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Pennsylvania is preparing to vote on legislation that would ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.

One could assume that state legislators — along with those in states that have enacted or are considering enacting similar legislation — believe that the use of the devices is a cause of accidents.

But a recent report from the Highway Loss Data Institute shows that states that ban hand-held cell phone use have no fewer accidents than states that permit their use.

(HLDI, which conducted the study, is an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.)

Still, it just seems like common sense that being distracted while using a cell phone, or texting, or lighting a cigarette, or reading (I see it often during my interstate travels), or eating (yep, actually saw a guy eating cereal with a bowl and spoon on I-95 once), is dangerous.

As with other laws, maybe this one law isn’t needed, if studies show that they don’t cut down on crashes.

Perhaps police should write more tickets when distractions of any kind occur. One wonders if an increase in citations in general for distracted driving would show a decrease in accidents.

Still, I like the idea in this case, that legislators are telling teen drivers that if they need to have their cell phone in constant use, they won’t be able to drive while using it. If only their parents could model the behavior.

11 Responses

1. Chris Morgan Says:
   February 1st, 2010 at 4:42 pm

   The answer may not lie in legislation alone, but in the application of technology to the problem. I work for a new company called Turn Off the Cell Phone started by entrepreneur Dennis Odom after seeing his sixteen year old daughter answering a text while driving and looking for ways to prevent this. The Turn Off the Cell Phone team supports cell phone legislation but realized a while back that laws alone are not enough since they are incredibly difficult to enforce. The recent findings in the study by the Highway Data Loss Institute were not a surprise to us. This led to the development of PhonEnforcer, an application for cell phones that automatically turns them off when the user is driving that has been available since December. I think products like this offer another angle on this story and possibly a different angle on the how legislation is drafted.

2. Shinji Says:
   February 1st, 2010 at 6:58 pm

   Cell phones can and will distract users from their main task of controlling the vehicle. Any distraction is dangerous

3. Terry Mason Says:
   February 1st, 2010 at 7:57 pm

   If lawmakers want to draft laws that actually improve road safety, they should consider banning driving for those over the age of 75 and re-testing for those 65 and older. At least a law like this would be based on facts. As far as distraction goes, these drivers need none to have high accident rates. They are impaired and because they are a large voting block, they will continue to be allowed to endanger others on the roadway while lawmakers draft laws that make no difference. If distration is the issue, why don’t they make it illegal to talk to ANYONE while driving, even the person sitting next to you. How about eating while driving, or drinking coffee. Why not make it illegal to listen to the radio, educational CD’s or kids who are arguing in the backseat. This is just another way our do-nothing-worthwhile government makes it look like they are actually doing things.

4. Tony Ondrusek Says:
   February 2nd, 2010 at 9:28 am

   I wholeheartedly agree about the re-testing of those of a certain age, Terry. I believe that at age 70, 75 and 80, a person should be retested, and then every two years after that.
   As for banning eating, radios, etc., I think common sense should prevail. While this current study shows otherwise, I still believe that it is more dangerous for a teen to text or call while driving than it is for me to listen to Frank Sinatra on the radio.

5. John Darlington Says:
   February 2nd, 2010 at 9:28 am

   Tony,
   Just as in the case with seat belt laws, the “nanny state” politicians want to legislate good behavior and common sense either by banning a practice outright or fining someone. My guess is that the morons who use cell phones while driving are the same ones who do other stupid things like reading a paper, putting on male up, combing their hair etc. This could explain why there seems to be no improvement in accident rates in states that ban cell phone use while driving.

6. Lisa Says:
   February 2nd, 2010 at 6:45 pm

   Terry Mason i totaly agree with you one everything except this “Why not make it illegal to listen to the radio, educational CD’s or kids who are arguing in the backseat. This is just another way our do-nothing-worthwhile government makes it look like they are actually doing things.”

   i think that talking on the phone or texting is way more dangerous then all these

7. Lisa Says:
   February 2nd, 2010 at 6:46 pm

   plus these are true. the goverment is doing all they can to make America safe and if we outlaw these things…whats the point..anyway in NE they have sorta outlawed talking on the Phone while driving

8. Kenneth Jones Says:
   February 3rd, 2010 at 12:37 am

   Judy Darlington, be careful who you call a moron. I am a handicapped driver from California. I cannot afford to be on the road (yes, I’m a highly experienced driver) without a cell phone for emergency use, and I use a Bluetooth earpiece while driving.

   I do not text while driving (texting isn’t included in our family plan, and I have no need for it) and I agree that it is extremely dangerous. Such a law is extremely hard to enforce and hard to justify when police offcers and judges are just as likely to use cell phones as anyone else.

   You might as well ban car radios and talking to passengers while driving. Lotsa luck trying to do that!

9. jerry Says:
   February 3rd, 2010 at 11:59 am

   We already have a law which if enforced would cover this. It’s called reckless operation. You can be cited for anything that an officer deems “reckless” which as we all know can really be anything they decide. So why have one more law just enforce what we have.

10. jon Says:
    June 1st, 2010 at 10:17 am

    using a handheld device while driving is dangerous but do we really need a law to enforce this behavior? everyone just needs to clean up there act and practice safe driving!

11. Ron Peas Says:
    November 25th, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    I happened to glance through a town ordinance booklet and the things local govt find to fine you at 1st made me laugh. But it is all about the money (or mostly) these local govts rake in. Driving & cell phone useage IS dangerous & could be controlled through ABS computer technology in your car. Such as if you car is moving faster than 25mph the car could jam close cell phone signals enough to interfere w/texting & voice. If your doors lock automatically, or other preprogrammed services, they could do that. Again, sit in at ayour local municipal court sometime. The proof is in the puddin’.

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