Here’s what Virginia Tech Transportation Institute’s 2009 Cell Phone Study says……. Increase in Risk of Crash or Near Crash Event  Talking/Listening on a cell phone = 1.3 times higher  Dialing a cell phone = 2.8 times higher  Text messaging = 23.2 times higher

What does this mean….. A driver manipulating a cell phone will drive the length of a football field at 55 miles an hour without looking at the roadway.

A growing trend is gaining support Montana is one of only 11 states that do not have state laws prohibiting some or all of cell phone use. (See state law chart) 41% said behavior would change if cell phone use were restricted (See Nationwide survey)  Another 49% said they don’t use a cell while driving anyway and only 9% said they wouldn’t change their behavior. On average, 80% of drivers support banning texting while driving (see Nationwide survey).

Combined with Statistics (According to the Pew Research Center) 47% of texting adults text while driving and 75% talk on the phone 34% of texting teens text while driving and 52% talk on the phone Looking at the general population, this means  27% of all adults text and drive and 61% talk and drive  26% of all teens text and drive and 43% talk and drive

Busiest Streets in the State Main Street, north of the airport is Montana’s busiest highway 50,950 vehicles a day  South of Airport Road is Montana’s second busiest highway 49,160 vehicles a day

Which means what? If all of the drivers on Main Street were adults on single day……… 50,595 x 27% = 13,660 “vehicles” with texting drivers in a single day 50,595 x 61% = 30,862 “vehicles” with talking drivers in a single day.

What the Montana Highway Patrol 2009 Report Says  There were 5,175 crashes on Montana city streets in 2009 – A 17% increase from the previous year. Cell phone or communication device was a contributing factor in 99 crash deaths in About one-third – or 32 crash deaths – were on urban streets. Compare this to DUI as a contributing factor – 63 crash deaths in of these alcohol related deaths were on urban streets.

Montana Department of Transportation 2009 Report There is a 62% increase over the last 5 years in accidents where the driver admitted a cell phone was a contributing factor. (Montana Department of Transportation FFY 2009, pg. 90) And the number is increasing every year………

Think About it This Way…. Accident Risk: You are more likely to get hit by someone who is texting than someone who is drunk. (University of Utah)

BUT MORE EVEN MORE TELLING….. CELL PHONE CRASH STATISTICS REFLECT ONLY THOSE WE KNOW HAVE BEEN REPORTED OR INVESTIGATED FOR CERTAIN. SELF-REPORTING CELL PHONE USE AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS UNCOMMON AND NOT REFLECTED ON REPORTS – PARTICULARLY THOSE IN CITY LIMITS.

Survey & Experimental Data Supporting the Proposed Ordinance 275 million cell phone users in U.S. 81% of cell users talk on the phone while driving 98% of Americans believe they are safe drivers 1.6 million traffic accidents caused by drivers using a cell phone Talking causes more accidents than texting because fewer drivers text TALKING ON A CELL PHONE CONSTITUTES A MEASURABLE, VERIFIABLE RISK, DIRECTLY COMPARABLE TO DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED.

Medical Community Supports the Proposed Ordinance The Alliance: -- Nick Wolter, CEO, Billings Clinic -- Lil Anderson, CEO, RiverStone Health -- Jim Paquette, CEO, St. Vincent Healthcare Board of Health, RiverStone Health (City/County Health Department) --Douglas Carr, Chair, Board of Health --Michael Dennis, Chair, Public Policy Development Committee