© Photo: Jason Weaver
Texting while driving, is it really dangerous? Or are we just exaggerating?
Just recently, a report published by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) said ban on cell phone use while driving has insufficient grounds.
Although several states have moved to ban use of hand-held cell phone while driving because of its supposedly distracting nature, one well-known traffic safety association said there appears no valid reason for such precautions.
The Governors Highway Safety Association believes that cell phone use should remain legal in the United States until more findings are available to prove its dangers. As of date, 41 states do not have specific rules that ban use of hand-held cell phone while on the road; although there are few states that plan to create one.
GHSA published a report, Distracted Driving: What Research Shows and What States Can Do, says that cell phone ban is just a reflex reaction. The report evaluates over 350 scientific papers and according to GHSA, there are no conclusive evidences for banning cell phone use.
GHSA Director Barbara Harsha, who led the study, said, “Despite all that has been written about driver distraction, there is still a lot that we do not know.”
Meanwhile, use handheld cell phone is banned in nine states and in the District of Columbia, and texting while driving is considered illegal 34 states and in the District of Columbia. According to the National Safety Council, texting on the road accounts for 100,000 vehicular accidents every year, and another 1.2 million road accidents due to cell phone use.
In the report, GHSA recommends review of existing laws and programs on distracted driving before crafting new laws. Among others, GHSA supports ban on texting on the road and a total ban on cell phone use for novice drivers.
Connecticut and New York are among the few states that enforce effective handheld cell phone regulation demonstration projects. These programs are patterned after the Click It or Ticket seat belt program which aimed to modify driver behavior.
Finally, although distracted driving may cause ire on many road users, policy makers should carefully evaluate facts using research-based approach.