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Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
July 29, 2009Contact: Jonathan Adkins or Kara Macek202-789-0942, ext. 13 or 14202-669-9746, cellTo Ban or Not to Ban? Solutions to Cell Phone Use and Driving Require MoreResearch and Thoughtful AnalysisThe following statement is attributable to Vernon F. Betkey, Jr., Chairman,Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)WASHINGTON, DC —This week's release of a landmark study on cell phoneuse and distracted driving by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI)provides important new data about the problem, but also raises significantquestions about countermeasures to address the dangers associated with cellphone use and texting while driving.Researchers at VTTI concluded that text messaging increased the risk of a crashor near miss 23 times for heavy vehicle/truck operators. The findings were statedto be applicable to drivers of light vehicles and cars. Surprisingly, the risk of dialing a cell phone was significantly less than texting, while the risk of talking or listening on a cell phone was almost negligible. Previous studies from theUniversity of Utah, Carnegie Mellon University and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety placed a much higher risk on cell phone use.GHSA has never doubted the dangers of cell phone use and texting whiledriving. The Association focuses on a "no-use" message and seeks to restoresome common sense to driving. However, GHSA has not yet supported acomplete ban on the practice because of the difficulty of enforcing such laws.
 
We are pleased to learn that later this year the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration (NHTSA) will conduct an enforcement demonstration project toattempt to showcase how a state can effectively enforce a cell phone ban. GHSAstrongly supports this effort. Highway safety laws are only effective if they can beenforced and if the public believes they will be ticketed for not complying. Todate, that has not been the case with many cell phone restrictions.GHSA's full membership has not reviewed the organization's current cell phonepolicy since 2006. Numerous studies and better data have become availablesince that time and the Association will review our policy based on this newinformation. With this data and the development of an effective enforcementapproach, I expect GHSA would support a total cell phone/texting ban. Whilemore research is being conducted to examine the effectiveness of laws anddevelopment of other countermeasures, GHSA urges that:* States ban all non-emergency cell phone use/text messaging for new driversincluding teen drivers. The bans for new drivers should be enforced primarily byparents as part of graduated licensing laws. Fourteen states plus D.C. currentlyhave these laws.* States include a category for cell phone/electronic equipment distraction oncrash investigation forms. At least 29 states plus D.C. currently include thisinformation.* The federal government fund a media campaign to alert the public to thedangers of distracted driving. This effort is needed to help develop a culture thatwill make the practice socially unacceptable much the same way that drunkdriving has become with the vast majority of the public.* The federal government continue to fund research on distracted driving,particularly the effectiveness of various countermeasures and new technologicalapplications that would limit or eliminate distractions.* Employers implement policies banning cell phone/texting use by allemployees during working hours.Current Cell Phone Laws are posted online at:www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html.# # #
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