Study Shows that Texting While Driving Bans Don't Work

This Contradicts an Earlier Study Which Showed a Reduction in Accident Rates

Walt Crocker
In the first "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" movie with Bill Murry about the gonzo journalist Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, Thompson displays the ultimate in texting while driving. He has his typewriter balanced on the wheel of his 1958 Chevy Bel Air and is typing out a story while driving the streets of Boulder Colorado. When he gets in front of the Rolling Stone building, he crashes into a motorcycle cop who is writing out a ticket for a motorist that he had stopped. Not exactly a safe way to drive.

And most of the state legislatures in the country have realized that texting on a cell phone while driving isn't very safe either. That's why most of them have banned the practice. As a matter of fact, just talking on the cell phone while driving is very dangerous as well. Studies have shown that it is just as dangerous as driving while drunk. It's just too distracting. According to another study, you shouldn't talk to the person sitting next to you while driving either.

Just like other laws that are passed to help keep people safe, the latest findings have shown that the law against texting while driving doesn't work because people don't obey them. Just like they don't obey the laws requiring a seat belt to be worn or a helmet to be worn when riding a motorcycle. They just don't work.

According to CNN, " The Highway Loss Data Institute compared collisions of 100 insured vehicles per year in four different jurisdictions before and after bans on handheld cell phone use took effect. The study was done in New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and California. Monthly fluctuations in crash rates didn't change after bans were enacted, the study found."

An earlier study however, found that there was a reduction in the number of people using their cell phones while driving and a subsequent reduction in the number of accidents. One factor that may be influencing tne studies is that some drivers are switching to hands-free cell phone when they carry on a conversation in the car.

The bottom line of all these studies is that accident rates are not going down in states where the use of cell phones in cars has been banned.

Source:http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/29/autos/cell_phone_law_results/index.htm?hpt=Sbin

Published by Walt Crocker

Walt grew up in Lafayette Square, near downtown St. Louis. He is now semi-retired after years in the restaurant and entertainment industry. His poetry has appeared in two published works: Stepping Stones and...   View profile

1 Comments

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  • Krystal Kid 2/3/2010

    80% percent of all rear end collisions (the most frequent vehicle accident) are caused by driver inattention, following too closely, external distraction (talking on cell phones, shaving, applying makeup, fiddling with the radio or CD player, texting, etc.) and poor judgment. I doubt if we'll ever stop the madness so I got one of these sparebumper.com to protect my family.

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