Examination of the Impact of a Hands-Free Regulation on In-Vehicle Calling Volume

摘要

In October 2009, Ontario passed a regulation requiring hands-free operationof cell phones in moving vehicles. A question about such regulations is whether theyhave a significant effect on the use of cell phones while driving. This paper examinesthe use of cell phones in moving vehicles in the month before the regulation waspassed compared to the use of cell phones after the regulation was enforced. Thecomparison was made using a very large data set containing the calling patterns ofover 2 million unique cellular phones. The cellular phone data was collected througha probe vehicle traffic information system, which allowed the phone data to beseparated into calls made in moving vehicles versus non-moving phones. Thevolume of in-vehicle calls made in September 2009 was compared to the volumes ofcalls made in February 2010 to determine the effects of the regulation on the use ofphones while driving. There was no significant change in calling rates afterenactment of the regulation.