U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood opened this year’s National Distracted Driving Summit last week by announcing new anti-distracted driving regulations for commercial truck and bus drivers. One of the primary changes in the law is that it is now illegal for bus and truck drivers to use a cell phone or other devise to send or read text messages while driving.
In 2009, nearly 5,500 people died and half a million were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. According to NHTSA research, distraction-related fatalities represented 16 percent of overall traffic fatalities in 2009. That is why OSHA and the Department of Transportation are teaming up to combat driving distractions on the job.
To learn more about the 2010 Distracted Driving Summit and DOT’s efforts to stop distracted driving, visit the government’s new Web site at Distraction.gov.
