The new Oregon law prohibiting cell phone use without a hands-free device while driving is still too new to determine whether it has reduced road accident injuries and deaths. A new study of two other states and the District of Columbia released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, however, suggests that merely changing the form of driver distraction does not increase safety.
The study compared collision claims from California, New York, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C., which each ban drivers from using handheld phones, with claims from neighboring states that did not have cell phone bans. It found that the frequency of collision claims before and after hands-free laws took effect were no different. Apparently, hands-free laws have reduced hand-held cell phone use, but not lowered the rate of crashes.
A reasonable interpretation may be that drivers continue to be distracted by participating in cell phone conversations while driving, even when their hands are freed from holding phones. That would be consistent with National Safety Council findings showing that cell phone use is a very risky distraction, and texting while driving is an even higher risk.
As an Oregon personal injury attorney, I expect that our state’s statistics will soon echo those of the states where data indicates that cell phones continue to endanger drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. If you or loved ones have faced serious personal injuries or wrongful death as the result of an auto or truck collision, the Law Office of Dane E. Johnson offers a free, confidential consultation. Contact us toll free at (800) 714-3204 or online.
Related Web Resources
Press Release, Highway Loss Data Institute, Laws Banning Cellphone Use While Driving Fail to Reduce Crashes, New Insurance Data Indicate (Jan. 29, 2010).
Press Release, National Safety Council, National Safety Council Estimates that At Least 1.6 Million Crashes are Caused Each Year by Drivers Using Cell Phones and Texting (Jan. 12, 2010).
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