Drivers know not to text and drive, but they still do it. Nowthere is hard evidence that states with texting bans are savinglives. With more than 7 billion mobile subscriptions worldwideaccording to the International Telecommunications Union andmobiThinking, that's a lot of texting.

A new study by researchers at the University of Alabama at BirminghamSchool of Public Healthexamined the effects of various texting bans on motor vehicularfatalities in 48 states from 2000-2010. They found that states withprimary-enforcement laws for texting, meaning an officer can pullover a driver for texting and driving, saw a 3% reduction intraffic fatalities across all age groups, or an average of 19deaths per year. Texting bans had the greated impact on youngdrivers aged 15-21 years – an 11% reduction in deaths.

States with only secondary restrictions, where the driver mustbe stopped for a primary offense like speeding and not just fortexting, did not see any significant reduction in fatalities. Thefindings were recently published in the August issue of theAmerican Journal of Public Health.

There were other significant findings as well. "We were a littlesurprised to see that primarily enforced texting bans were notassociated with significant reductions in fatalities among thoseaged 21 to 64," explains Alva O. Ferdinand, Dr.P.H., J.D., whoconceptualized the study design and was one of several researchersparticipating. "However, our analyses indicated that states thathad passed overarching hand-held bans (i.e., bans prohibiting theuse of cell phones without hands-free technology altogether) on alldrivers saw significant reductions in fatalities among thisparticular age group. Thus, although texting-while-driving banswere most effective for reducing traffic fatalities among youngindividuals, i.e., those between the ages of 15 and 21, handheldbans appear to be most effective for reducing traffic fatalitiesamong adults."

According to the GovernorsHighway Safety Association, 14 states, Washington, D.C., PuertoRico, Guam and the Virgin Islands have bans on the use of handheldcell phones for all drivers. Thirty-eight states and Washington,D.C., ban the use of cell phones by novice drivers, and 44 stateshave primary texting bans, while five have a secondary ban ontexting.

What does this mean to insurers? Ferdinand says that insurersneed to be aware of the impact of the texting bans on theirinsureds. She says "there was some indication that trafficfatalities may be on the rise in states with secondarily enforcedtexting bans.  Insurers in states with primarily enforcedtexting bans, whether prohibiting all drivers or just young driversfrom texting while driving, should note that there have beensignificant reductions in traffic fatalities in their states. Ourfindings may have implications for underwriting considerations.Moreover, insurance companies in states without texting bans andwith secondary texting bans might consider advocating for theenactment of primary texting bans in their states."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that asof December 2012, 171.3 billion text messages were sent in the U.S.and surrounding territories every month. In 2012, 3,328 people werekilled and 421,000 were injured in accidents involving a distracteddriver. Individuals in their 20s comprise 27% of the distracteddrivers involved in fatal crashes. The minimum amount of time adriver takes his eyes off the road for any task is five seconds. Iftraveling at 55 mph, this is equal to covering the distance of anentire football field while blindfolded – not something any driverwould purposefully attempt. Because texting involves multiplesenses – sight, touch and cognitive functions – it is becoming themost dangerous distraction for drivers by far.