New anti-distracted driving rules, employer guidelines, and preliminary results from enforcement campaigns have been announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood during the Second National Distracted Driving Summit, according to a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announcement. The new regulations prohibiting distracted driving are for commercial motorists transporting hazardous materials, commercial truck and bus drivers, and rail operators. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) created the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) which helps prevent traffic crashes by encouraging businesses to support anti-distracted driving policies in the workplace.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) also announced provisional data from its pilot enforcement campaign, “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other,” in Hartford, CT and Syracuse, NY. Based on data gathered by the NHTSA and law enforcement in these cities, hand-held cell phone use dropped 56% in Hartford and 38% in Syracuse and texting while driving dropped 68% in Hartford and 42% in Syracuse.
In an effort to keep vehicle occupants and pedestrians safe by helping to prevent motor vehicle accidents caused by distracted driving, new laws have been introduced prohibiting texting while driving for commercial bus and truck motorists. In addition, restrictions on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices by train operators have been created. Secretary LaHood said that he is instituting a new regulation forbidding commercial truck drivers from texting while transporting hazardous materials, and stated, “We are taking action on a number of fronts to address the epidemic of distracted driving in America.” To learn more about the DOT’s efforts to curb distracted driving, visit http://www.distraction.gov/.
With the NHTSA reporting that almost 5,500 individuals were killed and half a million injured in accidents involving a distracted driver, the need for new laws, regulations, and awareness regarding these types of accidents cannot be stressed enough. If you or someone you care about has been injured in an auto accident caused by a distracted driver, the California distracted driving car accident attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP can help you obtain full and just compensation. Call 877-800-1700 today for a free consultation.
