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Cell Phone Safety: Drive Now, Dial Later
Drivers chatting on cell phones are 4 times more likely to be involved in a serious accident, according to recent studies. In another study, researchers found that drivers on cell phones may be responsible for increasing overall commuting times by as much as 10%. And as data linking higher levels of risk to drivers using cell phones pours in, states are scrambling to ban cell phone use and develop ways to enforce the new bans.
It’s the Law (or It Will be Soon)
Cell phone laws are now in effect in several states. Driving and talking on handheld cell phones is now banned in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Washington. California has also banned the use of hands-free wireless devices for drivers 18 and under. And other states are introducing similar bans for novice drivers, bus drivers, and anyone caught sending a text message while driving.
In Utah and New Hampshire, use of a cell phone while driving is only illegal when the driver is committing some other driving violation.
It won’t be easy for us to put down our cell phones in the car. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there are 745,000 cars being driven by people using hand-held phones at any given moment.
Whether it’s banned or not, we recommend getting in the habit of pulling over to safely use your phone in the car. It’s probably just a matter of time until new laws are passed in your area.
Cell Phone Laws
Handheld ban: 5 states + DC and the Virgin Islands
Texting ban: 4 states
Complete Usage Ban
School bus drivers: 15 states + DC
Novice drivers: 17 states + DC
Cell Phones and Novice Drivers
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently reported on the effectiveness of a North Carolina law that bans novice drivers from using cell phones. Surprisingly, teen cell phone use was actually on the rise after the ban was put in place. These results came as a surprise because a majority of teens and parents were in favor of the ban in the first place.
It’s easy to realize that others driving and chatting can be dangerous. Making that jump from “you” to “me” is another problem. One reason seems to be the low levels of enforcement. While 95 percent of parents polled in the study approve of the law, just 13 percent believe it’s being enforced “fairly often or a lot.”
With such low enforcement, teen cell phone use was just one percent lower in North Carolina than in South Carolina, where no such ban exists. Officials point out that it’s difficult to spot drivers with hands-free devices. And since the ban currently applies to drivers under 18, officers have difficulty guessing the driver’s age.
Until there are more foolproof ways to enforce the bans, drivers will continue using cell phones in spite of the law. But it’s only a matter of time until the technology catches up with the new laws.
Your Cell Phone & Auto Insurance Claim Reporting
Of course, cell phones are still immensely useful and can even save lives in emergency situations. With Esurance’s 24/7 auto insurance claims handling, you can call from the road to report an auto insurance claim anytime.
Related Links
www.cellular-news.com/car_bans/ - For the latest news on cell phone bans in your state
www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html - For a national overview of cell phone bans and restrictions
http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr060908.html - For more on the teen driver study
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