President Barack Obama has issued an Executive Order that prohibits federal employees from text messaging while driving. The order also encourages federal contractors to adopt a similar policy.
For federal employees, the policy applies when driving in any government-owned vehicle, driving in a privately-owned vehicle on official government business, and when using electronic equipment supplied by the government while driving.
Obama says he hopes the new policy will encourage employers in the private sector to introduce similar bans.
“This order sends a very clear signal to the American public that distracted driving is dangerous and unacceptable,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “I fully expect that all 58,000 DOT employees and contractors will take this order seriously. Let's show our friends and families that we can resist the temptation to answer the phone, send a message, or allow some other distraction to interfere with our driving.”
The Obama administration also announced additional steps the government is taking to address “distracted driving.”
- Make permanent restrictions on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in rail operations.
- Ban text messaging altogether and restrict the use of cell phones by truck drivers and intersate bus operators.
- Disqualify school bus drivers convicted of texting while driving from maintaining commercial driver's licenses.
- Call on more state and local governments to pass laws against distracted driving
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