FMCSA Tells Truckers to Stop Using Samsung Note7 Phones

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 13, 2016 / Samsung has made headlines recently, and not in a good way. The Korean technology company was recently forced to recall its entire line of Note7 smartphones after widespread reports of the phones overheating, melting, and even bursting into flames. According to a CNN Money report, the company is now facing over 500 lawsuits in Korea over the phones, and experts anticipate that this is just the first wave of litigation for Samsung.

Here in the U.S., Samsung has agreed to pull 2 million phones-which just launched in August of this year-off the market and issue refunds. Samsung has also announced that it is shutting down the entire Note7 line. The FAA has urged passengers not to carry the phones on flights, and now the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has weighed in, telling truck drivers not to drive with Note7s on board.

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FMCSA Says No to Note7s

According to the FMCSA, there have been 96 reports of Note7 batteries overheating and 13 reports of burns associated with the phone. Dozens of Samsung customers have also reported significant property damage. The problem is related to the Note7's lithium ion battery, which can short-circuit when inner components are allowed to touch, causing highly-flammable liquid inside the battery to ignite.

The FMCSA's safety advisory says it has not outright banned the devices on commercial vehicles, however, it advises all drivers and passengers to turn off their Note7s inside a truck, to disconnect the device from any charging equipment, to disable any applications that could activate the phone, and to keep the Note7 on the driver's person or in an accessible bag (and not in a compartment or bag that is not easily accessible).

The Note7 has the potential to be especially dangerous for truck drivers, as there have been multiple reports of phones melting and catching fire while being charged at night. This poses a serious risk to truck operators, who often sleep in their vehicles in between shifts and may charge their phones while they're resting.

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