Combating Distracted Driving Requires Public Awareness

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood told both Houses of Congress this week that "distracted driving is a dangerous practice that has become a deadly epidemic." While many behaviors - eating a hamburger, shaving, applying makeup - constitute distracted driving, LaHood said on his blog that texting is "particularly troubling" because it involves visual, manual, and cognitive distraction.

"Research shows that unless we take action now, the problem is only going to get worse, especially among our nation's youngest drivers," said LaHood to a House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Oct. 29.

Speaking after LaHood, Con-way Inc. Vice President of Government Affairs Randy Mullett told the Subcommittee that "America needs strong laws and a systematic approach to make the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving socially unacceptable."

Mullett, who was testifying on behalf of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), said "Legislation alone will not solve the problem. Public attitudes and perceptions will need to change and any legislation will have to apply to all drivers on the highway. We need to focus on changing behaviors that lead to distracted driving in a systematic and comprehensive manner."

Over a year ago, trucking industry leaders called the nation's attention to the dangers of text messaging and cell phone use on the road. ATA and its member carriers support a ban on the use of electronic hand-held devices to read, write or send a text message while operating a motor vehicle. ATA's Executive Committee recently voted to support the ALERT Drivers Act of 2009 that would require states to ban the practice of reading, writing or sending a text message on a hand-held device while driving.

Driver behavior is the No. 1 cause of vehicle crashes. In addition to restricting the use of non-integrated technologies while the vehicle is in motion, ATA's progressive safety agenda also includes:

·         Uniform commercial drivers license testing standards;
·         A CDL graduated licensing study;
·         Additional parking facilities for trucks
·         Governing large truck speeds at 65 mph or less
·         A national maximum 65 mph speed limit for all vehicles
·         Strategies to increase the use of seat belts
·         A national car-truck driver behavior improvement program
·         Increased use of red light cameras and automated speed enforcement
·         Graduated licensing standards in all states for non-commercial teen drivers
·         More stringent laws to reduce drinking and driving