Anonymous
Professor Tom Severance
BUS 140
5 March 2014
Texting While Driving
Is it really that important to check your phone immediately once you’ve received a text message? “Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents in the United States. 41 out of the 50 states prohibit the use of text messaging while driving” (Distracted Driving). Text messaging is the act of composing and sending electronic messages on a mobile phone. In the state of California, texting while driving is banned for all ages and drivers under the age of 18 aren’t even allowed to use a cell phone while driving, even if it’s a hands free device” (Distracted Driving). Tickets and fines in most states can wreck your wallet if you’re caught using your phone, and there’s even chance you could get your license suspended. It requires the use of your mind, eyesight, and finger coordination, as compared to simply talking on the phone. “Sending or receiving a text takes a driver's eyes from the road for an average of 4.6 seconds, the equivalent-at 55 mph-of driving the length of an entire football field, blind” (Distracted Driving). I chose to discuss texting while driving laws because I think it’s vital for people to recognize that many drivers are put at serious risk due to a simple handheld device. I find it interesting yet upsetting to know the dreadful results acquainted with texting and driving. I believe that texting and driving should continue to be illegal, for it is life threatening, it has killed thousands in the recent years, and it’s just not worth the risk of ruining your life and the many others around you.
Texting behind the wheel not only concerns you. It also involves your fellow passengers and other individuals on the road. You and ...
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...bly stay illegal. The statistics have evidently shown that it has killed and injured thousands of lives. You or others may believe it just won’t happen, but the outcomes of texting and driving is inevitable, and realistically, could affect anyone on the road. Texting and driving is a very dangerous and selfish act. Not one person wants to be known as the one that killed someone due to one selfish act of using their phone. In a very small amount of time, you could ruin your life, and that one text message could be your last. Texting and driving is strictly prohibited in most states, and can result in you paying large amounts of money out of your pocket. Everyone on the road, plus yourself, has someone who cares about them and that someone would be devastated by the loss of a loved one in their life. So what is more important? Checking that text message, or a life?
In the article “Should Text Messaging while Driving Be Banned? NO!” the author shares exceptionally valid points for his argument and I believe that outlawing texting while driving would prove to be disastrous. Radley Balko wrote this article to explain the appalling outcome of banning texting while driving, however, he does not advocate that everyone should look at their phones with glee while operating a motor vehicle. We must also promise ourselves to never let the glowing screens of our cellular devices captivate our attention or be more important than safely operating a motor vehicle.
“Texting While Driving.” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 11 Oct. 2010. Web. 6 Apr. 2015.
As Americans have seen an increase in the amount of texting and driving, there have been several of the 50 states that have put laws in place to help try and put a reduction on the amount of fatalities. The devastating part about this kind of distraction is that nearly every person that owns a cell phone has picked it up at some point while they are driving to make a phone call or send a quick text. They have seen the commercials and they know the hurt that it has caused many families losing someone they love, but we still do it anyways. It’s so easy to tell yourself “It’s just one quick text, I will be fine.” At some point we need to realize this is not ok.
What would one want to be their last word on earth? LOL? Drivers who text and drive very well may be allow their last words to be just that. Arizona has no law regarding texting while driving, with no law in place the act is not regulated. The result is an increase in accidents causing multiple fatalities every year. Statistics have proved that texting and driving is extremely dangerous and has led to many accidents that have ended in fatality. There are states in our nation where texting bans are in place and the accident rate has dramatically decreased.
Studies also show drunk driving is actually statistically safer than texting and driving. In my observation as my family was traveling to Wisconsin, I put tallies on my notebook to record the results of passing drivers. The results were surprising in that 1 out of 8 kids and 1 out of 5 adults in passing cars were distracted while driving. These statistics are actually scary to me because I will never know which one will make a mistake when I am around them on the road. The negative effects this problem causes death and serious injury to themselves and others. It also effects the distracted drivers by placing others around them in harm. As more people text on the roads the drivers will get too familiar texting and driving. According to most statistics, that’s when most mistakes happen. Phone and car companies allow this behavior to happen simultaneously. Phone companies are making their product easier to be distracted, as the technology is addicting to use for the consumers. The notifications from the phone distract most humans from accomplishing their tasks. The phone pings or sounds and the driver looks down. Car companies are now installing Wi-Fi in the newest cars of our generation. The WI-FI is active for all passengers. The distraction element is also active for
Those that think it is ok to text and drive do not realize how much harm, and danger they are putting their lives at, and the lives of others that are on the road as well. Even if one thinks that they are a good enough driver to be on their phone while they drive, still are not guaranteed that they will not get in an accident. No matter how much someone has been driving, or how good they are does not mean they should be using their phones, because just by taking a glance at their phone for a second could instantly change their lives, if they were to ever get in a car crash, or hurt another human
One day Chandler Gerber 23, of Bluffton collided with an Amish buggy back in April of 2012. A three year old boy and a five year old girl were killed. A 17 year old boy who was in critical condition died several days later. Chandler was sending a text that said “ I love you” to his wife when he caused the accident. Drivers who were texting were 23.2 times more likely to crash to those who weren’t texting (Cell Phones and Texting). The increasing amount of crashes caused from texting and driving and growing and becoming more of a problem. Distracted driving is an increasing problem in the United States resulting in many accidents, but a solution to the problem would be banning cellphones while driving.
