Distracted Driving
What this domain tests
Distracted Driving tests the limits on texting, phone use, and other distractions in a CMV. The exam expects you to know federal prohibitions, recognize cognitive distraction, and plan tasks before moving.
Core rules
- Federal rules prohibit texting while driving a CMV and prohibit holding a mobile phone to make a call.
- A hands-free device is still a cognitive distraction; conversation and voice commands can take your mind off the road.
- Set GPS destinations, adjust mirrors, and secure loose items before you move.
- Avoid eating, drinking, and reaching for objects while driving; pull over safely if you must deal with a distraction.
- Iowa law also restricts texting and electronic device use; a CMV driver can face both state and federal consequences.
Worked example
At 55 mph, a vehicle travels about 80.7 feet per second. A 5-second glance at a phone covers about 404 feet, nearly the length of a football field plus end zones. The reasoning: reaction distance is not the only problem; during the glance, the driver is not scanning, braking, or steering. The safe choice is to leave the phone alone.
Traps
Believing hands-free is risk-free; checking a text at a red light and then accelerating while still reading; and using a dispatch device without pulling over.