National Safety Plea Gains Traction against Commercial Driving Cell Ban
In another step in the nationwide fight against distracted driving, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proposed banning the operation of cell phones by commercial vehicle drivers, with the exception of emergency situations. The current law only outlaws texting, with fines as much as $2,750 for violations.
The heightened initiative stems from a horrific accident involving an 18 wheeler in Kentucky that killed 11 individuals in March of 2010. The wreck was allegedly caused by distraction and cell phone use; examiners concluded that the driver made 69 texts and calls in the 24 hour window before the accident, with four calls made in the minutes before the accident.
In addition to the Kentucky accident, there have been many other tragedies due to alleged distracted vehicle operation. A couple of the headlines included a boat wreck involving a barge that crashed into a tour ship in Philadelphia that killed two people and drowned the ship, as well as a highly publicized rail accident in Southern California that resulted in 25 fatalities.
Surprisingly, no state outlaws cellular phone use in its entirety. Thirty-four states and Washington D.C. forbid text messaging for every driver, while nine states and D.C. prohibit holding any electronic device while operating a vehicle. New York is now one of those states thanks to recent updated legislation. Just last month, during the first week of August, police officers in the Suffolk region handed out 1,109 tickets associated with handheld device usage for driving distracted. Contact the New York car accident attorneys with Wingate, Rusotti & Shapiro, LLP for a complimentary consultation at 212-986-7353 if you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver.
