Government Proposes Ban on Texting by Truck and Bus Drivers
Previously, this blog discussed the fact that the federal government was temporarily banning texting while driving for some drivers. More details have emerged this week on efforts by the government to make the ban permanent reports the Associated Press. The ban was put into place by the Department of Transportation and threatens to impose civil and criminal penalties on drivers of interstate buses and commercial trucks over 10,000 pounds that engage in the activity of texting while driving. This is part of a concentrated effort by the Department of Transportation to cut down on distracted driving, a form of negligent driving that is on the rise due to advancing technology and accounted for almost 6,000 deaths last year. Texting while driving is a particularly dangerous form of distracted driving because it involves the driver diverting his or her attention from the roadway entirely and focus it on something else even if only for a moment. In fact, research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration shows that on average drivers divert their attention long enough to drive the length of a football field without looking at the road while they are trying to text.
Texting is rapidly becoming the dominant form of mobile communication, which unfortunately leads to a rise in texting while driving. Texting while driving is automatically negligent in Tennessee because the driver is not keeping a proper lookout if he or she is focusing on a mobile phone. This behavior unfortunately leads to accidents which can result in serious injury and even death to the victims. Due to the negligent nature of texting while driving, victims of such accidents are entitled under Tennessee law to recover for the damages and injuries they sustained as a result of the accident such as lost wages, medical expenses, and other damages. Tennesseans who have been injured or suffered loss as a result of another driver’s negligence should contact an experienced East Tennessee personal injury attorney who can help them recover for their losses.
Source: http://news.findlaw.com/ap/f/1310/03-31-2010/20100331093509_11.html
