The ATA supports new proposal on using hand-held phones while driving

Many states currently forbid their residents from using a hand-held phones while operating a vehicle. However, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently proposed a new bill that would ban truck drivers from using of these devices on the road.

Officials from the American Trucking Associations (ATA) said that they are on board with the new proposal because it promotes trucking safety. They added that they urge many operators to use hands-free devices so that they will comply with the proposed legislation.

"Recognizing the risks of hand held mobile phone use, it simply makes sense to prohibit their use by all motorists to make the highways safer for everyone." said Bill Graves ATA president and CEO.

This comes after the ATA supported the Department of Transportation's' ban on texting by drivers of commercial vehicles while they were in motion.

However, the ATA objected to a proposed bill that would prohibit drivers from reaching for their mobile devices. Officials said that it would be inconsistent to permit these professionals to reach for other objects, such as CB radios, but not their cell phones.

By Mark Priest

The ATA supports new proposal on using hand-held phones while driving

Thursday, February 24th, 2011