Presidential order on texting to affect all federal employees

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Carolyn Viss
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  President Barack Obama issued an executive order Oct. 1 which bans federal employees from text messaging while driving a government-owned vehicle, performing official duties, or using a government-supplied electronic device. 

This order tightens the current restrictions most U.S. Air Force bases, including Hickam AFB, already have in place which ban the use of cell phones on the installation unless members are using a hands-free device. 

"This executive order reinforces the military's existing conviction that texting and driving is an unsafe practice," said Capt. Daniel Jiminez, 15th Security Forces Squadron officer in charge of readiness and logistics. 

It encourages contractors and civilians to follow suit. 

Messaging behind the wheel increases the risk of a vehicle crash or near crash 23 times over non distracted driving, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, whose study observed and documented drivers through the use of video cameras. "This equates to a driver traveling the length of a football field at 55 mph without looking at the roadway," the VTTI study reported. 

According to the study, texting also had the longest time of distracted eyes off the road - 4.6 seconds during six second intervals. Reaching for an electronic device increased the risk of a crash 6.7 times. 

"It is a high risk behavior that no one likes to admit doing, and one that we should resist the temptation to perform," said Lt. Col. Brian Hill, 15th Airlift Wing chief of safety. "As the wing commander, Col. Giovanni Tuck, previously stated, safety is leadership's No. 1 priority on- and off-duty for all Airmen - active, Guard, Reserve, civilian, dependent - no matter the activity. Our Air Force takes a proactive approach to the safety of Airmen." 

The greatest vehicle risks Airmen face occur off-base and off-duty, according to mishap statistics provided by the safety office. 40,000 Americans die each year in automobile mishaps; in 2008, 95.4 billion text messages were sent by U.S. mobile device users (530 million messages a day) according to Colonel Hill. Those numbers mean that people must be aware of the risks involved with driving while operating a mobile device, and policy makers should not wait to see a spike in deaths or injuries before acting to prevent activities that raise the odds of a vehicle accident, Colonel Hill said. 

Any violation of the "Commander of Pacific Air Forces' Policy Prohibiting Cell Phone Use While Operating Motor Vehicles on PACAF Installations" will result in a 30-day suspension of base driving privileges, according to Captain Jiminez. This policy has been in effect since March 1, 2006. 

"Presidential backing is only the first step toward mass adherence to a new law," said the security forces OIC. "The next, and more important, step is advertisement and enforcement. Until these two things are done, and the community is indoctrinated with the new law, people will be people, and continue to text and update their Facebook status while on the road." 

"We hope that people will model the behavior prescribed on duty by the Executive Order during off duty, off installation activities to give themselves the greatest chance to remain safe while operating motor vehicles," Colonel Hill said. 

As with any other offense or violation, any administrative action is at the unit commander's discretion. 

The Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force also issued a letter regarding personal motor vehicles, which can be found on the Air Force portal or here.

To read the executive order, click here.