DOT Proposes Rule Banning Truck Driver Texting

The Department of Transportation proposed a rule Wednesday that would make permanent a two-month-old ban on cell-phone texting by truck and bus drivers.

The rule will be published in the Federal Register April 1 and also be available online through a Cornell University Web site. The DOT and Cornell are partnering in an "e-rulemaking" initiative to increase public involvement in the rulemaking process.

People will be able to comment on the proposed regulation online for 30 days at Cornell's regulationroom.org, or by submitting comments to DOT at regulations.gov.

"We are committed to using every resource available to eliminate the dangers of distracted driving," said Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne S. Ferro.

It's the first in what's likely to be a series of rules relating to the use of electronic devices while driving. Additional rules are expected to be announced in coming months.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood first promised a rulemaking on texting at last year's Distracted Driving Summit. In January, he issued an interim ban.

"This rulemaking keeps our commitment to making our roads safer by reducing the threat of distracted driving," LaHood said.

Drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers, according to DOT.

Contact William B. Cassidy at wcassidy@joc.com.