Are Washington’s Cell Phone Laws Working? New Study Says No.

Washington is one of the few states in the nation that bans all mobile phone use and texting while behind the wheel. But do cell phone and texting bans actually reduce the number of car accidents and car accident injuries? King 5 News out of King County reports that a new study shows that cell phone laws are ineffective at lowering rates of vehicle accidents.

The study, run by the Institute of Highway Loss Data, collected insurance company car crash claims data in four different jurisdictions and found that cell phone bans aren’t reducing the number of car accidents. However, it is unclear whether drivers are abiding by cell phone and texting laws.

A number of other studies have recently linked text messaging and cell phone use to car accidents and truck accidents. These studies have led to a nationwide push against driving while talking on the phone or sending messages.