Car Crash ER Visits Fell In States That Ban Texting While Driving, Study Says (cnn.com)

A new study finds that states with bans on texting while driving saw an average 4% reduction in emergency department visits after motor vehicle crashes, an equivalent of 1,632 traffic-related emergency department visits per year. CNN reports: Researchers examined emergency department data across 16 US states between 2007 and 2014. The states were picked based on the availability of information regarding motor vehicle accident injuries for which emergency department treatment was needed. In the United States, 47 out of 50 states currently have laws restricting texting while driving. Of the 16 states researchers looked at in the study, all but one (Arizona) had one of these laws.

The states that had texting bans, regardless of the type or who it applied to, saw a 4% average reduction in emergency department visits, according to the results published Thursday in the American Journal of Public Health. The states that chose to implement primary bans on all drivers saw an 8% reduction in crash-related injuries. Drivers of all ages, even those older 65, who are typically not known for texting while driving, saw reductions in the number of injuries following crashes.

Comments

Penchant for the obvious, much

[rmdingler]

It's interesting that a study like this is even necessary. Who wants the privilege of handling the opposition argument? People will do it anyway? Sure, some will disregard the law out of hand, but a certain percentage will not.

The main problem with the legislation is enforcing texting while driving. Considering the time restraints alone, LEOs can't pull over everyone with a cellphone in their hands; and even if they could, we're mostly not willing to cede our rights away to away to allow a search of our phone for confirmation.

Banning the use of cellular phones entirely, while driving, is the only practical legislation.

Re:Penchant for the obvious, much

[ledow]

If your only argument is "people will do it anyway", there's pretty much no point in having laws.

The thing that's never mentioned - some people will do it anyway... but less people will do it in general.

I'm amazed that any first-world country still thinks that allowing people to use phones while driving is in any way "safe", no matter the technology in use.

The downhill moment to me is when cars started coming with bluetooth hands-free by default.

Intersections

[The Evil Atheist]

The number of times I see drivers texting while coming onto an intersection or traffic lights is staggering. These days traffic lights are no guarantee that a car will stop at a red light so you can cross the road.

Re:Freedumb

[Bert64]

If a car crash only injured the occupants of the car that caused it you'd have a point...
But a car crash can injure pedestrians, bus riders or occupants of other cars who have done nothing stupid themselves.