Texting on the job? See the consequences
In June 2008, a San Antonio, Texas bus driver was filmed texting for 6 minutes before slamming his bus into the rear of an SUV. And this isn’t an isolated case.
In September 2008, a train driver killed 25 people, including him, and injured 135 others when his Metrolink commuter train plowed into a Union Pacific freight locomotive. It has since been reported that the driver was text messaging while driving and failed to stop at a red light signal, which caused him to crash.
In May 2009, a Boston trolley conductor crashed while texting his girlfriend. 49 passengers were injured. The 24 year old conductor now faces up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if found guilty of gross negligence.
With texting while driving on the job becoming a hot issue, it makes sense that the Miami-Dade School Board is considering a ban on all cell phones for all district employees, except in case of emergency.
School Board member Larry Feldman has suggested this new rule, saying: “People don’t understand how serious of an issue this is. It’s really dangerous. But unless it’s in black-and-white, people won’t pay attention to it.”
While no Florida school bus driver has been caught texting and driving, the measure is strictly preventive and makes total sense. With all the cases mentioned above, would you want your kid to be in a school bus driven by a distracted driver?
Source: Reuters, October 2 2008; NBC News, April 29 2009; Boston Globe, July 21 2009; Miami Herald, November 17 2009
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