Distracted driving is a potentially fatal bad trucking behavior.
Operating a multi-ton heap of steel at highway speeds is dangerous enough. Doing it without your full attention to the road and your surroundings is even more so. Distracted driving is far and away the number one cause of all vehicular injuries and deaths — we won’t subject you to any horror stories because we assume you’ve heard at least one. A huge amount of responsibility comes with truck driving, and road safety is not to be taken lightly. Here’s a breakdown of what the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) defines as distracted driving regarding mobile devices and how you can be penalized for using one.
Offenses:
With public safety in mind, the FMCSA was brief and succinct in outlining what it defines as the use of a mobile device during truck driving:
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No Reaching
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No Holding
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No Dialing
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No Texting
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No Reading
Per these regulations, texting has been defined as: “manually entering alphanumeric text into, or reading text from, an electronic device.” This encompasses dispatching devices, which were addressed as such: “texting on a dispatching device is indistinguishable from texting on another text-capable device, and is therefore prohibited.” Keep these regulations in mind as truck driving companies continue to move toward hands-free dispatch communications.
Penalties:
If caught using a mobile device, the repercussions are heavy. However, no fine or penalty imposed by any truck driving governing body can outweigh the potential for injuring or killing fellow motorists. That being said, here are the penalties subject to if caught.
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Fines up to $2,750
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Repeat offenses can result in suspension up to 120 days
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The driver’s employer can be fined up to $11,000 if they knowingly allow or require the use of mobile devices while driving
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Negative impact on employer’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) ratings
These penalties from the FMCSA are in addition to whatever penalties may be imposed by the driver’s employer, including termination.
These FMCSA regulations span all 50 states, regardless of whether that state’s government has outlawed texting while driving or distracted driving in general. We take road safety seriously at Evan Transportation, and we hope you follow suit and heed these warnings.
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Contact us today for all of your freight shipment needs or call us at 443-673-3365. We will discuss your tractor trailer options for the freight you wish to ship.
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Tags: driver safety, Evan Transportation, truck safety, trucking industry