Using a cell phone for texting or talking while operating a commercial vehicle is illegal.
Fines, penalties, even the disqualification of your CDL could be the result of driving while using a mobile phone (source: FMCSA).
There are a lot of things that a commercial vehicle driver can do that will get you in trouble but using your cell phone to talk or text while driving is one of the most obvious.
In this article I’m going to tell you everything a truck driver needs to know about cell phone usage laws for truckers so that you learn the facts and don’t put yourself and your trucking career at risk.
What Is The Definition Of Using A Cell/Mobile Phone While Driving A Truck?
Before we go any further we first have to establish what the FMCSA considers cell phone usage. These three things is what is considered cell phone usage:
1. Using at least one hand to hold a mobile phone to make a call.
2. Dialing a mobile phone by pressing more than a single button, or
3. Reaching for a mobile phone in a manner that requires a driver to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt.
Talking on the phone is obviously cell phone usage, but as you can see you can be penalized for just having a cell phone in your hand while driving a commercial vehicle.
You don’t even have to be actively talking to someone.
I know a lot of the drivers I talk to think you have to be caught in the process of holding the cell phone up to your ear and talking on it.
That’s just not true. Simply having the cell phone in your hand means you have one less hand on the steering wheel. If you too know of a truck driver that believes this do them a favor and send them this article.
Cell Phone Fines For Commercial Vehicle Drivers
Now that you know what it means to be using a cell phone while driving a commercial vehicle you need to know what the fines are if you get caught.
First of all, if you are caught using a cell phone you risk losing your job.
There are a lot of companies out there that will want no part of you if you drive one of their trucks while using a cell phone. They will make this very clear to you before you start driving for them.
Fines and penalties of up to $2,750 dollars (according to the FMCSA) is what you can expect if you use your phone and are caught doing so.
If you are caught several times you may be disqualified to drive a commercial vehicle. Say bye bye to your trucking career.
Does The Truck Have to Be Moving?
No, the truck doesn’t’ have to be moving.
You can be sitting at a light with your cell phone in your hand or at your ear and get a penalty.
The rule applies to drivers operating a commercial vehicle on a roadway as well as when you are temporarily stationary because of traffic, traffic control devices (lights and stop signs), and other momentary delays. (Source: FMCSA)
What About If I Mount My Cell Phone?
Mounting your cell phone is okay as long as it is mounted close to the driver so that you don’t have to reach too far to get to it. Also, you should be able to initiate and end a call by pressing one button only.
What Are The Risks Of Using A Cell Phone?
The most obvious risk to driving while using a cell phone is that it takes your attention away from the road.
Taking your hand off the wheel and onto a cell phone puts you and other drivers at risk. It’s that simple.
It drives me nuts when I see other truck drivers going down the highway at 65 mph with one had on the wheel and the other on a phone or tablet.
For a truck driver this is one of the most irresponsible things you can do.
What Does The FMCSA Allow You To Do Then?
According to the FMCSA you can do the following things in order to be in compliance.
1. Use voice activated dialing.
2. Use an earpiece or the speaker phone function. Be careful though, once you start reaching for the phone while you are driving this can get risky.
3. Use a hands free feature. In order to comply you have to have your cell phone located where you can initiate, answer, and terminate a call by touching a single button.
You also have to stay in the seated driving position and be restrained by a seat belt. You shouldn’t be reaching away from the driving position in any way.
Can Truck Drivers Use A Bluetooth Headset While Driving?
Absolutely! Every truck driver needs to have a blue-tooth headset at all times while driving. There is no excuse for not having one.
Getting a hands free device (like this one on Amazon) will allow you to talk on the phone and drive at the same time with the least amount of risk.
BlueParrot makes an awesome hands free headset (this is the B250-XTS I use an Amazon, it’s great) that isn’t too pricey. What I like most about it other than the sound quality is the fact that it can be charged via micro USB. I know some other BlueParrot models don’t have this feature.
Trust me, it’s well worth the investment. Don’t get a cheap headset, you’ll use it for a few months and then ditch it for something better.
