NTSB recommends cell phone ban for CMV drivers

Washington – After concluding that distracted driving likely caused a 2010 crash that killed 11 people in Kentucky, the National Transportation Safety Board on Sept. 13 called for a ban on cell phone use by commercial motor vehicle drivers, except in emergencies.

On the morning of March 26, 2010, a truck-tractor semitrailer combination unit crossed a median, overrode a cable barrier system and hit a 15-passenger van, according to NTSB. The board’s investigation determined that the truck driver had used his cell phone for calls and text messages 69 times while driving in the 24-hour period before the crash, including a call at the same time his truck left the highway.

NTSB’s recommendations address cell phone use and median design on roadways often traveled by commercial trucks, as well as other issues.

In response, the Arlington, VA-based American Trucking Associations expressed its support for a ban on handheld cell phone use among all motorists.