Sunday, January 31, 2010
(photo: Belkin)
Banning the use of cell phones to make calls or send text messages while driving has not made the roads any safer, according to an insurance industry study, demonstrating the fact that dangerous distractions still exist when motorists are allowed to take calls using hands-free devices.
The study released by the Highway Loss Data Institute reviewed insurance claims from crashes before and after laws were passed in California, New York, Connecticut and Washington, DC, making it illegal to use cell phones while driving. The analysis found no reduction in motor vehicle accidents, and researchers attributed this result to an increase in the use of hands-free devices.
Not mentioned in the study was another possible reason: are these laws being enforced? For instance, New Jersey was slow to crack down on drivers after adopting its cell-phone-driving law, allowing motorists to continue talking and driving.
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, six states and the District of Columbia have banned talking on a hand-held device, while 19 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed texting while driving.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Study: Distracted Driving Laws Don't Stop Crashes (by Joelle Tessler, Associated Press)
Laws Banning Cellphone Use While Driving Fail to Reduce Crashes, New Insurance Data Indicate (Highway Loss Data Institute)
Hand-Held Cellphone Laws and Collision Claim Frequencies (Highway Loss Data Institute Bulletin) (pdf)
New Jersey Steps Up Cell Phone Law Enforcement (ConsumerAffairs.com)
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