Tag Archives: Department of Transportation

NHTSA intensifies distracted driving campaign

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The U.S. Department of Transportation is stepping up its efforts to reduce distracted driving caused by the use of electronic devices with a new “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving.” The new publication proposes a strategy for curtailing the use of handheld cell phones behind the wheel.

At the same time the new plan was announced, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood also announced tht California and Delaware will receive a total of $2.4 million to expand enforcement of the “Phone in One Hand, Ticket in the Other” campaign.

“Distracted driving is an epidemic,’ said LaHood. “While we’ve made progress in the past three years by raising awareness about this risky behavior, the simple fact is people are continuing to be killed and injured – and we can put an end to it. Personal responsibility for putting down that cell phone is a good first step – but we need everyone to do their part, whether it’s helping pass strong laws, educating our youngest and most vulnerable drivers, or starting their own campaign to end distracted driving.”

The “Blueprint for Ending Distracted Driving” builds on the nationwide movement that LaHood and USDOT have spearheaded for the last three years by:

    • Encouraging the remaining 11 states without distracted driving laws to enact and enforce this critical legislation.
    • Challenging the auto industry to adopt guidelines for technology to reduce the potential for distraction on devices built or brought into vehicles.
    • Partnering with driver education professionals to create new curriculum materials to educate novice drivers about the consequences of driver distraction. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show drivers under the age of 25 are far more likely to send text messages or emails while driving.
    • Providing everyone with actions they can take to help end distracted driving nationwide.

Nationwide, 39 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam ban texting behind the wheel. Ten states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam prohibit all hand-held cell phone use while driving.

California and Delaware, which have strong laws governing a driver’s use of cell phones and other electronics, are going to use federally funded pilot projects to test the impact of increased law enforcement and high-profile public education campaigns on distracted driving. The programs call for crackdowns on violators combined with with paid advertising and news media coverage. California’s program will focus on eight counties and 3.8 million residents in the Sacramento Valley region; the Delaware program will run statewide. Both projects are expected to be in action this fall.

The new projects build on the strategies used last year in smaller-scale programs in Hartford, Connecticut, and Syracuse, New York. As a result of stepped-up enforcement and public awareness campaigns, texting dropping 72 percent in Hartford and 32 percent in Syracuse.

“We know from the success of national efforts like ‘Click It or Ticket’ that combining good laws with effective enforcement and a strong public education campaign can – and does – change unsafe driving behavior,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “Now, along with two great state partners, we’re using this proven formula to help tackle distracted driving.”

To learn more about NHTSA’s efforts on distracted driving visit www.distraction.gov.

U.S. DOT proposes federal guidelines to reduce distracted driving

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The United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued its first-ever set of proposed voluntary guidelines to help automakers design in-car infotainment systems that reduce driver distractions.

The guidelines cover communications, entertainment and navigation systems but do not include warning systems for lane drift or collision-avoidance as the DOT considers those to be integral to proper vehicle operation.

“Distracted driving is a dangerous and deadly habit on America’s roadways – that’s why I’ve made it a priority to encourage people to stay focused behind the wheel,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These guidelines are a major step forward in identifying real solutions to tackle the issue of distracted driving for drivers of all ages.”

The NHTSA guidelines are intended to establish criteria for manufacturer-installed devices that require visual or manual interaction by drivers. These are the first in a series of guidance documents the agency plans to issue addressing sources of distraction from the primary task of driving.

“We recognize that vehicle manufacturers want to build vehicles that include the tools and conveniences expected by today’s American drivers,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “The guidelines we’re proposing would offer real-world guidance to automakers to help them develop electronic devices that provide features consumers want—without disrupting a driver’s attention or sacrificing safety.”

The first round of proposed guidelines include recommendations to:

    • Reduce complexity and task length required by the device.
    • Limit device operation to one hand only so the other remains on the steering wheel.
    • Limit individual off-road glances required for device operation to no more than two seconds in duration.
    • Limit unnecessary visual information in the driver’s field of view.
    • Limit the amount of manual inputs required for device operation.

The proposed guidelines would also recommend the disabling of the following operations by in-vehicle electronic devices while driving, unless the devices are intended for use by passengers and cannot reasonably be accessed or seen by the driver, or unless the vehicle is stopped and the transmission shift lever is in park.

    • Text messaging
    • Internet browsing
    • Social media browsing
    • Navigation system destination entry by address
    • 10-digit phone dialing
    • Displaying more than 30 characters of text to the driver unless they are related to the driving task

NHTSA is also considering Phase II guidelines to address devices or systems that are added to or brought into the vehicle, such as aftermarket navigation systems, smart phones, electronic tablets and pads, and other mobile communications devices. A Phase III guidelines could address voice-activated controls.

The new guidelines were published in Thursday’s Federal Register. Members of the public can comment on the proposed guidelines for 60 days. Final guidelines will be issued after the agency reviews and analyzes and responds to public input.

In addition to publishing the guidelines, the NHTSA will hold public hearings next month to get additional public comment. The hearings will take place in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C.