Laws Regarding Cell Phone Usage While Driving

Drivers using a cell phone are four times more likely to be in a car accident, and according to a Harvard University study, cell phones caused more than 200 deaths and half a million injuries each year. Using a cell phone while driving causes a person to lose concentration and also causes a person to take their eyes off of the road, especially if sending or reading a text message.  Due to the rise in cell phone-related accidents, many laws have been put into place to prevent such accidents.

In July 2009, a study done at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, where they placed cameras in truck beds over a period of 18 months, showed that the risk of car accidents became 23 times more likely if a person was text messaging while driving.

In August, 2009, the Governors Highway Safety Association called for a ban on text messaging while driving.  An online survey that was conducted by “Seventeen” magazine and AAA, the auto club, surveying 1999 drivers, showed that 84 percent of teenage drivers between the ages of 16 and 19 admitted to driving while text messaging even though they knew the risks involved.

In January, 2010, a report was done by the National Safety Council that estimated 200,000 crashes were caused by drivers who were sending or receiving text messages.

Cell phone use is at its highest with drivers between the ages of 16 and 24, according to the report done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Center for Statistics and Analysis in September, 2009.

According to the 2009 reports, collected data from 2007 to 2008, showed that hand-held cell phone use by drivers increased from 6 percent to 7 percent, fell from 5 percent to 4 percent in the Northeast, the Midwest from 6 percent to 5 percent and the South from 8 percent to 7 percent.

In January, 2010, a report was done by the National Safety Council that estimated 1.4 million crashes were caused by drivers who were using cell phones.

Eight states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington, as well as, the District of Columbia (D.C.). and the Virgin Islands, prohibit any use of a cell phone while driving.  This includes using a cell phone to make a call or to text message.

Some 30 states, D.C., and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers.  The 30 states include; Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.  Massachusetts will join this ban effective September 30, 2010.