Drivers respond to ban in district of Columbia on using hand-held phones, but effect might not last.

The use of hand-held cell phones while driving is banned in most EuropeanUnion countries, all Australian states, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. The U.S. lags in banning cell phone usage while driving, with only New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. making it illegal for drivers to talk on hand-held phones. While the proportion of drivers using hand-held phones decreased after bans went into effect in the U.S., it wasfound only a year later that at least in New York, drivers had reverted back to their old habits. The issue of the long term effectiveness of cell phone bans and restrictions remains a concern..