by way of limiting the usage of hand-held mobile phones while you are operating a commercial freight truck on interstate roads. This important idea has come up multiple times and instances because of the creation of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 regulation.
The top officer of the United States Transportation Authority, Secretary Ray La Hood showed his support for this restriction. Mr. la Hood feels that this legislation will certainly significantly help make the streets less dangerous by implying that the trucker retains his or her complete particular attention on the highway rather than on a portable handset. Mr. La Hood thinks that each time a commercial truck driver or owner operator takes their focus off the road, there is a potential for accidents or fatalities on This country's Roads.
If this regulation is offered, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will probably prohibit commercial truck drivers, in operation, from operating a cell phone while you are driving. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will propose federal civil penalties ranging up to $2,750 for each occurrence and multiple offenders of a cellular phone ban may possibly face disqualification of driving privileges. Even though at the moment only in the discussion phase, this legislation being considered might possibly move to suspend a driver's CDL after the second violation of any active state law related to cellular telephone usage while you are operating commercial vehicles.
The the effects of this particular unsafe practice may well not be limited to only the driver - offender. Current versions of regulation being considered would probably hold the freight carriers accountable for their truckers who use mobile telephones for driving as well. LTL and Truckload Carriers may well face a maximum penalty of more than $10,000 for every situation. This particular proposal, if carried out, could very well effect up to four million interstate commercial drivers.
The Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Anne Ferro is convinced that implementation of such regulation would probably make the roadways safer and aim to minimize the impact of the top source of distracted driving. Ms. Ferro explained the FMCSA's commitment to making use of all resources to make certain that commercial truckers are operating safely at all times. FMCSA Research demonstrates that operating a telephone while you are driving takes a significant amount of attention away from the driver's operation of the vehicle. Drivers who had reached for an object including a telephone during driving were more than three times more likely to be involved in an accident or other safety critical incident. The stakes go up more than 600% for drivers who are dialing a telephone during operation of their semi truck. These statistics are not new to many of the industry's primary freight carriers. Trucking companies such as UPS, Covenant Transport, Wal-Mart and more have enforced company policies and have banned drivers who have engaged in use of mobile phones at the same time driving. These carriers have taken proactive steps in eliminating these unsafe driving habits.
FMCSA research shows that using a hand-held handset even while driving requires a commercial driver to take several risky steps. In particular, commercial truck drivers reaching for an object, this kind of as a cellular phone, even while driving are three times more likely to be involved in a crash or other safety-critical event. Truckers dialing a hand-held cellular telephone whilst driving increase their risk by way of six times. Many of the largest carriers, such as UPS, Covenant Transport, and Wal-Mart, already have company policies in place banning their truckers from using hand-held phones. In September 2010, FMCSA issued a regulation banning text messaging when operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Despite the FMCSA being very busy with the role-out of Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA 2010) implementation, the Administration is moving forward on this important rule rapidly. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is permitting a 60 day interval for the public to discuss the rule making. The opinion time frame begins after a suggested rule is printed in the Federal Register.
