CMV drivers face strong penalties for distracted driving

Crashes involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), whether they are at-fault or not, often cause devastating, high-fatality and severe injuries due to the weight of these vehicles.

Last year, Colorado State troopers investigated 316 CMV crashes involving distracted driving. While the majority were property damage only (257), 19 percent (60 crashes) caused injury or death. Last year’s overall number of CMV crashes involving distracted driving was a slight decrease (6.5 percent) from 2024.

“Trucking is an important and demanding job that requires focus,” stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “With the long hours professional drivers are on the road, they need to be proactive when it comes to removing distractions and ensuring that driving never comes second to any other task in the cab.”

Distractions can come from inside or outside the truck cab. In an effort to curb distractions from electronic devices, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) banned commercial vehicle drivers from texting while driving in 2010. Then, in 2011, the FMCSA banned all hand-held devices. However, other distractions such as eating behind the wheel, using navigation or dispatching devices while driving and driver fatigue can also be areas of concern for professional drivers.

FMCSA rules apply regardless of the state in which the violation occurs. Penalties for interstate truck drivers caught driving while distracted:

• Drivers can be fined up to $2,750.
• Repeat offenses will result in the driver being disqualified or put out of service for up to 120 days.
• The driver’s employer can be fined up to $11,000 if they knowingly not allow or do not  require drivers to use hand-held devices while driving.
• Violations will negatively affect the employer’s SMS (Safety Measurement System) ratings.
• Violations are considered “serious traffic violations,” and penalties are taken from existing FCMSA guidelines.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of the most common indicators of distracted driving include:

• Inability to maintain lane position.
• Driving between lanes or sudden swerving for no apparent reason.
• Not keeping a relatively constant speed.
• Sudden braking in reaction to normal traffic stops.
• Running a red light or stop sign.
• Seeing a driver’s eyes are not on the road.