IIHS says proposed national phone ban won’t reduce distracted driving accidents

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently called for legislators to institute a nationwide ban of cellphone use for drivers, but their requests have been met with opposition. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) claims that laws limiting the use of handheld devices behind the wheel have gotten drivers to put their phones down, but they haven't had a noticeable effect on crash rates, according to CNN Money.

"Part of it is that distracted driving is much bigger than just phones," IIHS spokesman Russ Rader told the news publication. "So focusing on phones doesn't deal with the full spectrum of things that distract."

The U.S. Department of Transportation defines distracted driving as anything that takes attention away from the task of driving. This can include making a phone call, sending or reading a text message, eating and drinking, using a navigation system or other on-board technology and even talking to passengers.

Avoiding these behaviors, regardless of whether it is the law, will help to lower the risk of an accident. However, crashes may sometimes be unavoidable. In this case, it can be helpful to have an extended warranty to cover the cost of repairs and get the car back on the road.