DOT Proposes Rule to Prevent Railroad Crew Texting
May 23, 2010 – 8:55 am
After a complete ban on the use of cell phones and text messaging devices by commercial truck and bus drivers, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has turned his attention to railroad operators and employees. Many Los Angeles personal injury lawyers are glad to hear that Secretary LaHood has proposed a new rule that will prohibit railroad employees from using certain electronic devices while on duty.
The rule prohibits railroad employees from using electronic communication devices if it interferes with their ability to operate the train safely. Employees would be allowed to use cell phones only under certain conditions. The rule will allow for certain exceptions in the case of calculators, watches, cameras used to record safety hazards, and medical devices.
The proposed rule comes 20 months after the devastating Metrolink accident in Chatsworth, California in 2008. Twenty five people were killed in that collision, the worst commuter rail disaster in modern history. Soon after the collision, it came to light that the Metrolink train operator had been texting just before the crash. The Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order, immediately banning the use of cell phones and other electronic devices by rail operating employees.
The proposed rule is part of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s self-declared war against distracted driving. Ever since he took office, LaHood has implemented a number of new rules banning the use of cell phones by operators of commercial vehicles, and increasing pressure on states to enact their own anti-distracted driving laws. Not everyone has been happy with the Transportation Secretary’s efforts to combat distracted driving, especially those involving the use of cell phones while driving. There have been complaints about a nanny state, and far too many restrictions on individual freedoms.
Unfortunately, as California train accident lawyers saw after the Metrolink tragedy, unrestricted individual freedom can often contribute to catastrophic accidents that result in a major loss of life and limb. The Secretary deserves to be commended for his aggressive stand on distracted driving, even in the face of opposition.
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