American Trucking Association OK with drivers using computers while driving
As you drive down the interstate in Mississippi and approach an 18 wheeler, ask yourself this question: Is the driver of that 80,000 pound rig reading the on-board computer screen and sending messages to their company as opposed to watching the road ahead of them? There is a good chance the driver is and the trucking industry does not want to ban such practice. The on-board computers allow the company to send the trucker messages, the trucker can respond, and gives the trucker the ability to surf the internet. No problem if the truck is idle on the side of the road. But, a major problem if the truck is barreling down the road at 70 miles per hour. The question is whether there should be a ban against truckers using these on-board computers while driving? Under most proposed legislation banning texting while driving, these computers are included in the ban.
In a recent New York Times article, the spokesman for the American Trucking Association, said a federal bill requiring states to ban texting while driving was "overkill." Why? Here is the laughable part. Because banning the use of such devices "won't improve safety." REALLY?? So if your driver is watching the road as opposed to a computer screen, safety will not be improved? This guy is amazing. I think the real reason for the objection by the American Trucking Association is deeper in the article where Randy Mullett, a Con-way executive, said requiring drivers to stop to respond to the on-board messages cost the company money. The company loses about $1.50 a minute when the truck is idle. Essentially, this guy just said Con-way puts profits over the safety of people.
Here are the facts: Using these on-board computers while driving increases your chances of crashing, just as texting on a cellphone does while driving. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that using on-board computers while driving increased the risk of crashing by 10 times. In all fairness, the same study found that texting on a cell phone increased your risk of crashing 23 times. However, the point is that both activities don't mix with driving.
We live in a technologically adept society, but using computers or texting on cellphones does not mix with driving a vehicle at the same time. It is time to ban both on our roadways before more people are killed.
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