When it comes to texting and driving, there is a lot of conflicting information out there. Some people believe that there is a ban at the federal level, but actual regulations regarding texting while driving passenger vehicles have all been set so far at the state level.
The only exception to this is the rule that applies solely to commercial drivers, such as those who drive big rig trucks or public buses. Commercial drivers are subject to different rules than people who drive their own personal vehicles on public roads. Among those additional rules includes a complete ban on handheld use of mobile devices while in control of a vehicle.
The no-text rule doesn’t just apply to texting
The so-called no-text rule set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) obviously bans the manual entry of information in a text message, as well as reading text messages while driving a commercial vehicle. However, the rule doesn’t just cover texting. It also applies to emails, websites, social media and even manually dialing a mobile phone.
There is no question that commercial drivers often become lonely on the road, and their phones may be the only source of connection with their loved ones. Investing in a system for hands-free dialing or a voice-to-text program that does not require the driver to press buttons could allow them to maintain their connection with their family without endangering others on the road.
Unfortunately, many truckers still get distracted by screens at the wheel, leaving other people injured in crashes with a commercial vehicle that wouldn’t have happened if the trucker wasn’t distracted.