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Effects of a Driver Cellphone Ban on Overall, Handheld, and Hands‐Free Cellphone Use While Driving: New Evidence from Canada

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  • Christopher S. Carpenter
  • Hai V. Nguyen

Abstract

We provide new evidence on the effects of increasingly common driver cellphone bans on self‐reported overall, handheld, and hands‐free cellphone use while driving by studying Ontario, Canada, which instituted a 3‐month education campaign in November 2009 followed by a binding driver cellphone ban in February 2010. Using residents of Alberta as a control group in a difference‐in‐differences framework, we find visual and regression‐based evidence that Ontario's cellphone ban significantly reduced overall and handheld cellphone use. We also find that the policies significantly increased hands‐free cellphone use. The reductions in overall and handheld use are driven exclusively by women, whereas the increases in hands‐free use are much larger for men. Our results provide the first direct evidence that cellphone bans have the unintended effect of inducing substitution to hands‐free devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher S. Carpenter & Hai V. Nguyen, 2015. "Effects of a Driver Cellphone Ban on Overall, Handheld, and Hands‐Free Cellphone Use While Driving: New Evidence from Canada," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(11), pages 1452-1467, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:24:y:2015:i:11:p:1452-1467
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3098
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Chenhui & Lu, Chaoru & Wang, Shefang & Sharma, Anuj & Shaw, John, 2019. "A longitudinal analysis of the effectiveness of California’s ban on cellphone use while driving," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 456-467.
    2. Vinish Shrestha, 2019. "Cigarette Prices and Driving Fatalities Among Youths," Working Papers 2019-02, Towson University, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2019.
    3. Wright, Nicholas A. & Dorilas, Ernest, 2022. "Do Cellphone Bans Save Lives? Evidence From Handheld Laws on Traffic Fatalities," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Shrestha, Vinish, 2019. "Cigarette prices and driving fatalities among youths," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).

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