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Shuster Dissertation Final.pdf (1.27 MB)

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EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING TEXT BAN LAWS IN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA: A CASE STUDY

Shuster, Jaime Lynn
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8935-9367
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532442009056945

Abstract Details

2018, PHD, Kent State University, College of Public Health.
At any given moment an estimated 11% of drivers are using some form of electronic device as noted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Pickrell & KC, 2009). In 2014, distracted driving related accidents produced an estimated 431,000 injuries and 3,179 fatalities nationwide with 404 of these fatalities directly associated with cell phone use (USDOT, 2016). Ohio, like the rest of the country, has had its share of injuries and fatalities associated with distracted driving. However, unlike other states, Ohio does not have a primarily enforced distracted driving ban for all drivers. Ohio legislators passed a secondary enforcement distracted driving ban for adult drivers and primary enforcement distracted driving ban for underage drivers. An attempt to explore which distracted driving text ban law type (primary or secondary) has a larger impact on injuries and fatalities as a result of automobile accidents was the goal of this study. To understand this, a direct comparison between primary and secondary enforcement law types was analyzed pre- and post-law implementation between Ohio and Pennsylvania using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 2010 through 2016. Texting while driving was not a significant factor in the rate of injuries and fatalities for Ohio and Pennsylvania. However, Ohio’s secondarily enforced texting while driving ban seems ineffective at curbing increasing fatalities and injuries throughout the time period analyzed with an overall increase of 1.38%. Pennsylvania’s injury and fatality rate was only insignificantly and marginally lower throughout the same time period with a primarily enforced texting while driving ban at 4.35%. It appears that just placing approved legislation on the books with the lack of enforceability or priority for enforcement is an issue that many states are facing. In order for injuries and fatalities to be reduced, the law must be consistently and effectively upheld by all members of law enforcement with equal pressure.
Thomas Brewer (Committee Chair)
Willie Oglesby (Committee Member)
Peter Leahy (Committee Member)
Eric Jefferis (Committee Member)
107 p.
Behavioral Sciences; Psychology; Public Administration; Public Health; Public Policy; Social Research; Transportation; Transportation Planning
texting while driving, distracted driving, Ohio, Pennsylvania, FARS, law effectiveness, law evaluation, text ban law

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Shuster, J. L. (2018). EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING TEXT BAN LAWS IN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA: A CASE STUDY [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532442009056945

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Shuster, Jaime. EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING TEXT BAN LAWS IN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA: A CASE STUDY . 2018. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532442009056945.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Shuster, Jaime. "EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TEXTING WHILE DRIVING TEXT BAN LAWS IN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA: A CASE STUDY ." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1532442009056945

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.