The difference between avoiding a deadly crash can be a matter of seconds, which is why FMCSA is taking Distracted Driving Month as the perfect opportunity to reiterate some practical safety tips to help keep each other safe while on the road. Examples of distractions include mobile phone use — texting, talking, and social media — adjusting the radio or GPS, applying makeup, or eating and drinking.
The Risk
Distracted driving — or driving while your eyes, hands, or mind are preoccupied with something other than the task of driving — killed over 3,500 people in 2021, which is about nine people a day. In the few seconds it takes to read or send a text message, you can travel the length of a football field at 55 mph.
Research commissioned by FMCSA shows that the odds of being involved in a safety-critical event (e.g., crash, near-crash, unintentional lane deviation) are six times greater for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who engage in dialing a mobile phone while driving than for those who do not.
The Rule
Since 2018, FMCSA has restricted the use of all hand-held mobile devices by drivers of CMVs. This rule prohibits a CMV driver from holding a mobile device while driving, or making a call by pressing more than a single button. The rule applies to drivers operating a CMV on a roadway, including moving forward or being temporarily stationary because of traffic, traffic control devices, or other momentary delays.
Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in driver disqualification. Penalties can be up to $2,750 for drivers, and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to use a hand-held communications device while driving.
Multiple violations of the prohibition of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in a driver disqualification by FMCSA. Multiple violations of state laws prohibiting use of a mobile phone while driving a CMV is a serious traffic violation that could result in a disqualification.
The Resolution
If you need to use your phone for texting, calling or setting your GPS, do it before you start driving, or pull over to a full stop. If you must use your phone while driving, here are some tips to keep you focused on the road:
- Use voice-activated dialing.
- Use an earpiece or the speaker phone function.
- Make sure your phone is close enough that it is operable while you’re buckled into your seat belt. You must have your phone in a place where you can initiate, answer, or terminate a call by touching a single button.
Distracted driving is dangerous for everyone on the road. Help remind all drivers to remain focused when behind the wheel by sharing resources from FMCSA’s Distracted Driving Campaign.
