Texting While Driving

A study made by Virginia Tech, says that an individual is twenty-three times more likely to get in a car accident if they are distracted by a mobile device (cbsnews.com). Thirty-eight states have banned texting, and 8 states have partial bands on texting and driving. Evidence shows that drivers that are distracted by a phone, while behind the wheel of a 4000 pound vehicle endanger not only themselves but others as well. “You’re a hazardous driver to yourself and everybody else” (Web MD). The impacts and effects associated with texting and driving should be outlawed because of the danger that every single driver and passenger are at risk of.

There have been studies that show that texting and driving slows an individual’s reaction time worst or equal to being under the influence of alcohol or cannabis (marijuana) (Cellular News). The bad thing is that only thirty-eight states have banned texting and driving, not included in these thirty-eight states is Idaho. Studies by public safety officials say that from 2002 to 2007 there has been a reported 16,000 teen deaths caused by texting and driving (The Christen Monitor Science). “The motor vehicle death rate of teens caused by cell phones is twenty-one percent and rising by an astonishing four percent a year” (ajc.com).

Studies have shown that the time an individual spend looking at a cell phone is usually 4.6 seconds. That may not seem long at all; however, when a vehicle is going 55 mph, 4.6 seconds is long enough for a vehicle to travel the length of a football field. Now, what would happen if someone pulled out in front of a driver in those 4.6 seconds? It seems that both drivers would have a collision and someone would be h...

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Doug Nadvornick. (2010) Retrieved on March 28, 2011 from

http://news.opb.org/article/7012-idaho-lawmakers-eye-ban-texting-while-driving/

Matt. Richtel. (Couldn’t pull up) Retrieved on March 28, 2011 from

http://ag.udel.edu/rec/Extension/Safety/TextingIncreasesCrashRisk.pdf

Larry Magid. (2009) Retrieved on March 28, 2011 from

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/29/scitech/pcanswer/main5274193.shtml

Helen Nugent. (2008) Retrieved on March 28, 2011 from

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/news/article4776063.ece

Dave Belton. (2010) Retrieved on March 28, 2011 from

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/texting-while-driving-kills-288010.html