Feds take stand against texting while driving
On September 30, 2009, President Obama signed an executive order banning all federal employees from text-messaging while driving on the job or in a government vehicle. The order affects 4.5 million federal employees including military personnel.
The government is also considering restrictions on cell phone use by train, truck and bus drivers. Further study is underway into the effect of regulating long-distance truck drivers who rely on a variety of devices to communicate with dispatchers and do other work. Truckers will likely be banned from using keyboards or any device that requires taking their eyes off the road.
Photo by Ford (Flickr)
Ray H. Hood, Department of Transportation Secretary, told a conference in Washington that the texting ban “Sends a very clear signal to the American public that distracted driving is dangerous and unacceptable.”
Should states follow the example now set by the federal government? If your state doesn’t already ban texting while driving, should it do so? What about the use of cell phones while driving? Is it also a distraction necessitating government intervention? Why or why not?
