Cell Phones and Highway Safety: 2005 State Legislative Update—NCSL © 2005
1
August 200 5
Contents
State Crash Data .......3
Academic Studies
of Risks .................. 5
Public Opinion Polls ... 6
State Action ..............7
Federal Action ........... 9
Local Action ........... 10
International
Action ................ 11
Enforcement and
Effectiveness ......... 11
Driver Education .... 13
Legal Liability ........ 13
Conclusion ............. 15
Appendices
A. Existing State
Laws Regarding
Mobile Phone
Use while
Driving .......... 17
B. State Laws
Regarding
Televisions
and Video
Monitors ......... 21
C. 2005
Distracted Driver
Legislation ...... 24
Notes ..................... 35
References ................ 37
Internet Links ......... 38
Contact for More
Information ........ 38
N a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e o f S t a t e L e g i s l a t u r e s
C E L L P H O N E S A N D
H I G H W A Y S A F E T Y
2 0 0 5 S T A T E L E G I S L A T I V E U P D A T E
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES
7700 East First Place
Denver, Colorado 80230
Phone: (303) 364-7700
Fax: (303) 364-7800
by Matt Sundeen, Program Principal
As long as there have been cars, drivers have been distracted in cars. Driver awareness—or lack
thereof—is a major safety concern. Each year, more than 42,000 people are killed and more
than 3 million are injured in more than 6 million motor vehicle crashes on the nation’s roads.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that driver distrac-
tion is a contributing cause of 20 percent to 30 percent of all motor vehicle crashes—or 1.2
million accidents. One researcher has estimated that driver inattention may cause as many as
10,000 deaths each year and approximately $40 billion in damages.1
Although driver inattention has always been a traffic safety concern, state lawmaker interest in
distracted driving has increased dramatically in recent years. Since 1999, every state has con-
sidered legislation related to driver distraction. In 2004, legislatures in 33 st