In an effort to cut down on crashes, a number of states have banned texting while driving. Nevertheless, the states with texting while driving regulations saw no decrease in car incidents. Traffic accidents, strangely enough, were up in some states with the restriction. The Transportation Department called the study misleading as it worked to follow via with a national campaign to stamp out texting behind the wheel. Stepped up enforcement of the laws, say some experts on road safety, will ultimately start bringing results. Others think the law leads to even more hazardous texting practices by drivers trying to keep away from detection.
Texting on the road an intractable issue
An increase of more than 16,000 traffic fatalities from 2001 to 2007 was attributed to texting while travelling by a study made public by the American Journal of Public Health. But ABC News reports that researchers at the Highway Loss Data Institute found no reduction in auto accidents after texting while driving laws were enacted. Researchers calculated rates of crashes and insurance claims before and after texting when driving was banned in California, Louisiana, Minnesota and Washington. In three states, crashes really showed a slight increase.
Bans might boost safety threat from texting addicts
Virtually every person agrees that texting when travelling is dangerous, however the study shows that cell phone laws do not equal safer roads. In unique, the texting generation is impervious to the ban, according to the Christian Science Monitor, which pointed out that in the study collisions increased for drivers 25 and younger in all four states. The researchers suggested the law compels text messaging motorists to hold their phones lower to stay away from being seen, which substantially increases the level of diversion. Ray Lahood, secretary of the Transportation Department, criticized the study. He responded to the release of the study with a statement of his own. As outlined by LaHood, research has proven that laws targeting distracted drivers are effective. But Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, said laws focusing on a single aspect of distracted driving ignore the entire scope of distractions and rely on a ban to solve the whole problem.
Technology, not regulations, could decrease risk
Law or no law, Americans are likely to text when driving. Given that reality, Jared Newman at PC world offers a suggestion. Better technology could increase safety more than merely passing laws. He mentions Google Voice for Android that involves text message dictation, and the Dragon Dictation app for Apple’s iPhone. You will find also technological innovations built into the latest cars. Newman mentioned MyFord Touch, a hands-free communications engineering that minimizes distracted driving. Instead of passing unenforceable laws, the government could promote collaboration between automakers and technology companies, also as boost public awareness that such possibilities are accessible.
Information from
ABC News
abcnews.go.com
Christian Science Monitor
csmonitor.com
PC World
pcworld.com
