Home » Law and Legal Articles » National Trucker Cell Phone Ban Would Reduce Trucking Accidents
National Trucker Cell Phone Ban Would Reduce Trucking Accidents
One important result of a nationwide trucker cell phone ban would be the immediate safety benefit in states like Ohio, which currently has no statewide distracted driving bans on the books.
October 27, 2011 /Law and Legal PR News/ -- A catastrophic Kentucky trucking accident from 2010 is the basis for the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) recent call for a nationwide ban on use of mobile phones by commercial truck drivers and bus drivers. The NTSB cited the fatal truck crash near Munfordville as the basis for its recommendation of a federal rule to curb distracted driving.
The driver in that accident had used his cell phone four times in the minutes leading up to the early morning freeway wreck, and the final call coincided with the time the truck was estimated to have left the southbound lane, broken through median barriers and struck a passenger van head on. The van was carrying 12 extended family members to an out-of-state wedding, and 10 of them were killed in the tragic accident.
The subsequent NTSB investigation found that the trucker had used his cell phone 69 times in the 24 hours prior to the fatal truck wreck. The investigation also concluded that "the truck driver was fatigued at the time of the accident, which may have contributed to the distraction effects caused by the use of his cellular telephone."
After concluding its investigation, the NTSB recommended that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) prohibit the use of both handheld and hands-free cellular telephones by all commercial drivers license holders, except in emergencies. Other recommendations include changes with respect to screening of applicants for truck driving jobs.
Distracted Driving Laws in Ohio and Kentucky
One important result of a nationwide commercial vehicle mobile phone ban would be the immediate safety benefit in states like Ohio, which currently has no statewide distracted driving bans on the books. Kentucky bans all cell phone use by bus drivers and novice drivers, but only bans texting by truck drivers and prohibits local jurisdictions from enacting more restrictive measures.
In both states, a federal ban on cell phone use in semis and other commercial vehicles would give authorities another tool to reduce catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths from serious tractor-trailer accidents. Yet even in light of targeted regulatory and traffic enforcement improvements, a truck accident victim's most important ally is a personal injury attorney who can provide legal representation to secure damages.
Article provided by Gregory S. Young Co., L.P.A.
Visit us at www.younginjurylaw.com
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