Follow up to previous postings on dangers of texting while driving, this news release: “As state legislators across the United States enact laws that ban phoning and/or texting while driving, a new Highway Loss Data Institute study finds no reductions in crashes after hand-held phone bans take effect. Comparing insurance claims for crash damage in 4 US jurisdictions before and after such bans, the researchers find steady claim rates compared with nearby jurisdictions without such bans. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) is an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.”

• Full HLDI report: Hand-held cellphone laws and collision claims frequencies
• Do Bans on Driver Cellphone Use make Safer Drivers?: presented by Adrian Lund, Institute president, January 29, 2010