In this article:
- Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2027 dates
- What the data says about distracted driving
- What 49 CFR 392.80 and 392.82 say
- Penalties and driver disqualification
- How texting and phone violations count in CSA
- A fleet plan for Distracted Driving Awareness Month
- Decision table: is this allowed while driving a CMV?
- Related questions
Distracted Driving Awareness Month runs through April 2027, and NHTSA's national "Put the Phone Away or Pay" enforcement period is April 5-12, 2027. The National Safety Council (NSC) observes the month every April. For truck fleets, it is a set time to review two federal rules, 49 CFR 392.80 (texting) and 392.82 (hand-held phones), and to retrain drivers and dispatchers on them.
This guide covers the 2027 dates, what the rules say as of October 2026, the penalties and disqualification periods, how violations count in the Safety Measurement System, and a month-long fleet plan with a decision table drivers can use on the road.
Distracted Driving Awareness Month 2027 dates
The NSC's Distracted Driving Awareness Month page says "April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month" and notes that "on average, nine people a day are killed in distracted driving crashes." Its distracted driving hub gives the month's message: "When you're behind the wheel, your only job is to drive." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) pairs the month with "a national advertising campaign with a law enforcement crackdown called Put the Phone Away or Pay" (NHTSA).
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Observance | Distracted Driving Awareness Month, every April; April 2027 runs Thursday, April 1 to Friday, April 30 | NSC |
| National enforcement, 2027 | Put the Phone Away or Pay: Monday, April 5 to Monday, April 12, 2027 | NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing |
| Paid media, later years | April 3-10, 2028; April 2-9, 2029 | NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing |
| Who makes the traffic laws | State legislatures and governors; NHTSA funds state enforcement | NHTSA |
The enforcement week matters for truck drivers because state police run it, and a state texting or hand-held conviction in a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) counts toward federal disqualification (see below).
What the data says about distracted driving
The federal agencies publish distraction data, and each figure below comes from the agency's own page, with its year.
- All vehicles, 2024. Distracted driving killed 3,208 people and injured an estimated 315,167 in 2024 (NHTSA).
- Share of crashes, 2024. Distraction was reported in 5% of fatal crashes, an estimated 13% of injury crashes and an estimated 12% of all police-reported crashes (NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing).
- Eyes off the road. NHTSA says sending or reading a text "takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds," which at 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
- CMV drivers specifically. FMCSA's distracted driving page (last updated December 30, 2013) cites research finding that CMV drivers who text while driving had 23.2 times the odds of a safety-critical event (a crash, near-crash or unintended lane departure), and looked away from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. Drivers who dialed a phone had six times the odds (FMCSA).
These counts rely on police reports, so they show reported distraction only. For the wider picture of truck crash causes, see our guide on how to reduce fleet accidents.
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What 49 CFR 392.80 and 392.82 say
Two rules in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations cover phones and texting in a CMV. As of October 2026 both are final rules, unchanged in substance since 2011 (eCFR 392.80; eCFR 392.82). A Federal Register search on October 22, 2026 found no proposed rule to change either one.
49 CFR 392.80, texting. "No driver shall engage in texting while driving." And: "No motor carrier shall allow or require its drivers to engage in texting while driving."
49 CFR 392.82, hand-held phones. "No driver shall use a hand-held mobile telephone while driving a CMV." The carrier rule matches: no carrier "shall allow or require" it.
The definitions in 49 CFR 390.5 decide what counts:
| Term | What the regulation says |
|---|---|
| Texting | "Manually entering alphanumeric text into, or reading text from, an electronic device," including email, instant messages, web requests, and pressing more than one button to start or end a call |
| Not texting | Using a GPS or navigation system; pressing a single button to start or end a call; using a multi-function device (the rule names fleet management systems and dispatching devices) "for a purpose that is not otherwise prohibited" |
| Use a hand-held mobile telephone | Holding a phone with at least one hand for a voice call; dialing or answering by pressing more than one button; or reaching for a phone so the driver is no longer seated and belted in the driving position |
| Mobile telephone | A device on a commercial mobile radio service; two-way radio and CB are excluded |
| Driving | Operating the CMV on a highway, "including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays" |
Three points matter most for fleets:
- A red light is still driving. Driving ends only when the driver has pulled to the side of, or off, the highway and stopped where the truck can safely stay.
- The carrier is bound too. A carrier that requires or allows texting or hand-held calls is in violation, which puts dispatch expectations in scope.
- The one exception is narrow. Both rules allow texting or a hand-held call only "when necessary to communicate with law enforcement officials or other emergency services."
FMCSA's distracted driving page lists how a driver can make calls within the rule: keep the phone where it can be used while belted in, use an earpiece or speaker phone, and use voice commands or one-button features. The same page notes that the joint FMCSA and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) rules also cover drivers of placardable hazardous materials loads.
