Law and consequences relating to cell phone usage while driving

A survey of state police agencies was administered throughout the United States by this writer. The purpose of this voluntary survey was to determine the status of nationwide cellular phone laws and whether or not cellular phone related accidents are prevalent on the United States roadways. A survey questionnaire was distributed via electronic mail to police agencies across the United States that included thirteen questions. The sampling frame included every state police agency in the United States, so forty-nine were distributed, because the state of Hawaii does not have a statewide police agency. Of the forty-nine questionnaires distributed, forty-seven were eventually returned, yielding a response rate of 98 percent. The study\u27s major findings were that most states do not have cellular phone laws for the police agency to enforce. The police agencies where states had hands-free laws had a very difficult time enforcing the laws, and most state police agencies feel that cellular phones are more beneficial than harmful. Interestingly, the research conducted almost directly aligned with the literature review, and the perspective of law enforcement