The Federal Register is out with an executive order, first announced last week, that prohibits federal employees from text messaging while driving. It pressures companies with government business to "refrain" from distracted driving, too.
Agencies "shall encourage contractors, subcontractors, and recipients and subrecipients to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving company-owned or -rented vehicles or [government vehicles], or while driving [privately-owned vehicles] when on official government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the government," the order states.
Meanwhile, all federal employees "shall not engage in" texting while driving government cars or privately-owned cars during work hours, as well as when using government-owned devices in any car, at any time.
Aliya Sternstein
Aliya Sternstein reports on cybersecurity and homeland security systems for Nextgov. She has covered technology for nine years at such publications as National Journal's TechnologyDaily, Federal Computer Week and Forbes. Before joining Government Executive, she covered agriculture and derivatives trading for Congressional Quarterly. She has been a guest commentator on C-SPAN, WTOP and Federal News Radio. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
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