Penalties and driver disqualification
The penalties come from three places in the regulations. All figures are as of October 2026, final rule text.
| Consequence | Who | What the rule says | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil penalty, carrier or other entity | Any person or entity violating parts 390-399 (non-recordkeeping) | Up to $19,246 for each violation | 49 CFR 386, Appendix B (a)(3) |
| Civil penalty, driver | A driver violating parts 390-399 (non-recordkeeping) | Up to $4,812 | Appendix B (a)(4) |
| Disqualification under 392.80 or 392.82 | Drivers covered by part 391 | 60 days for two convictions in separate incidents within 3 years; 120 days for three or more | 49 CFR 391.15(e)-(f) |
| CDL disqualification for a state conviction | CDL and CLP holders | A state or local texting or hand-held conviction in a CMV is a "serious traffic violation." A second serious violation within 3 years means 60 days; a third means 120 days | 49 CFR 383.51, Table 2 |
The dollar amounts are the general limits for parts 390-399, which include part 392; Appendix B has no separate texting amount. They are adjusted for inflation, most recently on July 21, 2026 (91 FR 45660). FMCSA's 2013 page still shows the original $2,750 and $11,000 limits from the 2011 final rule, so quote the regulation, not the old page.
The CDL table counts any combination of serious traffic violations. A hand-held phone conviction plus, for example, a speeding conviction of 15 mph or more over the limit within 3 years can be enough for 60 days.
How texting and phone violations count in CSA
FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS) places texting and hand-held phone violations in the Unsafe Driving BASIC. Each carries a severity weight of 10, the top of SMS's 1-10 scale. That covers the driver violations under 392.80(a) and 392.82(a)(1), and the carrier violation of "allowing or requiring" hand-held use under 392.82(a)(2) (SMS Methodology v3.21, June 2026, Appendix B). For how weights and time feed into a BASIC, see CSA BASICs explained, and for where these sit among roadside findings, see the most common DOT violations.
A fleet plan for Distracted Driving Awareness Month
Here is a plan you can run across April 2027: a policy check in March, then one short toolbox talk each week. Each talk takes about 10 minutes and rests on a cited source.
| When | Topic | Key points to cover | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2027 | Policy and dispatch check | Read your phone policy against 392.80 and 392.82. Confirm dispatch never expects a reply while the truck is moving. | eCFR 392.80, 392.82 |
| Week of April 5 | The rules and the enforcement week | Read both rules aloud. A red light is still driving. Put the Phone Away or Pay runs April 5-12. | eCFR 390.5, NHTSA TSM |
| Week of April 12 | Phone setup in the cab | Mount the phone within reach while belted. Earpiece or speaker. Voice or one-button only. | FMCSA |
| Week of April 19 | What a conviction costs | Civil penalties; 60- and 120-day disqualification; state convictions count for CDL holders. | 391.15, 383.51 |
| Week of April 26 | The risk numbers | 23.2 times the odds for texting CMV drivers; 3,208 deaths in 2024; 5 seconds eyes off the road. | FMCSA, NHTSA |
If you track driver behavior on a driver scorecard, April is a natural month to review how phone-related events are recorded and coached.
Decision table: is this allowed while driving a CMV?
Use this table with drivers and dispatchers so the answer is the same on every shift. The rule column is the regulation as of October 2026; the action column is a policy suggestion built from it.
| Situation | What the rule says | Fleet action |
|---|---|---|
| Reading a text at a red light | Stopped for a traffic control device is still "driving" (392.80(c)) | Not allowed. Wait until parked off the highway. |
| Answering a call with one tap on a mounted phone | One button to answer is not "use a hand-held mobile telephone" (390.5) | Allowed if the phone is reachable while belted. |
| Holding the phone on speaker | Holding a phone with one hand for a call is hand-held use (390.5) | Not allowed. Mount it. |
| Typing a destination into the navigation system | GPS or navigation input is excluded from "texting" (390.5) | Allowed by the federal rule. Set routes before rolling as a safer policy. |
| Reading a message on the in-cab dispatch unit | Multi-function devices are excluded only for a purpose "not otherwise prohibited" (390.5); reading text is the core of the texting ban | Treat as texting. Hold dispatch messages until the truck is parked. |
| Reaching across the cab for a phone that fell | Reaching so the driver is no longer seated and belted is hand-held use (390.5) | Not allowed. Leave it until stopped. |
| Calling 911 about a crash ahead | Emergency exception in 392.80(d) and 392.82(c) | Allowed when necessary to reach police or emergency services. |
| Parked on the shoulder, safely stopped | Not "driving" under 392.80(c) and 392.82(b) | Allowed under the federal rule; check state and company rules on shoulder stops. |
Related questions
Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month a federal or DOT event? The NSC, a nonprofit, observes it every April. NHTSA, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, runs its national enforcement campaign during the month.
Do the federal rules ban hands-free calls? No. Sections 392.80 and 392.82 ban texting and hand-held use. A call on a mounted phone started with one button is allowed. Some states and many fleet policies go further.
Is this connected to fatigue? They are separate rules, but both are about driver attention. Our Drowsy Driving Prevention Week guide covers 49 CFR 392.3 and fatigue.
Off Duty Not Driving Rewards is a rewards program for trucking fleets. Contact our team to learn more.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm requirements against the current regulation text and with your compliance counsel.
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