California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety

Introduction

The article “Can a Law Stop Distracted Driving? California Hopes to Find Out” by Jonah Engel Bromwich, published in The New York Times, covers a regulation approved in California to minimize distracted driving (Bromwich, 2017). The law compels drivers to place their smartphones on the dashboard or windshield to reduce the time people spend gazing down at their phones while driving.

Policy Benefits

The law could favor public health by lowering the frequency of distracted driving-related car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted driving caused 3,522 fatalities in the United States in 2021 (Stewart, 2023). California wants to decrease the number of deaths and injuries brought on by distracted driving by requiring drivers to put their phones away and keep their eyes on the road.

Policy Shortcomings

However, this policy could have specific unfavorable effects. For instance, if they drive an older car, some people could find it challenging to put their phones on the dashboard or windshield. In addition, if people continue to use their phones for other activities like texting or internet surfing, the ban could not successfully reduce distracted driving.

The bill expands upon earlier regulations forbidding texting and phone conversations while driving. Prior legislation did not ban people from using their phones for other things, like social media or streaming videos, while behind the wheel. An insurance industry group, Highway Loss Data Institute, conducted a study of four jurisdictions in 2009, and the results showed that prohibiting handheld devices while driving did not affect accident rates (Highway Loss Data Institute, 2009). When these states were contrasted with those in nearby states without phone restrictions, the study likewise showed no difference in the accident patterns.

Conclusion

Despite the policy’s shortcomings, it represents a positive start in lowering the number of distracted driving-related fatalities and injuries. By passing rules that encourage safe driving practices, we can endeavor to create a safer and healthier society for everyone.

References

Bromwich, J. E. (2017). Can a Law Stop Distracted Driving? California Hopes to Find Out. The New York Times. Web.

Stewart, T. (2023). Overview of motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2021 (Report No. DOT HS 813 435). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Highway Loss Data Institute. (2009). Hand-held cellphone laws and collision claim frequencies. Loss bulletin Vol. 26, No.17. Arlington, VA.

Cite this paper

Select style

Reference

StudyCorgi. (2025, July 6). California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety. https://studycorgi.com/californias-new-law-to-reduce-distracted-driving-and-its-potential-impact-on-road-safety/

Work Cited

"California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety." StudyCorgi, 6 July 2025, studycorgi.com/californias-new-law-to-reduce-distracted-driving-and-its-potential-impact-on-road-safety/.

* Hyperlink the URL after pasting it to your document

References

StudyCorgi. (2025) 'California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety'. 6 July.

1. StudyCorgi. "California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety." July 6, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/californias-new-law-to-reduce-distracted-driving-and-its-potential-impact-on-road-safety/.


Bibliography


StudyCorgi. "California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety." July 6, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/californias-new-law-to-reduce-distracted-driving-and-its-potential-impact-on-road-safety/.

References

StudyCorgi. 2025. "California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety." July 6, 2025. https://studycorgi.com/californias-new-law-to-reduce-distracted-driving-and-its-potential-impact-on-road-safety/.

This paper, “California’s New Law to Reduce Distracted Driving and Its Potential Impact on Road Safety”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal. Please use the “Donate your paper” form to submit an essay.