BAN ON TEXT MESSAGING WHILE DRIVING EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Effectively immediately, all inter-state truck drivers and commercial bus or van drivers who carry more than eight passengers are banned from texting while driving. Yesterday, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a federal ban on texting while driving for commercial truck and bus drivers. Drivers who text while driving commercial vehicles may be subject to civil or criminal penalties of up to $2,750. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Anne Ferro said:

Our regulations will help prevent unsafe activity within the cab. ... We want to make it crystal clear to operators and their employers that texting while driving is the type of unsafe activity that these regulations are intended to prohibit.

The regulation will be publicly posted in the Federal Register on Thursday and appear in print on Friday.

The DOT sponsored a summit on distracted driving in September to assess the distractions caused by devices and address issues to reduce accidents on the roadways. The federal ban for commercial drivers comes weeks after Illinois, Oregon, and New Hampshire joined the nearly 20 states and the federal government to prohibit texting while driving. In October, US President Barack Obama signed an executive order making it illegal for federal employees or government contractors to use text messaging while driving.

Texting while driving is a real problem. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 5,800 deaths and nearly 600,000 injuries occurred in car accidents in 2008 where driver distraction was indicated on the police report.
 
I predict that the ban is coming to Florida soon. Prepare now by stopping texting while you drive. It could save your life and prevent a car accident.

For answers to legal questions after your Florida car accident, contact Personal Injury Attorney Matthew Noyes. With offices throughout Tampa Bay, Mr. Noyes' law firm-Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes, P.A.-can see you through the chaos of a car accident.

Remember, insurance companies have attorneys working for them, so should you!