Distracted Drivers

What do Oprah, the US Secretary of Transportation, the Triple A, insurance companies and, state governors have in common? The US Department of Transportation recently offered a plan to forbid text messaging at the wheel by cross-state truck and bus drivers. This regulatory action follows up on Transportation Department public service program to reduce distractions that cause accidents. The proposal would make permanent an interim ban put in place in January by the Transportation Secretary. The proposed ban applies to bus drivers and truck drivers operating vehicles with a gross vehicle weight over ten thousand pounds. To give an idea of the serious nature of the problem, the drivers could face civil penalties and/or even criminal penalties. The United States Department of Transportation reported almost 6,000 people died and about 515,000 were injured in 2008 in accidents involving distracted drivers. The department has not determined how many of those deaths and injuries were linked to cell phone. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reflects the Transportation Department estimates with an estimate that about eighty percent of accidents are caused by driver distraction. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is funding research to find out the extent of the distraction issue. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) states that driver inattention is a leading factor in many crashes, and cell phone use and texting are leading causes of driver distractions. State legislatures have reacted to the growing outrage regarding cell phone calls and texting while driving by enacting a range of new laws, inclucing banning handheld cell phone use or texting by all drivers or restricting cell phone use or texting for a specific demographic, such as teens or school bus drivers. The Governors Highway Safety Association reports that currently 20 states plus Washington DC restrict all drivers from sending text messages while behind the wheel. Another nine states restricting texting by beginning drivers. The remaining states are expected to implement the ban eventually. However it is also believed that the laws are not enough to stop the problem and technical solutions are required. The Governors Highway Safety Association purports to say it supports texting bans for all drivers, but does have concerns about enforcement. The trucking and passenger bus trade associations support the text message ban, and many corporations have enforced policies prohibiting sending text messages when driving. The government, industry and safety organizations have found common ground that driver distraction caused bytexting is a menace to society, and is worthy of action. Advocates for addressing the problem also include celebrity Oprah Winfrey. Undoubtedly there are many distractions interfering with a driver focusing on driving: changing the radio or a inserting tape or CD, talking to passengers, rubber necking, and of course, using cellphones and texting. Navigational and other interactive devices also cause inattention.