Cell Phone Laws Largely Ignored by Teen Drivers

Following a recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board in 2003, several states have imposed laws banning cell phone use among teenagers while driving. According to the government's automobile safety agency, car accidents are the leading cause of death among young adults .Additionally, these automobile accidents are three times as likely to end in fatality as all other crashes.

North Carolina, for example, enacted a law in 2006 that prohibits motorists under the age of 18 from driving and using a cell phone simultaneously. Despite the threat of a fine, most teenagers have ignored the law. Researchers for the study watched teenagers leaving school discovered that the young drivers were equally as likely to use their cell phones both before and after the law was enacted.

Cell phone bans also have proven difficult to enforce. While spotting a driver with a phone up to an ear is easy, it's nearly impossible for police to recognize hands-free devices and more or less guess how old the drivers are. Furthermore, many are unaware that a ban on cell phone use even exists.

Because teens are ignoring these restrictions, and it is difficult to spot, parental influence is paramount. As our firm handles a vast number of auto accidents each year, we hope that parents will accept their responsibility in teaching their children safe driving habits. Hopefully, it will be a means by which accidents, and especially fatalities among teens, will decline.