Transportation Driver Bans

• Transportation workers have the obligation to show professionalism and care when engaging in their duties and responsibilities. Bus drivers and railroad engineers may transport hundreds of passengers during their day. In 2008, a Los Angeles railroad engineer was texting when his train collided with a freight train, killing 25 passengers. At the time there were no federal or state rules that banned texting while operating in a capacity of a transportation operator. After the fatal crash, California's Public Utilities Commission passed a ban on active cell phone use and texting while operating a moving train.
  
  

Federal Cell Texting Ban

• President Obama banned all federal employees from texting while driving in October 2009. Besides banning the use of texting by federal workers while driving, the president's executive order attempts to encourage those who have business dealings with the federal government, such as contractors, to forbid their drivers from also texting while driving as well. Permanent bans on using cell or mobile devices by rail operators, school bus drivers, interstate truck drivers and bus drivers being examined by the U.S. Transportation Department.
  
  

Insurance Industry Safety Response

• The insurance industry is making an attempt to address the very serious driver text messaging problem in the U.S. State Farm's Strategic Resources vice president, Laurette Stiles, said, she hoped the insurance industry's On the Move widget application for Android-based devices will save lives. The widget, when downloaded and activated, will automatically reply to incoming text messages with a reloaded message or one that the driver has created. Approximately 200,000 crash accidents occur annually due to drivers who text-message while operating a vehicle, according to the website Mobiletor.
  
  

Text Messaging Bullying

• Text message bullying is a serious problem for victims of this practice of bullying. Young students and teenagers are the typical victims who are harassed by instant messaging or sexting practices to intimidate them with escalating psychological fear. The texting bully attempts to damage the victim's reputation by posting lies or sexting messages on their and other classmate cell phones. The offender may obtain a private message or sexually compromising photo and forwarding it to anyone in the recipient's address book or expose it to the entire school community. Don't respond to bullying text messages. Instead, print and save the messages for parents and the authorities.