CELL BAN FAILS CRASH TEST.(Main)

ALBANY -- It's an increasingly common sight behind the wheel: Nearby drivers chatting away on cellphones, even though it has been against state law since 2001.

A study issued Thursday by an insurance industry group finds that crash rates have not declined in New York after the hand-held cellphone driving ban was adopted. The same thing happened after bans were imposed in California, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.

"The laws aren't reducing crashes, even though we know that such laws have reduced hand-held phone use, and several studies have established that phoning while driving increases crash risk," said Adrian Lund, president of the Highway Loss Data Institute.

He said the industry group, which analyzed …