Overdrive : November 2009
Log Book
12 Overdrive NOVEMBER 2009 Log Book Truck and interstate bus drivers would be prohibited from using text messag-ing while driving under a rulemaking planned by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In addition, DOT plans to place restrictions on the use of cell phones while driving. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's Oct. 1 announcement came after a two-day summit on distracted driv-ing. DOT recognizes distracted driving as a problem among all drivers, but the department currently has authority only to regulate commercial vehicle operators. Separately, the American Trucking Associations Executive Committee voted to support a bill introduced by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., to ban texting by all drivers. This legislation was drafted after several mass transit crashes were caused by distracted operators. New research findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involv-ing a distracted or inattentive driver, and more than half a million were injured. On any given day in 2008, more than 800,000 vehicles were driven by someone using a handheld cell phone. As for more broadly targeted initiatives, LaHood pledged to work with Congress to ensure that the issue of distracted driv-ing is appropriately addressed. He also called on state and local governments to work with U.S. DOT by making dis-tracted driving part of their state highway plans, and by continuing to pass state and local laws against distracted driving in all vehicles, especially school buses. A full webcast of the summit is avail-able at www.dot.gov. Staff reports dOT plans to ban trucker texting A New Mexico survey of long-haul truck-ers showed high rates of hepatitis C, but many infected were unaware they had it. The state health department's research is the first nationwide effort to examine infection rates and high-risk behaviors among truckers. The researchers examined sexually transmitted infections, HIV and hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus prevalence among 652 truck drivers at 11 New Mexico truck stops. While 8.5 percent of truckers tested positive for hepatitis C, only one trucker tested positive for HIV, one for gonorrhea and one for syphilis. Eleven percent of drivers had injected drugs at least once, which researchers believe is what accounted for the high rate of hepatitis C. Dr. Steve Jenison, medical director for New Mexico's health department's Infectious Diseases Bureau, conducted the research from 2004 to 2006. We know from other international studies that long-haul truck drivers in some countries have high rates of sexu-ally transmitted diseases, including HIV, but we wanted to learn if that was true in the United States, Jenison said. We also learned from the study that some of the truck drivers who were hepatitis C posi-tive also engaged in risky behavior such as binge drinking, which puts them at higher risk for complications if they have hepatitis C. Drivers should consider hepatitis C testing and seek medical help if they have the disease, especially if they ever injected drugs or received blood transfusions prior to 1992. Despite the low measured prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in the study, many drivers reported sexual behaviors that would place them at risk for acquiring these infections, he said. Jill dunn Hepatitis C rate high in driver study PETERBILT MOTORS CO. said it is per-manently closing its Madison, Tenn., truck assembly plant Dec. 1 as part of a realign-ment of its manufacturing operations. The Madison plant has not built trucks since the summer of 2008, when Peterbilt and United Auto Workers were unable to negotiate a new contract and the economy worsened. HIGHWAY HERO nominations are being accepted through Nov. 30 by Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which runs the annual program to recognize professional drivers whose brave actions helped others on the road. Nomination forms and program details may be found at www.goodyear.com/truck/ news or by calling (330) 796-8183. TRAFFIC DEATHS on U.S. roads fell to a record low in the first half of 2009, accord-ing to projections released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Estimates show that 16,626 people died in traffic crashes between January and June a 7 percent decline from 17,871 for the same period last year. Projected figures for the period also show a record low fatal-ity rate of 1.15 deaths per 100 million vehi-cle miles traveled, down from 1.23 deaths during the same period in 2008. SHORT HAULS A Virginia Tech study shows that drivers are 23 times more likely to get into a crash when texting on their phones.