Distracted Driving Fell After States Implemented Hands-Free Laws

01.04.2024 - 03:03 / forbes.com

Distracted driving fell in four states after they implemented hands-free laws. An analysis of cell phone data from Alabama, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio following legislation to prevent holding a cellphone while driving found that hands-free laws made a positive impact.

Those are the highlights of a new report released on Thursday by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), a nonprofit organization representing state highway safety offices, and Cambridge Mobile Telematics, that addressed what the two groups’ researchers said is the growing concern over smartphone-induced distracted driving and the need for comprehensive strategies to combat crash risk.

“Distracted driving is incredibly dangerous, yet commonplace,” Pam Shadel Fischer, GHSA’s senior director of external engagement, said in a statement.

Distracted driving caused 12,405 fatalities in 2021 and a societal cost of approximately $158 billion, according to estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Too many of our loved ones, friends and neighbors have died or been injured because a motorist didn’t focus on the complex task of driving,” Shadel Fischer added. “The good news is that we know what works – a comprehensive approach that leverages strong state laws, equitable enforcement, robust data collection, public engagement, vehicle technology and more. We have to double down on all these strategies to eliminate distraction and make our roads safer for everyone using them.”

Based on research findings, the report "A Road Map for Safer Roads," recommended that states adopt strong and clear laws that have shown to have a positive impact on distraction rates as part of a wider implementation of a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to improve road safety, a line of action that has proven successful to reduce drunk driving deaths and increase seat belt usage. Additional strategies include: robust public education campaigns, enforcement, and the use of safe driving technology.

The report described how after Ohio, Alabama, Michigan, and Missouri implemented hands-free laws, incidents of reported distracted driving fell, “underscoring the effectiveness of legal frameworks in enhancing road safety.”

For example, since Ohio enacted a hands-free law in April, 2023, researchers estimated that 3,060 crashes, 1,700 injuries, and 14 fatalities have been prevented and reduced economic damages across 8 million drivers by more than $121 million.

The report also discusses how some incentive-based programs are motivating drivers to refrain from engaging in risky driving behaviors leading to a reduction in crashes and which cell phone apps drivers are most likely to be distracted by.

In a survey of the app usage of more than 1,600