• 07
  • November
    2011

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) - the federal agency responsible for promoting transportation safety and investigating transportation accidents - is recommending that truckers be completely prohibited from using cell phones behind the wheel.

The move comes as part of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's effort to crack down on car accidents caused by distracted driving.

Currently, truck drivers are prohibited from texting. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is currently reviewing a proposed rule that would prohibit the use of handheld mobile devices. If the NTSB's recommendation is followed, the ban would extend to all cell phone use, even if the driver is using a speakerphone or other hands-free device.

Under the proposed rule, truck drivers would still be allowed to use a cell phone in emergency situations.

Cell Phone Use Can Lead to Deadly Accidents

Nearly all experts agree that hand-held cell phone use is distracting to drivers and slows reaction time. However, some industry groups dispute the NTSB's claim that hands-free cell phone use is equally as dangerous. The American Trucking Association's manager of safety and security operations Boyd Stephenson cited a Virginia Tech that found that hands-free cell phone use did not increase crash risk. He said the issue needed further study.

The NTSB's recommendation came after a 2010 truck accident that killed 11 people. The accident occurred when a truck driver lost control of his vehicle and entered opposing traffic. The truck collided with a passenger van, killing the truck driver and 10 of the van's occupants. A subsequent investigation revealed that the truck driver had made four cell phone calls in the five minutes before the crash. All told, he had made 69 calls while driving in the 24 hours preceding the collision. Driver distraction was cited as the official cause of the accident.

There can be no doubt that semi-trucks' size alone makes them some of the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, a distracted driver can easily turn his vehicle into a deadly weapon.

Source: TMC News, "NTSB Recommends Total Ban on Cell-Phone Use by Truckers," Oct. 10, 2011