USAA, one of the nation’s leading car insurers, has joined with other insurance companies like AAA to back legislation banning the use of “handheld communications devices” while driving.
Since 2008, when many states enacted laws restricting text messaging, and non-hands-free phone usage of any kind, many insurers have also backed attempts to make cell phone use illegal behind the wheel, especially in light of research which suggests that using a cell phone is even more dangerous than driving while drunk.
Stuart Parker, president of USAA Property and Casualty Insurance Group, said in a statement to the press, “As a financial services organization that provides auto insurance, we see the tragic consequences of car crashes every day. It’s clear that using handheld devices makes driving more dangerous for the user and other drivers, so USAA is fighting for laws to control this dangerous practice.”
Last October, the New York Times reported that President Obama had already banned texting while driving for all Federal employees, whether they were in government vehicles, or driving their own cars while on government business. This Tuesday, the federal government officially banned bus drivers and truckers from texting while behind the wheel, putting its seal of approval on a prohibition already embraced by many large trucking and transportation companies.
“We want the drivers of big rigs and buses and those who share the roads with them to be safe,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told the press. “This is an important safety step, and we will be taking more to eliminate the threat of distracted driving.”
Mr. LaHood has made the curtailment of “driving distractions” such as cel lphone use and texting a major component of his tenure as the nation’s top transportation official. Some believe Tuesday’s announcement is a step that might ultimately lead to a nationwide ban on cell phone use by all drivers.