Phoenix residents taking comfort in the knowledge that they won't be in a car wreck thanks to someone texting while driving may not want to let down their guard quite yet: A recent study showed that texting bans don't reduce car accidents or traffic fatalities. In fact, the roads may be a little more dangerous.

The study was sponsored by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). Analysts reviewed insurance claim data from four states -- California, Minnesota, Louisiana and Washington -- both before and after their statewide bans were in place. That data was then compared to results from nearby states whose laws did not change during the same time period.

The number of crashes increased in all but one of the four states. Crashes among drivers under age 25 -- the age group most likely to text -- increased in all states, with California logging the largest pre- to post-ban increase of 12 percent.

Researchers suggest that the results say more about compliance with the bans than the bans themselves. They theorize that drivers continue to text but attempt to hide their handheld devices while texting. With the device lowered, the driver's eyes leave the road entirely. The study found that 45 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds continued to text even after the bans -- not a big difference from the 48 percent who texted before the ban. Many explained their noncompliance by saying they didn't believe the police were enforcing the texting laws much.

Arizona is not one of the 30 states that have statewide bans on texting and driving, but the city of Phoenix does. The bans have become popular means to reducing accidents caused by distracted driving, with national organizations and government agencies supporting the measures. This study, in conjunction with another HLDI study that showed no decrease in crashes following handheld phone bans, calls the emphasis on distracted driving bans into question.

It's important to remember, though, that anti-distracted driving campaigns are not solely focused on law changes. The organizations pushing for bans, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, realize that education and awareness of the dangers are critical components of any effort to change driver behavior. Results of studies like this one, then, need to be looked at in context. The big picture of reducing car accidents, serious injuries and deaths related to distracted driving should not be ignored.

Resource: Highway Loss Data Institute "Texting Bans Don't Reduce Crashes; Effects Are Slight Crash Increases" 9/28/10