The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than 3,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2023 as a result of distracted driving.
It would be like driving the entire length of a football pitch with your eyes closed at 55 mph if you took your eyes off the road to look at your phone for even five seconds while sending a text.
This state has a total ban on cell phones in cars
Using a mobile while driving is prohibited in the state of California. A court decided earlier this month that the law can also apply when you look at your phone while driving or hold it in your hand, even if you were using it for navigational purposes.
Previously, this was thought to only apply to texting or calling. The new appeal is a part of the state’s efforts to curb cell phone use.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, you can still mount your phone on your dashboard to help you navigate or answer calls on speaker, but you can no longer hold your phone while driving without running the risk of being stopped and given a ticket for the infraction.
The recent decision coincides with an intriguing period in which businesses are testing self-driving cars in the state without any human drivers.
Other states enforce road laws more strictly
In an effort to reduce traffic accidents, other states have also recently been tough on drivers. Since speeding is responsible for around one-third of injuries and fatalities from traffic accidents, many of these initiatives have been specifically aimed at lowering it.
Many states are addressing this by introducing red-light camera technology and automated speeding to discourage drivers from breaking the law.
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In addition, other states have started to impose more severe penalties for exceeding the speed limit.
Legislation recently approved by Washington State would permit law enforcement to install a speed-limiting device in a driver’s car instead of suspending their licence if they are found to be exceeding the speed limit.
Unexpectedly, some states have even increased the speed limit in specific situations to reduce the number of people killed and injured in speeding-related traffic accidents.
Although speeding is typically far more dangerous than driving more slowly, raising the speed limit can help prevent accidents if it becomes apparent that there is a significant speed difference between drivers on a given road.
This can lead to a traffic bottleneck and encourage drivers to drive more recklessly in order to avoid the slower driver.
