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In this article the trucking industry claims that the on-board computers used by their drivers re not as risky as other distractions. Safety advocates disagree. Read and see what each side says.

Truck Drivers Want to Keep Computers in their Cabs-Kentucky Truck Accident Attorney
DATE: September 28, 2009
TYPE: Trucking industry wants to be exempt from legislation that would ban texting while driving.

Another component in the texting while driving debate is the trucking industry. There is currently a legislative push that will force states to ban texting while driving if the state wants to keep receiving federal highway money.

Many truckers, drivers of 18 wheelers, have in their cabs computers they utilize to get directions, information from their dispatchers as well as keeping in touch with their families. The trucking industry has said that these computers require less concentration that phones. Trucking companies also use the computers for training exercises. Even though with these computers the drivers only have only 4 to 6 lines of text and the drivers are not reading them all the time they still have the capability to email and browse the Internet. These computers are generally mounted on the dashboard near the steering wheel with either a touch screen or a keyboard they keep in their lap. They feel that banning these devises will not improve safety.

Meanwhile the drivers feel pressure to get their loads delivered quickly. If every time a message came through on their computer and they pulled over to read it and respond it would take 15 minutes. If that happened six times during the delivery of one load they would find themselves behind schedule by 90 minutes. Their pay can get cut if their delivery is late. They unfortunately feel that with the deadline pressures they have no option but to use the computers while driving.

A study done by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that after videotaping truckers behind the wheel the ones using the on-board computers had a 10 times greater risk of crashing, nearly crashing or weaving from their lane. Truckers who were text messaging were at a 23 times greater risk than those who just drove. Another finding from the same study was that when the drivers used the on-board computers their eyes were off the road for an average of four seconds. Four seconds at highway speeds is about the same distance of a football field. Safety advocates as well as researchers feel that this amount of time distracted from the road as well as the size of the vehicles and the amount of time it takes them to stop actually poses a greater risk for accidents.

As an accident attorney I am in favor of anything legislative or commonsense that will keep the roads safer. I have seen how accidents can destroy lives and anything that can be done to reduce that risk is a good idea.