Cellphone While Driving Ban Goes into Effect in Idaho

Effective July 1 using a handheld phone while operating a moving motor vehicle in Idaho is prohibited.

Idaho drivers will receive warnings until Jan. 1, 2021.

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association is applauding the change.

“Distracted driving and the ubiquitous use of smartphones behind the wheel are widely believed to be among the leading causes for crashes and fatalities nationwide,” said Lyn Darrington Elliott, assistant vice president for state affairs of the APCIA. “Laws combating distracted driving are a critical step to changing behavior and protecting drivers, their passengers, pedestrians, cyclists, and everyone else on Idaho’s roads. When we get behind the wheel, we must commit to be the best driver we can be and stay focused on the road and our surroundings.”

According to Elliott, COVID-19 also could be unknowingly adding more dangers on the roads for motorists and pedestrians.

Some people may not have driven as much during the last several weeks or months, and as states reopen businesses, drivers must renew their commitment to safety on the roads, Elliott said.

According to data analytics provider Zendrive, it is estimated that drivers increased phone usage by 38% during the first five weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to the five weeks prior to the beginning of the pandemic.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia now prohibit the use of handheld devices while driving. According to a study conducted by the Georgia Legislature, 12 out of 15 states saw an average 16% decrease in traffic fatalities within two years of passing a handheld ban.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 2,841 people were killed by distracted driving in 2018.