New York Region Drivers Support but Disregard Hands-Free Laws

According to a survey of 902 drivers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, tri-state drivers are not consistent about following their state's cellular hands-free driving laws despite the fact that three out of four (77 percent) drivers support it. The study was commissioned by Parrot, a manufacturer of hands free car kits, and conducted by Harris Interactive, a market research firm.

The survey revealed that 72 percent of the tri-state drivers who use a cell phone while driving have a hands-free solution. However, drivers in these states still use their hand-held phones 38 percent of the time with only 14 percent using a hands-free solution all the time while driving. Overall, New Jersey drivers are the worst offenders, using their hand-held phones 43 percent of the time, when compared to Connecticut and New York drivers. The survey also identified two groups who are the most common violators -- females and drivers in the 18-34 age group, each of whom use a hand-held phone 41 percent of the time.

The survey also revealed tri-state drivers' attitudes toward their state's legislation. Though 77 percent of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut drivers support their state's cellular-hands free driving laws, less than half (45 percent) feel the law is relevant to them personally. This may be due to the fact that only two percent of those surveyed indicated that they received a ticket or warning for driving using their handset.

"The challenge of hands-free compliance is not only perception but also reality. The reality is that the majority of tri-state drivers are still using their hand-held cell phones because they don't perceive that the law applies to them. Education and enforcement can improve hands-free compliance but without these initiatives, drivers' unsafe habits will continue," said Ed Valdez, president and COO of Parrot.

The following are additional highlights from the survey that reveal how drivers in each state have been affected by the legislation:

New York
In November 2001, New York became the first state to pass legislation banning hand-held cell phones while driving. Six years later, nearly 70 percent (67 percent) of New Yorkers are aware of the law, yet New Yorkers who talk on the phone while driving use a hand-held cellular phone 36 percent of the time. Only four percent of these drivers say they have received a ticket related to the use of a hand-held cell phone.

New Jersey
New Jersey enacted legislation in July 2004, making talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving a secondary offense. Senator Richard Codey is the sponsor of an amendment to the New Jersey law that would make the use of a hand-held phone while driving a primary offense, however this is still waiting Governor Corzine's signature. Meanwhile, only 43 percent of New Jersey drivers know that it is currently still only a secondary offense. New Jersey drivers who talk on the phone while driving admit to using a hand-held cell phone 43 percent of the time. No one surveyed from New Jersey said they had received a ticket or warning for driving while using their handset.

Connecticut
Connecticut became the third state to enact a jurisdiction-wide ban on driving while on a hand-held cellular phone in October 2005. Two years later, Connecticut drivers are the most aware of this legislation among the three states at 75 percent, Still, only 50 percent of these drivers feel that this legislation is relevant to them personally. Connecticut drivers who use a phone while driving admit to using their hand-held phone one-third of the time.

Methodology
This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive between July 6-20, 2007 among 902 adults ages 18 and over who live in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut, have a driver's license, and own a cell phone. Results were weighted as needed for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to be invited to participate in the Harris Interactive online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error was calculated.