Drivers could be fined up to $2,750
The U.S. has officially banned truckers and bus drivers from texting while driving in an effort to curtail driver distractions. The move is being seen as a step towards banning cellphone use by all drivers. The announcement comes after a Virginia Tech study found that truckers texting were 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or a near-miss. However, the new law is regarded as more symbolic than practical: “The enforcement problem here is enormous,” said Russ Rader of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “How does anybody spot a trucker or any driver on the road using some device that they’re holding below window level?” Texting and cellphone use while driving is already banned by major commercial fleets, such as FedEX and UPS, as well as by federal employees driving government vehicles.