Over the Horizon

Commercial drivers are now prohibited from text-messaging while behind the wheel.

The nation's roadways are a bit safer, thanks to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who issued new rules last week banning interstate truck and bus drivers from sending text messages while operating their vehicles.


Drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds spent texting, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.


Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have outlawed texting while driving after studies found the practice comparable to drunken driving for its deadly potential.

Under the new federal rule, drivers caught violating the ban will face fines up to $2,750.

Category: General

A new study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that bans on hand held cell phones in California, New York, Connecticut, and Washington DC have NOT dramatically reduced the number of crashes.

The HDLI study compared automobile collision insurance claims from states that ban cell phone use while driving before and after the bans were enforced and data from states that don't have bans.

The HDLI's study found compared monthly collision claims per 100 insured vehicle years for vehicles up to three years old during the months immediately before and after hand-held phone use was banned while driving in New York, Washington D.C., Connecticut and California. The study also said patterns did not change in comparison with trends in the jurisdictions without bans.

Category: General