Home

You are here

New regulations could prohibit all commercial driver cellphone use


Created: Friday, January 20th, 2012 02:01 pm

Federal lawmakers are currently considering proposals from the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which would ban behind-the-wheel mobile phone use, including the use of hands-free devices, by truckers and all other commercial drivers.

These regulations might improve trucking safety by keeping commercial drivers focused on their routes instead of making phone calls or fumbling with cell phones, which are both known causes of accidents involving truckers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration already have regulations in place that prohibit commercial truckers from text messaging behind the wheel.

Canada is also looking to make the roads safer, considering a call for a new driver test, which measures a drivers cognitive ability. The test, which screens for signs of cognitive impairment, was proposed by Dr. Konstantine Zakzanis, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto.

"A practical and accessible screening test to identify those drivers who may be a risk to themselves and others would help to improve road safety for all drivers," said Zakzanis. "It could be used at a time of driver's license renewal, or made available anytime at a driver's request."

Federal lawmakers are currently considering proposals from the National Transportation Safety Board and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which would ban behind-the-wheel mobile phone use, including the use of hands-free devices, by truckers and all other commercial drivers.

Contact Us