Only Fines Will Get Drivers Off the Phone: Experts

Executive order is part of larger push against distracted driving

(NEWSER) - Federal employees are now forbidden from sending text messages while driving on government business or operating government vehicles. The new executive order, signed by President Obama last night, also encourages executive agencies to adopt texting bans for contractors, reports ABC. "To put it plainly, distracted driving is a menace to society," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood at a summit on the issue. More»

'In-car connectivity' is a plethora of distractions

(NEWSER) - Ford's got a slick new whiz-bang simulator, and Maureen Dowd kicked the tires—and almost ran smack "into a huge green truck," she writes for the New York Times. The problem is Ford's new "in-car connectivity"—a "cornucopia of diversions on your dashboard," Dowd writes, which let you sync apps, check email, tweet, find a restaurant, or change the lighting to alter your mood. "Remember when your car used to be a haven of peace from the world?" she complains. "Now it’s just a bigger, noisier and much more dangerously distracting smartphone." More»

Under rules, effective immediately, fines run as high as $2,750

(NEWSER) - Drivers of trucks and buses who text behind the wheel will be subject to thousands of dollars in fines, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today. The federal prohibition, which takes effect immediately, applies only to commercial vehicles. But distracted driving is one of LaHood's top issues, CNN reports. "This is an important safety step, and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving," he said. More»

No age limit for bad behavior behind wheel

(NEWSER) - One-third of 16- and 17-year-olds say they have written text messages while behind the wheel. Despite that, young drivers are actually more responsible than many adults: 48% of respondents aged 12 to 17 say they’ve been in the car with a driver who was texting. One boy said his dad “drives like he's drunk. His phone is just like sitting right in front of his face, and he puts his knees on the bottom of the steering wheel and tries to text." More»

(NEWSER) - In 2003 a federal agency compiled hundreds of pages of research on the dangers of using cell phones while driving, but suppressed the findings because of pressure from Congress. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a part of the Transportation Department, also planned a long-term study of the risks of cell phone use but never undertook it. Two consumer advocacy groups obtained the findings, which are published today by the New York Times. More»