According to the National Safety Council, 1.6 million car crashes each year are a direct result of using a cell phone while driving. In 2009, this national safety group began to advocate for a total ban on the use of cell phones while driving, including both hand-held and hands-free cell phones. Though no state bans all cell phone use while driving currently, six states ban the use of hand-held cell phones. These states include New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Utah, California, and Washington, and are joined by the District of Columbia. Novice drivers are banned or restricted from cell phone use while driving in 17 states.
Few dispute the demonstrated dangers of talking or texting on a cell phone while driving. A University of Utah study showed that cell phone use while driving is the equivalent of driving drunk regardless if the phone is hand-held or hands-free. A study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis estimates that cell phone use causes 12,000 serious injuries a year and about 2,600 deaths. The sheer magnitude of the number of cell phone users in the United States, currently 270 million, amplifies the problem tremendously with 80 percent of those reporting that they use the phones while driving.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Governors Highway Safety Association agree that banning all cell phones and wireless devices use while operating a vehicle is a sensible thing to do, especially for inexperienced drivers. However, it is also agreed that enforcement is difficult. There is simply no way to completely enforce such a ban since the use of a hands-free cell phone is not usually apparent from outside of the vehicle.
The most effective approach to dealing with the problem may be a combination of laws as well as public information and peer pressure that have resulted in successes in other areas such as drunk driving and smoking. One such campaign is the “Let it Ring” program that raises awareness, especially among young drivers, and combines it with fundraising for schools and organizations. This is a popular program for parents of teens who are four times more likely to get into an accident while talking or texting on a cell phone than adults.
Attractive cell phone cases with the “Let it Ring” logo prominently displayed serve as a constant reminder of the dangers of combining cell phone use with driving. The sale of the cases offer strategic fundraising opportunities for schools, clubs, and organizations while helping to save lives.