Atlanta workers banned from driving and using phones

ATLANTA — Atlanta city workers could lose their jobs if they are caught using cellphones behind the wheel.

The City Council voted Monday to ban city workers from driving on the job while using phones.

"Distracted drivers cause 2,600 deaths a year; 330,000 injuries across the country," Councilman H. Lamar Willis said.

One of the drivers for the city's fleet of vehicles told Channel 2's Jeff Dore off-camera that his hands-free phone keeps him working while moving. But Willis said Atlanta workers who drive and use their phones put the city at risk.

"We get sued when we have accidents, and one of the first things anybody who is in an accident with the city will do is try to figure out if that person was or was not on a cellphone," Willis said.

He said an exception can be made to the rule when drivers have radio failure.

WSBTV