Hands-free driving laws like the one Michigan passed in 2023 to reduce distracted driving are working, according to a study by a telematics firm.
The company, Massachusetts-based Cambridge Mobile Telematics, found that in the 12 months since Michigan banned hands-on cellphone use while operating a vehicle, it saw a 12.8% decrease in distracted driving.
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Cambridge Mobile Telematics estimates that this drop has prevented 5,500 crashes, 3,000 injuries, 25 fatalities, and $218 million in economic damages.
According to the analysis covered in the Detroit Metro Times, in the month before the law took effect, drivers used their phones for 1 minute and 48 seconds per hour of driving. Though cellphone use ticked back up following an initial drop in the months that followed, it has since dropped to the lowest rates in recent months.
Source: Detroit Metro Times
