The rate of hand-held cellular telephone use among drivers of passenger vehicles was examined in New York prior to and following the implementation of a 2001 state law banning the use of such phones. Enforcement of the law was phased in gradually; apprehended violators received warnings beginning November 1, 2001 and could receive fines beginning December 1, 2001 but, until March 1, 2002, violators could have the fines waived if the court was shown proof of purchase of hands-free phone accessories. Daytime cell phone use was observed at controlled intersections in four metropolitan areas in New York and in two metropolitan areas in central Connecticut, an adjacent state where no such ban was in place. Cell phone use decreased significantly in New York but not in Connecticut during the first few months after the law became effective. In the four New York areas combined, the hand-held cell phone use rate decreased significantly, from 2.3 percent one month before the warning period took effect to 1.1 percent immediately after the fine-with-waiver phase took effect on December 1. Use remained at 1.1 percent following the expiration of the waiver provision of the law on March 1, 2002. In the two Connecticut areas combined, the baseline use rate was 2.9 percent, and use did not change significantly during the December or March observations. In both states, cell phone use was higher among drivers of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and virtually nonexistent among drivers estimated to be age 60 and older. In New York, observed cell phone use rates declined significantly among both males and females, among drivers estimated to be younger than 25 or ages 25-59, and among drivers of cars, vans/minivans, and SUVs. (Author/publisher)
Abstract