Schools Ban Bus Drivers From Texting While On Road

Prince George’s County school officials have changed policy to make texting while driving a school bus an infraction that could result in a driver’s firing.

The change was made this week after NBCWashington recently shared video of a county school bus reportedly texting while driving students. A student on the bus recorded the driver with a cell phone, the station says.

The driver in question was disciplined, the school system says, but was not fired because the there was no policy against cell phone use on the road.

»See the video of texting school bus driver on NBCWashington

According to the website DrivingLaws.org, Maryland law prohibits all bus drivers from using handheld cell phones and from texting while on the road.

The amended policy says any driver using a cell phone while driving could be suspended, demoted or fired.

The new policy has been given to all bus drivers, the school system says.

»Screenshot of driver texting while driving PG County school bus, courtesy of NBCWashington