automotive fleet & leasing association white paper series • volume 18

Distracted Driving Studies

State Distracted Driving LawsText

Messaging Ban

Statewide Hand-held Cell Phone

Ban

Teen Driver Ban

on Cell Phones

Distracted /Negligent

Driving

Data Collection

Distracted Driving Study

State Pre-

emption on Cell Phones

School Bus

Driver Ban on Cell Phones

Alaska XArizona XArkansas3 X1 X1 XCalifornia2 X X X X XColorado3 19 X4 XConnecticut X X X X X XDelaware X X XDistrict of Columbia

X X X X X X

Flordia X X XGeorgia XHawaii XIllinois X X XIndiana X6

Iowa XKansas X7

Kentucky X XLouisiana3 19 X X X X X XMaine XMaryland3 X14 X XMassachusetts8 X XMichigan XMinnesota X X X X

Distracted driving is a major contributor to automobile crashes. Between 4,000 and 8,000 crashes related to distracted driving occur daily in the United States. They contribute to as many as half of the

6 million U.S. crashes reported annually.

The attached white paper with information provided by AAA contains some facts regarding distracted driving studies and a State Law comparison chart. The State Law comparison chart is a great

at-a-glance look at where distracted driving laws are in place on a state-by-state basis.

Acknowledgement: The information in this white paper is used with permission of AAA Carolinas. For additionalinformation, visit www.AAA.com/news, and click on “safety” in the top navigation bar.

Text Messaging

Ban

Statewide Hand-held Cell Phone

Ban

Teen Driver Ban

on Cell Phones

Distracted /Negligent

Driving

Data Collection

Distracted Driving Study

State Pre-

emption on Cell Phones

School Bus

Driver Ban on Cell Phones

Mississippi X10 X XMontana XNebraska3 XNevada XNew Hampshire11 XNew Jersey12 X X X X X X XNew Mexico XNew York X X XNorth Carolina X15 X X X X

Ohio13

Oklahoma X XOregon3 X X XPennsylvania XRhode Island X XTennessee X16 X X XTexas X X XUtah17 X X XVirginia3 X18 X X XWashington19 X X X XWest Virginia3 XTotal 15 6 23 3 25 9 10 18

1 Arkansas’ text messaging ban and teen driver ban on cell phones take effect October 1, 2009. The teen driver ban also prohibits drivers age 18-21 from using handheld wireless devices.2 In California, rental cars must be equipped with safe operating instructions for cell phones.3 In Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Virginia, and West Virginia, the teen driver cell phone ban is secondarily enforced.4 Colorado’s text messaging ban is effective December 1, 2009.5 In Chicago, Illinois, drivers are banned from using hand-held cell phones6 Indiana’s teen driver cell ban was effective July 1, 2009.7 Kansas’ teen driver cell ban is effective January 1, 2010.8 In Massachusetts, cell phone use is permitted as long as it does not interfere with the operation of motor vehicle. The driver must also keep one hand on the steering wheel at all times; first-time fines for violating these laws range from $30 to $100.9 In Detroit, Michigan and Sata Fe, New Mexico, drivers are banned from using hand-held cell phones.10 Mississippi’s teen driver ban on cell phones became effective July 1, 2009.11 In New Hampshire, drivers are accountable for distractions that contribute to a crash. Motorists can be fined $250 to $1000.12 In New Jersey, the hand-held cell phone and text messaging ban for drivers is secondarily enforced.13 In Brooklyn, North Olmstead and Walton Hills, Ohio, drivers are banned from using hand-held cell phones.14 Maryland’s text messaging ban takes effect October 1, 2009.15 Norh Carolina’s text messaging ban takes effect December 1, 2009.16 Tennessee’s text messaging law took effect July 1, 2009.17 Utah also has a law against careless driving, for which a person can be charged if they commit a moving violation other than speeding while using a hand- held cell phone or engaging in other distractive activities.18 Virginia’s text messaging law took effect July 1, 2009.19 In Colorado, Louisiana, and Washington, the text messaging bans are secondarily enforced.

Distracted Driving StudiesDrivers who used mobile phones while driving were four times more likely to crash than those not, a •rate equal to that for drunken driving at the .10 level, which is 20 percent higher than the current .08 limit in all U.S. states. Also, both handheld and hands-free cell phones impaired driving, with no

significant difference in the degree of impairment. - The New England Journal of Medicine 2006 Issue of Human Factors

In December 2006, North Carolina introduced a ban on using cell phones while driving, in the hope that •teens – the worst offenders – would put their cells down while in the car. However, that hasn’t been the case – more teens have been observed using their phones while driving than before the ban, up from 11 percent to 12 percent. - June 2007 Digital Media Article

Text messaging and use of iPods caused drivers to leave their lanes 10 percent more often in a • simulated driving study. - 2007 Clemson University study

80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes occured when drivers were distracted, • primarily by wireless devices such as cell phones and Blackberries. - February 2008 Virginia Tech

Transportation Institute

• 73percentof driversusetheircellphonesinthecar,and20percenttextmessagewhilebehindthewheel. One of every five drivers are not devoting their full attention to the road. 80 percent admitted to being in a vehicle with a driver who has been distracted. - April 2008 Nationwide Insurance Survey

• Oneinsevendriversadmittedtotextmessagingwhiledriving.Nearlyhalf of driversages18to24 admitted to texting while driving at least occasionally, as compared to less than five percent of those

ages 45 and older. - 2008 AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index

• 88percentof thepeoplesurveyedownacellphone.80percentof thosepolledbelievetheuseof cell phones while driving decreases highway safety, but at the same time 54 percent of those cell phone users use a phone while they’re behind the wheel. Of the people who drive while on the phone, 56 percent do not use a hands-free device. Two out of three people say driving while on the phone should be illegal except in the case of an emergency. - 2009 Elon University Poll