Texting in Indiana

xmudman · Jun 24, 2011

Dakota said:
I'm sick of idling laws..I'm buying a 572 cubic inch cadillac and will remove all the smog equipment and cat and run it 24hrs 7 days a week

You wouldn't catch me idling a beast like that! Put that bahstid in Drive and let it run!

xiggi · Jun 25, 2011

Isn't texting is illegal in commercial motor vehicles anyway, at least those that are required to have a cdl by law.

Turtle · Jun 25, 2011

xiggi said:
Isn't texting is illegal in commercial motor vehicles anyway, at least those that are required to have a cdl by law.

Yep.
The Final Rule amends current regulations to include a texting conviction as a “serious traffic violation” that could result in disqualification of a driver’s Commercial Drivers License (CDL). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, specifically §391.15, are amended by the Final Rule to include disqualification of drivers convicted of texting while driving. The amended penalties are as follows:

A driver who is convicted of violating the prohibition of texting is disqualified for:

60 days if the driver is convicted of two violations in separate incidents during any three-year period; and
120 days if the driver is convicted of three or more violations in separate incidents during any three-year period.

In addition, the Final Rule adds §392.8 to the Regulations, which provides, in part, that “no motor carrier shall allow or require its drivers to engage in texting while driving.” Finally, in addition to disqualification, the first and each subsequent violation of the texting prohibition are subject to civil penalties imposed on drivers, in an amount up to $2,750. Motor carriers are also subject to civil penalties for violating §392.8, in an amount up to $11,000.