A study conducted by Prevention Magazine had similar results. These statistics are alarming. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration conducted an investigation that proved that cell-phone use while driving increases the risk of an accident. Another study conducted by the University of Toronto in 1997 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the risk of having an accident on the road quadrupled if the driver used a cell phone. Medical and legal professionals agree that this increased accident risk makes a cell-phone driver as dangerous as a drunk driver.
Laws exist to punish people for driving under the influence of alcohol in Ohio.
Although several communities have adopted cell-phone legislation, attempts to pass laws at the state level have not been enacted. Legislation in Ohio is necessary to clearly set forth the law and the consequences of violating that law. Since no Ohio law exists which specifically addresses the cell-phone issue, no other law would be impacted by this new legislation. As with most other Ohio traffic violations, breaking the cell-phone law would be a misdemeanor offense. Following the example of a Brooklyn, Ohio, ordinance restricting cell-phone use, the initial penalty would be a warning.