Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma
February 7, 2012
A final rule banning commercial motor vehicle drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving on interstates went into effect Jan. 3, 2012.
The final rule prohibits commercial drivers from using a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a commercial truck or bus. Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses. Additionally, states will suspend a driver’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) after two or more serious traffic violations. Commercial truck and bus companies that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones while driving will face a maximum penalty of $11,000.
Approximately four million commercial drivers would be affected by this final rule. Read the entire press release here.
Click here for a list of FAQs on the ban from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
