Date: October 12, 2011By: Atlanta Truck Accident Lawyers

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recommended that all commercial truckers should be banned from communicating via cell phone while driving. Fueled by a fiery Kentucky crash in 2010 that killed the truck driver and ten others, the advisory body joined a host of other parties in pushing for a total ban on cell phone (except in emergencies) use in commercial trucks. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had previously banned texting by commercial drivers in 2010, according to USA Today.

The details were just recently released for the Kentucky crash that spurned this push against commercial driver cell phone use. In this early morning March 2010 accident, a truck driver careened off Interstate 65, crossed the median, ran through a barrier, and smashed into a passenger van, killing himself and ten of the people on board. According to the NTSB, the driver of a truck had used his cell phone for calling and texting 69 times while driving in the previous day. It was also revealed that the driver had used his phone for four calls just before the crash, including one when the crash occurred.

The NTSB is not the first to promote a bill of this type, but they are a powerful force in the industry. In addition, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has been an ardent proponent for an outright ban on all non-emergency cell phone use by drivers. The FMCSA, the trucking arm of the Department of Transportation (DOT), proposed a complete ban on handheld cell phone use by commercial drivers in the winter of 2010. This ruling is expected to be acted on this fall. The American Trucking Association supports a ban on calling and texting, but not when a hands-free device is used.

There are 3.7 million commercial truck drivers operating vehicles in the United States. Trucks are large and difficult to maneuver, and therefore are inherently dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 74,000 people were injured and 3,380 people were killed in crashes involving large trucks in 2009. If you or a loved one is involved in a crash involving a commercial truck, contact a knowledgeable Atlanta trucking accident attorney to possibly pursue monetary compensation for the accident. 

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Keywords: Truck driver cell phone use, truck accident causes