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U.S. Bans Truckers and Bus Drivers From Texting While Driving

by Caleb Johnson on January 26, 2010 at 01:15 PM

Advocacy groups have done more than their share to raise awareness of the dangers inherent in distracted driving. Now, the U.S. government is stepping up to the plate. According to The New York Times, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will announce today a ban that'll make it illegal for interstate commercial truckers and bus drivers to text while driving. If drivers break this new law, which will go into effect immediately, they could face civil or criminal charges and fines up to $2,750.

"We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the road with them to be safe," Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told the new York Times. "This is an important safety step and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving."

If nothing else, the move goes a long way in easing the minds of drivers who share the road with these large trucks and buses. You might remember a study released last year that showed how dangerous it was for truckers to use their navigation computers. Later on, news surfaced that a New York City bus driver was texting while weaving through thick traffic.

So it's clear the government needed to make a move in order to make sure the highways were safe for all motorists. This won't solve the problem overnight, but it's certainly a move in the right direction. [From: The New York Times]

Tags: ban, cellphone, department of transportation, DepartmentOfTransportation, dot, texting, textingwhiledriving, transportation, twd

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