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Oct. 3, 2009

U.S. President Obama said Oct. 1st that he will seek to ban text messaging by interstate bus drivers and truckers.

The president also said he will push states to pass their own laws against driving any vehicle while texting.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the administration also would move to put restrictions on mobile phone use by rail operators, truck drivers and interstate bus drivers.

LaHood said President Obama signed an executive order late Wednesday banning all federal workers from texting while driving on government business, driving government vehicles or using any government equipment.

The Obama administration also will push to disqualify school bus drivers who are convicted of texting while driving from keeping their commercial driver's licenses.

"Driving while distracted should just feel wrong — just as driving without a seat belt or driving while intoxicated," LaHood said at the end of a two-day conference on the problem. "We're not going to break everyone of their bad habits — but we are certainly going to raise awareness and greatly sharpen the consequences."

Researchers, safety groups, automakers and lawmakers all gathered to discuss the perils of distracted driving, hearing sobering data from the government that underscored the safety threat as more motorists stay connected with cell phones and all types of mobile devices.

The Transportation Department reported that almost 6,000 people were killed and another 515,000 were injured in 2008 in crashes directly connected to driver distraction, often involving mobile devices or cell phones. Driver distraction was involved in 16 percent of all fatal crashes last year and was more prevalent among young drivers.

Senate Democrats said support was building in Congress to move against text messaging by drivers. The legislation, pushed by Sen. Chuck Schumer would require states to ban texting or e-mailing while operating a moving vehicle or lose 25 percent of their annual federal highway funding.

"It's like driving with your eyes closed," said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., a proponent of a texting ban.

So far, 18 states and the District of Columbia already have passed laws making text messaging while driving illegal, and seven states and the District have banned driving while talking on a handheld cell phone, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Many safety groups have urged a nationwide ban on using any handheld mobile devices while behind the wheel. LaHood declined to endorse Schumer's bill, saying simply that the White House would work with Congress.

Many states have questioned the use of so-called sanctions against states that do not pass laws sought by Congress, especially during tough economic times.

"The words 'federal mandate' and 'federal sanctions' do not play well," said Bruce Starr, an Oregon state senator who attended the conference.

Bus and truck operators said they would review the plans. Dave Osiecki, vice president of safety for the American Trucking Associations said his group would work with LaHood "on a comprehensive approach to reducing distractions for all drivers, including professional truck drivers."

However, some researchers cautioned that banning all mobile phone use by drivers would undermine the development of in-vehicle safety technologies that alert emergency responders to crashes.

Industry officials said a broad public awareness campaign was needed to reach tech-savvy young drivers.

American Bus Association President Peter Pantuso said his organization supported the restrictions and most member companies already had policies prohibiting drivers from texting and using cell phones.

The conference attracted families of victims of accidents caused by distracted driving, who urged the government to take a strong stance against cell phone use in vehicles, whether it includes a handsfree device or not.

They added that technologies that can help prevent the mobile device from receiving e-mails or phone calls while the vehicle is in motion could also help address the problem.

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Source: The White House.