The U.S. Department of Transportation recently announced that it is banning texting behind the wheel of commercial vehicles and vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 pounds. This is a significant step by the Federal Government towards helping curb distracted driving.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are three types of distracted driving:
1) Visual (taking your eyes off the road);
2) Manual (taking your hands off the wheel);
3) Cognitive (taking your mind off what you are doing).
Cell phone use is particularly dangerous because it combines all three types of distracted driving. Studies done by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that when truck drivers text and drive, they are 23 times more likely to cause an accident or a "close call." When truckers are caught texting while driving, they will now face heavy fines up to $2,750. This is a giant step in the right direction towards curbing distracted driving. Pending legislation banning texting while driving is now before the Florida legislature, and hopefully will be passed. This is a dangerous practice that needs to be stopped.
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