University Of Illinois Study: Cell Phone Bans Decrease Personal Injuries In Urban Areas

A study conducted by the University of Illinois found cell phone bans more effective in cities and around areas of dense populations versus rural areas. The study also found a drop in personal injuries in all the areas with a handheld cell phone ban.

The study, released last week, found urban areas with a larger number of licensed drivers were positively impacted by handheld cell phone bans. The study also found more rural areas did not see the same effect that the urban areas did.

Sheldon H. Jacobson, a computer science professor and the director of the simulation and optimization laboratory at Illinois conducted the study. In the study his co-researchers analyzed the accidents in 62 counties in New York before and after a handheld cell phone went in effect in 2001.

The analysis showed 46 of the counties experienced lower fatal accidents and all 62 experienced fewer personal injuries from accidents.The study also showed the accident rate substantially decreased in areas such as New York, Queens and the Bronx.

“What that suggests is, if you have a congestion of cars and you’re distracted, you’re more likely to hit someone,” Jacobson said. “If you have a lower congestion of cars, you’re still distracted, but you’re less likely to hit anyone because there are less people to hit. It’s simple probability.”

Even though the ban didn't seem to have the same effect on rural areas, Jacobson said it doesn't mean those bans are worthless.

“Hand-held cell phone bans are very valuable in high-density urban areas, but less so in lower-density rural areas,” Jacobson said. “But that doesn’t mean they have no impact in rural areas. It just means that such legislation is less likely to have an impact on driver accident rates.”

Jacobson said the difference between his study and one recently published by the Highway Loss Data Institute, is that he used publicly available data and the number of licensed drivers as a proxy for accident prediction. The Highway Loss Data Institute showed handheld cell phone bans in four major areas of the United States had no positive impact on the accident rate.

The team picked New York because the state has had a cell phone ban in place since 2001. Chicago has had a handheld cell phone ban in place since 2005. The state of Illinois enacted a ban on texting while driving in January.

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