With the new federal regulations going into effect in 2012 that are fighting against distracted driving of commercial vehicles, it makes sense that products would be developed to help enforce those new federal requirements.
And from a legal take on things, it’s something to help the trucking industry meet its legal duty to keep everyone as safe as possible on the roads that are shared with the huge, heavy big rigs, semis, and tractor trailers that are rolling along at very high speeds.
For example, there are new federal regulations that make it illegal for a commercial truck driver (be it a bus, big rig, delivery van, semi, tractor trailer or other big truck) to use a cell phone with their hands to either talk or text.
No phone should be held by a truck driver moving his vehicle down the road, bottom line.
For more details on these federal regulations, check out our earlier posts and read the Final Rule for Drivers of CMVs: Restricting the Use of Cellular Phones, 49 CFR Parts 177, 383, 384, 390, 391, and 392.
This week, a company named ZoomSafer announced its FleetSafer(R) Mobile safe driving software, proclaming it to be the company’s patented software that offers trucking companies the only distracted driving product that can make sure that drivers are in compliance with the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) guidelines on hand-held mobile phone use while driving a commercial vehicle.
Will This Keep Truck Drivers From Using Their Cell Phones? The New FleetSafer Mobile with SafeDial(TM)
What they are offering is software that goes onto the truck driver’s smartphone. This new FleetSafer Mobile software will then stop any calls from going out or coming into the phone as well as blocking texts and emails (in or out) as long as the truck is being driven.
“The FMCSA’s ban on hand-held use of mobile phones while driving is an important step forward in solving the serious issue of distracted driving, but the rule provides employers with no guidance on how to foster employee compliance,” said ZoomSafer CEO Matt Howard. “This latest enhancement to our FleetSafer Mobile safe driving software provides corporate fleet operators with a simple, affordable way to promote safe, legal and FMCSA-compliant use of mobile phones while driving.”
Step in the Right Direction But Not a Total Solution
Having commercial truck fleets require their truckers with smartphones to install this software on their smartphones sounds good. It’s definitely a step in the right direction to keep the roads safe. However, the software only applies to smartphones, not all cell phones. This isn’t going to halt all distracted phone use by truck drivers.
