U.S. State and Federal Laws Targeting Distracted Driving

Distracted driving has burgeoned with the proliferation of cell phones, global positioning systems and other in-vehicle and personal electronic devices. Annually more than 3,300 people are killed and an additional 400,000 are injured in the United States in distracted driving crashes. The United States (U.S.) federal and state governments have responded to this public health problem with policies and laws; however, a more comprehensive and more effective approach is still needed. Some restrictions on the use of electronic devices while driving by federal employees and some voluntary guidelines and recommendations have been issued. Public opinion polls show support for addressing the issue of distracted driving with state laws. The majority of states have laws banning text messaging while driving and prohibiting the use of an electronic device by teenage or novice drivers. Some states prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held cellphone. Currently no state has a total ban on the use of personal electronic devices while driving. Successful past traffic safety campaigns changing driver behavior have demonstrated the necessity to adopt a “three Es” approach of Enactment of a law, Education of the public about the law, and rigorous Enforcement of the law. Experience reveals that this approach, along with future federal regulation of in-vehicle electronic devices and the employment of technology to limit the use of electronic devices while driving, is needed to alter personal behavior in order to reduce distractions and keep drivers focused on the driving task.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4001667/
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.aaam.org/Publications.php
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine.
• Corporate Authors:

  Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM)

  P.O. Box 4176
  Barrington, IL  United States  60011-4176
• Authors:
  • Chase, J D Catherine
• Conference:
  • Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM) Engaged Driving Symposium
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2014-3-31 to 2014-3-31
• Publication Date: 2014-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 84-98
• Monograph Title: Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine. AAAM Engaged Driving Symposium, Washington, DC, March 31, 2014
• Serial:
  • Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine
  • Volume: 58
  • Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM)
  • ISSN: 1943-2461

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attention lapses; Behavior; Cellular telephones; Crash data; Distraction; Driver performance; Drivers; Highway safety; Laptop computers; Laws and legislation; Mobile telephones; Risk assessment; Teenage drivers; Text messaging; Traffic law enforcement; Traffic safety
• Subject Areas: Highways; Law; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01545506
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 26 2014 3:07PM