Car Insurance Rates Addresses Proposed Commercial Driver Cell-Phone Ban

Dec. 30, 2011 - PRLog -- CarInsuranceRates.com, a popular site for multiple estimates on personal and commercial car insurance, recently polled its insurance affiliates to gauge their opinion on the passing of a new federal rule that disallows bus and truck drivers from talking on cellular phones while driving. The insurance companies unanimously supported the law, mainly citing safety and cost-saving reasons.

“Cell phone use on the road is generally dangerous, but it is particularly so for commercial operators. The vehicles they drive are larger, heavier, and more difficult to maneuver, first of all, and in the case of bus drivers, they usually contain a larger number of people. Commercial drivers need to focus 100 percent on the road to avoid losing control of the vehicle, and prohibiting cell phone use is one way to ensure they do. That our insurance partners strongly support the new law stands to reason,” explained Nathan Ackerman, spokesman for Car Insurance Rates.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced the new law on November 23 jointly. Truck and bus drivers caught using a cell phone while on the road will face fines of up to $2.750, while employers of commercial drivers could have to pay up to $11,000 if they do not require their drivers to use only hands-free devices.

“The general feeling among our insurers is that the new law for truck drivers takes the country one step closer to a national cell-phone ban for drivers. Our insurers support such a law because not only would it make our roads safer, but it would also substantially lower premiums by reducing the number of accident-related claims,” said Mr. Ackerman.

For more information, please visit: http://www.carinsurancerates.com

# # #

CarInsuranceRates.com is a full service quote website providing car insurance quotes since 1997. We have also built a large archive of car insurance articles, tips, and expert advice.