Ohio & Mahoning Valley - The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is reporting a sizeable decrease in distracted driving cases in Ohio following the recent implementation of a new law.

A recent law passed by Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine has made it illegal for drivers to simply hold a cell phone while driving with the exception of holding a phone up to their ear or while at a complete stop.

The law went into effect just over one month ago and ODOT and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) are reporting a 9.1% decrease in distracted driving cases since then.

This reduction has helped prevent 540 crashes, one fatality and $13 million in economic damages.

In March, Ohio drivers spent an average of one minute and 39 seconds on their phone for every hour of driving. Between the law's passing on April 4 and May 3, this average has dropped by nine seconds.

Governor DeWine says he's encouraged by this decrease.

"Ohio's new law went into effect a little over a month ago, and it's already making a difference. I'm glad to see that Ohio drivers are making safety a priority and putting their phones down while they drive," DeWine said.

OTSO Director, Emily Davidson says while these numbers are encouraging, there's still plenty of work to do.

"There is no acceptable level of distracted driving. This behavior is dangerous and puts everyone on the road at risk. The goal is for all drivers to put their phones down for the entire time they are behind the wheel," Davidson said.