@article{ref1,
title="Talking on hands-free and handheld cellphones while driving in association with handheld phone bans",
journal="Journal of safety research",
year="2022",
author="Benedetti, Marco H. and Li, Li and Shen, Sijun and Kinnear, Neale and Delgado, M. Kit and Zhu, Motao",
volume="83",
number="",
pages="204-209",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Concurrent use of a cellphone while driving impairs driving abilities, and studies of policy effectiveness in reducing distracted driving have yielded mixed results. Furthermore, few studies have considered how hands-free phone use associates with handheld phone bans. It is not clear whether hand-held phone bans dissuade some drivers from using the phone while driving completely, or whether it simply promotes a shift to hands-free use. The present study estimates the association between handheld phone policies and self-reported talking on hands-free and handheld cellphones while driving. <br><br>METHODS: Our data consisted of 16,067 respondents to annual administrations of the Traffic Safety Culture Index from 2012-2017. Our primary exposure variable was handheld phone policy, and our primary outcome variables were self-reported talking on any phone, self-reported talking on a handheld phone, and self-reported talking on a hands-free phone while driving. We estimated adjusted prevalence ratios of the outcomes associated with handheld phone bans via modified Poisson regression. <br><br>RESULTS: Drivers in states with handheld bans were 13% less likely to self-report talking on any type of cellphone (handheld or hands-free) while driving. When broken down by cellphone type, drivers in states with handheld bans were 38% less likely to self-report talking on a handheld phone and 10% more likely to self-report talking on a hands-free phone while driving. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Handheld phone bans were associated with more self-reported talking on hands-free phones and less talking on handheld phones, consistent with a substitution hypothesis. Handheld bans were also associated with less talking on any phone while driving, supporting a net safety benefit.   PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In the absence of a national ban on handheld phone use while driving, our study supports state handheld phone bans to deter distracted driving and improve traffic safety.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0022-4375",
doi="10.1016/j.jsr.2022.08.016",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2022.08.016"
}