California cellphone ban has yet to show decrease in motor vehicle accidents

A new study that will be published in the August 2014 edition of Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, co-authored by University of Colorado professor Daniel Kaffine, indicates that banning cellular phone use while driving does not necessarily mean that fewer motor vehicle accidents will take place.

The study focused on the number of daily accidents that happened in the state of California six months before the ban on hand-held cellphone use while driving, which took effect on July 1, 2008, and six months after the regulation’s implementation.

Many researchers expected anywhere from a 5-10 percent drop in the number of car accidents, but in fact, the ban on hand-held cellphone usage did not clearly show that it was effective in its goal of decreasing car crashes.

Sadly, even with legislative efforts to make driving safer, car accidents in California remain a serious threat to public safety. If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident because of another driver’s carelessness or recklessness, the San Diego car accident lawyers at Ritter & Associates may be able to help. Learn more by calling our offices today at (619) 296-0123.