Breaking news from the U.S. government: Driving a train and sending a text message at the same time might be dangerous.
In case you missed it, this discovery was made after a Los Angeles train driver sent a text message on his mobile phone just 22 seconds before his train crashed and killed 25 people. The driver, Robert Sanchez, sent 29 messages while on duty on the day of the crash, phone records show. He was among the casualties.
The government concluded that train drivers shouldn’t be texting. Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Boardman wants something done about it now.
The use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices must be immediately addressed. The bottom line is railroad operating employees cannot focus on their critical safety functions while engaging in phone conversations, texting or any other form of unessential electronic communication, often in violation of railroad operating rules.
Um, obviously.
Next up: A memo about pilots falling asleep at the controls?