Personally, I would never consider driving without my headset. Using one for the last several years I have gotten so used to having one that driving without one would make me feel naked 🙂
Texting While Driving A Truck
According to the FMCSA the odds of being involved in a safety-critical event (crash, near-crash, unintentional lane deviation) are 23.2 times greater for commercial motor vehicle drivers who text while driving than those who do not. Source: FMSCA
What is “texting”?
Well, according to the FMCSA website texting means entering text into, or reading text from, an electronic device.
Texting applies to any electronic device, it does not have to be a cell phone.
Some examples of texting include using a cell phone, e-mailing, instant messaging, typing a web address, pressing more than a single button to initiate or terminate a call with a cell phone, or using any other form of electronic text retrieval or entry.
Moral of the story is this: don’t enter text into any electronic device while you are driving a commercial vehicle. Find a safe place to stop off of the roadway and then do it if you really need to.
Fines And Penalties For Texting While Driving a CMV
Penalties can be up to $2750.00 for drivers and $11,000 for employers who allow or or require drivers to use a hand-held communication device for texting while driving.
Multiple convictions for texting while driving a commercial vehicle can lead to driver disqualification.
Why Is Texting While Driving A Truck So Dangerous?
The biggest reason texting is so dangerous is because you have to take your eyes off the road while texting and one hand off of the steering wheel.
You also have to think about what you are going to write. All of this is dangerous when you are behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle.
How Can You Comply?
Don’t text or read a text message of any kind while driving a commercial vehicle.
Yep, it’s that simple.
Don’t risk your health, the health of the public, and your career for a text message. It’s just not worth it.
CMV Driving Tips From The FMCSA
According to the FMCSA there are some specific things you can do to avoid distractions and minimize risks. When driving, stay focused on the act of driving your truck. If something around your truck is not related to your driving you should ignore it.
1. Don’t Text And Drive: Texting takes your mind, hands, and eyes off of the road. This is why it is so dangerous.
To read a text message you have to take your eyes off of the road and in order to write a text you have to use your hands. Having a hand off the steering wheel while looking at a cell phone is a recipe for disaster.
Take this into consideration: According to the FMCSA if you driving 55 mph and take your eyes off the road for 5 seconds you have traveled the length of a football field without looking at the road in front of you.
2. Avoid All Other Distractions:
Billboards: We all do it. You take your eyes off the road for a second to take a look at a billboard. Most of the time you don’t even know you are doing it.
Those billboards are a distraction though. Avoid looking at them if you can.
People: Don’t worry about what other drivers are doing in their trucks or cars. Worry about what you are doing.
Adjusting the radio: That little reach you do when changing to a new station or podcast can also land you in trouble.
Eating and Drinking: Probably the one I am most guilty of. I love to eat a quick snack while driving. Who doesn’t? I’m not going to stop my truck just to eat a handful of nuts or half a sandwich. No way.
I do make sure I am careful though and have recently tried to reduce how much eating and driving I do.
For that split second that you put down the container of nuts or piece of sandwich you could end up in an accident.
3. Don’t Use Your Dispatching Device while Driving: Regardless of which dispatching device your company uses you should avoid using it while driving.
I know, it’s easier said than done but should be avoided just as much as a cell phone.
4. Don’t Read, Write, or use Paper Maps while driving: Any kind of writing or reading while driving a commercial vehicle is dangerous. Just like the other distractions it will take your hands and eyes away from driving.
Even though most of us are using a GPS these days there is still a ton of value in being able to read a paper map like this legendary Rand paper road atlas.
If you don’t use a paper map I highly recommend you get one and learn how to use it as a backup when your GPS stops working or can’t be trusted.
Looking at a paper map, or even a GPS, can be dangerous. Try to avoid it while driving.
If you use a GPS make sure you setup voice commands so that you aren’t looking at the screen at all.
It all comes down to avoiding doing things in your truck that will in any way take you attention away from driving.
If your hands come off the steering wheel, your eyes off of the road, and your mind away from making driving decisions you should stop doing whatever you are doing that
is a distraction.
