Bans on handheld cell phone use by drivers aren't cutting into accident rates, according to a study by insurance industry researchers. "This finding doesn't auger well for any safety payoff from all the new laws that ban phone use and texting while driving," the leader of the Highway Loss Data Institute said. Collision claims in Calfornia, Connecticut and the District of Columbia remained about the same after they adopted bans on the use of handheld cell phones (meaning those without hands-free functionality), the group said. New York did show a decrease, but researchers dismissed that reduction in collision insurance claims as part of a pre-existing trend. The National Highway Traffic … [Read more...]