NWRA Urges NHTSA to Support Use of Technology to Prevent Distracted Driving
Arlington, VA – The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urging support for the use of existing technology to prevent distracted driving. The bipartisan infrastructure bill requires new passenger vehicles to include drunk/impaired driving prevention technology.
“We applaud Congress for taking the step to mandate certain technology in vehicles to reduce drunk driving,” said NWRA President and CEO Darrell Smith. “We urge NHTSA to take the next step and support similar measures that would combat distracted driving caused by the use of mobile phones.”
Apple, Inc. received a patent in 2014 that limits the usage of an iPhone by the person in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. Apple noted the danger these devices present relative to distracted driving in its patent application.
NWRA has sought federal action to regulate mobile devices in order to prevent distracted driving. NWRA has met with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to address safety concerns regarding the dangers that mobile phones and distracted driving present to highway users in general and waste and recycling collection workers specifically. NWRA previously filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeking all communications between NHTSA and Big Tech. The Association is also asking NHTSA to produce any interagency correspondence between NHTSA and other federal entities on the subject.
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ABOUT NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage waste, recycling and medical waste, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and various other service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.
Contact
Brandon Wright
National Waste and Recycling Association
bwright@wasterecycling.org
202-364-3706
