to prohibit or restrict the use of unsafe electronic devices, for talking, texting and other purposes, by operators of commercial motor vehicles, such as tractor trailers, motorcoach buses, and large vans.

The petition, which was submitted to the DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), asks officials to immediately review the use all hand held electronic devises such as cell phones, blackberries, pda’s, and portable dvds by drivers of commercial vehicles and if they in fact pose a threat to safety on our highways.  If it is determined that use of these devices while driving commercial vehicles (and I can’t see that they would not), then the Advocates want an infraction of any new rules would be an Out of Service violation.

Accoring to Jacquiline Gillan, vice president of Advocates,

“Driver distraction is a serious and growing safety problem. If safety is indeed our nation’s number one transportation priority, now is the time for FMCSA to act to stem the rising tide of distracted driving crashes, deaths and injuries.”

The petition cited the fact that while commercial trucks represent only a small percentage of the vehicles on the highway(3%),  commercial truck accidents are the cause of 12% of all highway fatalities.  It only makes sense that we don’t want to increase this percentage by allowing them to use electronic devises while driving a 80,000 pound (40 ton!) vehicle at 65 miles per hour.

According to NTSB Board Member Deborah Hersman,

“Fatigue in transportation presents unnecessary risks to the traveling public. Fatigue can impair a person behind the wheel or at the helm much like alcohol or other drugs. We must ensure that as much as possible is being done to protect our transportation system from the insidious effect of human fatigue.”

For a long time now the NTSB has included fatique and hours-of-service on their Most Wanted List of highway safety improvements.  It is the intent of the Board to continue to work with all members of the transportation industry to study the effects of fatique, rest requirements and driver alertness to prevent future injuries and death.