Evanston police have issued 68 tickets to drivers for violating an ordinance, in its first month of enforcement, that prohibits the use of a cell phone without a hands-free device while driving.

The City Council unanimously passed the ordinance in January. Police began enforcing the new ordinance in late March.

Evanston police attempted to inform the public through news media and press releases before enforcement began, Evanston Police Department Cmdr. Tom Guenther said.

“We even did an educational week when we didn’t hand out tickets but just informed the public,” he said.

The real challenge is educating the public and changing their habits, said Ald. Jane Grover (7th), who originally proposed the ordinance.

The Evanston Community Media Center is planning to release a public service announcement in July to raise awareness of the dangers of driving while using a handheld device and to clarify the new ordinance.

“Whatever it takes to get the word out to eliminate or at least decrease the amount of accidents that are happening is well worth the time and effort,” ECMC Director Steve Bartlebaugh said.

Some drivers find the ban unnecessary, said Beth Mosher, director of public affairs at the American Automobile Association of Chicago.

The association encourages governments to ban only text messaging while driving because it is more dangerous and easier to legislate than a complete ban on cell phones, Mosher said.

Studies suggest hands-free devices are just as dangerous as hand-held phones, said David Teater, senior director of Transportation Strategic Initiatives at the National Safety Council. A 2009 study published by the Journal of Safety Research, for example, showed no difference in risk.

Hands-free devices are just as dangerous because, like hand-held phones, they distract drivers cognitively, according to the study. Teater compares driving while on the phone to watching TV and trying to follow the plot while talking on the phone.

“People think they can multitask but they can’t. They can only focus on one task at any given moment,” he said. “So they toggle tasks, they go back and forth between two cognitively demanding tasks.”

However, Grover said officials need to take legislation one step at a time. Next March, city officials will determine if the ban has reduced accidents before they consider extending the ban to hands-free devices.

“We’re going to give this some time so people can get used to it and change their bad habits,” Grover said. “Now people are much more sensitive toward drivers on a cell phone and aware of how hard it is to break the habit of multitasking behind the wheel.”[email protected]