Executive order bans texting while driving
Executive Order 13513, signed by President Obama Oct. 1, specifically bans federal employees from texting while driving government owned, leased or rented vehicles. It prohibits texting while driving privately-owned vehicles on official government business. The policy also extends to federal contractors.
“Despite the shocking accident reports and warnings, people still text while driving, said Mario Owens, safety officer for the Army’s Installation Management Command.
He said a number of studies show that text messaging while driving is the “modern day top driving distraction” that causes auto accidents.
“It’s important to remember that the next time you text message while driving that such texting has been found to be more dangerous than driving while intoxicated,” Owens said.
Driver distraction, which includes the use of electronic devices while driving, accounted for 16 percent of fatal crashes in 2008, according to the U.S. Transportation Department.
A recent study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute reports that of all cellphone related tasks, including talking, dialing, or reaching for the phone, texting while driving is the most dangerous. The study also states that for every 6 seconds of drive time, a driver sending or receiving a text message spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off the road.
In 2007, Washington became the first state to ban texting while driving. Seventeen other states and the District of Columbia have followed suit.
本报讯 奥巴马政府10月30日表示，在一个连开车都不愿放下手机和手持装置的国家，开车分心是日益增加的危险，所以官员、国会和民众必须携手合作以减少危险。
交通部寻找方法减少驾驶人使用手持装置的两天会议开幕时指出，与驾驶人分心有关的车祸在去年造成近6000人死亡、50万人受伤，包括驾驶人讲手机和传短信。
交通部认为，开车分心威胁社会，开车分心是流行病，开车打电话或发短信似乎愈来愈流行，也越来越糟。
上月底的不会首长聚集专家来审视可能致命的开车用手机、手持装置和做其它分心事情。交通部部长莱胡德说，他在11月1日会上提出建议，可能限制开车使用手持装置。
会议的重点虽是开车用手机和手持装置，不过与会人士都认为，分心事情不仅于此，可能还包括把手伸到后座、化妆或吃东西。
国会也密切注意这个问题。参议员舒默和其它民主党人正在推动法令，规定各州禁止边开车边传短信或传电邮，否则将失去下一年度25%的联邦高速公路年度经费。
政府指出，驾驶人因分心而发生的车祸，在去年造成5870人死亡、51万5000人受伤。2008年所有致命车祸中，有16%涉及驾驶人分心，年轻驾驶中更是普遍。
根据公路安全保险研究所资料，18州和华盛顿特区通过法令禁止边开车边传短信，七州和华盛顿特区禁止边开车边拿手持通讯装置。
目前不少州已经制定新的法律对开车送短信做出严厉的制裁，也有的州对开车打电话作出限制。不过，田纳西州对上述情形尚无限制令。不过，华人社区需要提高警惕，防范开车分心，给家人或他人带来不幸。
田納西新聞(www.tncnnews.org), 2007-2008. All Rights Reserved.
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