On Jan. 12, 2009, the National Safety Council (NSC) announced that it is urging governors and legislators in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to pass laws banning text messaging and cell phone use while driving. According to the NSC, studies show that driving while talking on a cell phone is extremely dangerous and puts drivers at a four times greater risk of a crash. According to a study from the Harvard Center of Risk Analysis, cell phone use while driving contributes to 6 percent of crashes, which equates to 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries, 12,000 serious injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. The study puts the annual financial toll of cell phone-related crashes at $43 billion, including costs associated with medical care, property damage and productivity losses.
A fact sheet, data resources and other information concerning cell phone use while driving are available on the NSC website, at http://www.nsc.org/resources/issues/distracted_driving.aspx.
