The state of Alabama is considering prohibiting school bus drivers from using their cellphones while behind the wheel, in what’s becoming a growing national trend.
A bill passed recently by the state’s House of Representatives would ban school bus drivers from using their cellphones for anything other than an emergency situation while the bus is in motion. According to the bill’s sponsor, Joe Hubbard of Montgomery, the bill was inspired by a voter who called Hubbard concerned for the safety of her child who rides to school on a bus where the driver regularly takes calls on his cellphone while driving.
Though a federal ban on cellphone use for commercial vehicle drivers applies to trucks and buses, the law affects only the drivers of vehicles moving hazardous waste or crossing state lines. Washington, D.C. and 19 states currently have similar laws prohibiting school bus drivers from using cellphones while the vehicle is in motion. The Alabama law would ban the use of cellphones, including those equipped with hands-free devices in all cases except to report a medical emergency, hazardous driving conditions, public safety threats, or malfunctioning vehicles that might endanger the driver or student passengers.
As a Ventura car accident lawyer I have seen firsthand the harm that drivers can cause when they take their eyes off the road. If you or a loved one has been injured in a collision with a distracted driver, please consider contacting a Ventura personal injury lawyer.
