The U.S. Department of Transportation proposes first-ever distracted driving guidelines set
Posted: 02/21/2012
CLEVELAND - The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed a first-ever set of distracted driving guidelines on Monday.
Citing more than 3,000 highway deaths from distracted driving in 2010, proponents say the legislation is critical. Opponents say enforcement will be difficult.
The auto industry and general public will have 60 days to comment on the proposal with hearings in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will issue final guidelines following the 60 day public comment period.
In a conference call to reporters on Monday, NHTSA administrator David Strickland laid out a handful of guidelines to reduce the "complexity and amount of time required" for in-car systems:
- Allow usage with one hand, leaving the other on the steering wheel
- Limit how long drivers' eyes are off the road to two seconds or less
- Limit "unnecessary visual information" in the driver's field of view
- Limit the number of manual inputs required for various operations
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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