Most of the drivers are likely to mix up driving and messaging from their cell phones while driving regardless of the laws standing on the issues, and danger posed to them. A majority of those drivers engaging in this act do not contemplate the possible detrimental effects from their actions. Research has indicated that texting while driving contributes to road accidents significantly. This situation is sufficiently bad to the extent that there are more accidents caused by messaging while driving than those caused by drunken driving (Fumento n.p.). From the foregoing statements, this essay seeks to support the laws, which outlaws texting while driving by highlighting how dangerous it is for drivers to massage while driving.
Several individuals need to be constantly sending messages to their friends and family members with the use of a cellphone while driving. More and more drivers have the urge to use their cell phones while driving. This dangerous mixture can result to be even deadly. “As one researcher concluded, a cellphone draws attention away from the routines that would provide a good representation of the driving environment” (qtd. in Seppa 3).
Even though texting and driving is against the law, men and women of all ages are doing it on a regular basis. Statistically speaking, 23% of car accidents, which was about 1.3 million, involved cell phones in 2011 (“Texting and Driving..”). According to Edgar Snyder and Associates Law Firm out of Western Pennsylvania, “In 2011, 3,331 people were killed and 387,000 people were injured in accidents involving a distracted driver.” Along with those stats, and according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “texting and driving kills 11 teens each day” (“Texting and Cell Phone..”). These numbers show how fatally dangerous texting and driving can be. As mentioned earlier, it is illegal, so humans shouldn’t be doing it in the first place. However, if someone gets caught, they could be looking at a ticket costing about, 135 dollars, not including the additional base fine, surcharge and the law library fee (“Texting and Driving, Challenges..”). If a person chooses to text and drive and...
Thesis statement: Risks of texting while driving over the past few years has become a key topic for many Americans through the country. It has been the cause of numerous deaths and injuries and remains a vast disturbance for drivers. Hence driving is one of the greatest common causes of misfortunes on roads. This can result in, physical visual and cognitive distraction and significantly increases the amount of time a driver devotes not looking at the road. Therefore police officers should seize the phones of those who text and drive.
Texting while driving should be illegal in every state due to many reasons of safety. A person 's life is far more valuable than any text message ever will be, no text message is worth the cost of risking the life of yourself and the life of others while behind a motorized vehicle. Being on the phone and texting while driving becomes more and more common on a day to day basis. Safety, well-being, and protection are all ways you can simply take care of yourself, but if you won’t take the time to do it no one will. Only you can help yourself when it comes to your safety and well-being, taking your eyes off of the road to look down, around or anywhere other than watching the road is putting not only yourself but others well at risk of an accident. Texting while driving can border your senses as a driver to not be able to respond when a car comes out of no where, or is even near you.
Texting while driving is a widespread epidemic in the United States that has unfavorable effects on our society.“Driving while texting is the standard wording used for traffic violations” (Bernstein). It causes many people to be distracted which can lead to accidents. “Eighty-nine percent of people own a cell phone” (Gardner). That is a plethora of people that are at risk of texting while driving. Also, texting has increased by ten times in three years(Bernstein). “The risk of a crash for those who are texting is twenty-three point two times greater than those who are not” (Gardner).Driving drunk only makes a person seven times more likely to be in a crash (Bernstein). This means texting while driving is three times more dangerous than driving intoxicated. One in five drivers admits to texting while driving(Gardner). This shows that that texting while driving is a widespread epidemic. When a survey asked teenagers whether they text and drive,“seventy five percent of teens admitted to texting while driving” (7).Distracted driving causes seventy-eight percent of car crashes(Bernstein). “No distraction causes as high of a risk of an accident as texting while driving” (Gardner). Also with these statistics, it is not hard to understand why accidents in teenagers that are driving have risen. The Bluetooth capability in cars gives a driver a hands-free way to talk on the phone, but is still not completely safe (8). Also, only 1 out of 3 US cars sold in 2009 had this feature. New systems are being developed that will use Bluetooth as well a global positioning technology to allow parents to monitor cell phone use and texting while driving (10).
One of the dangers of texting while driving at the same time is the attention it takes away from the road. A driver, who is focused on looking at their phone, is not paying enough attention to other cars or what is happening around them. Something as simple as a car stopping in front of them can cause serious damage to the driver and to the other car. “Texting” while driving is the act of composing, sending, or reading text messages, email, or making other similar use of the internet on a mobile device while operating a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, truck, or train (Reuters). Many people and authorities have viewed it as a dangerous practice. It is on occasion like this, where familiarity with the road and surrounding will not make it easier for the driver to look at their cell phone. The probabilities of drivers texting on the cell phone and getting into accidents are only getting higher. Cell phone use while driving accounts for a major cause of
Janet Froetscher who is on the National Safety Council stated, “We know that at least 1.6 million car crashes involve drivers using cell phones and texting.” This high number of accidents breaks down to 11 deaths of just teenagers a day. Texting while driving should be made illegal to save lives. Mike Dudzinski a current fire captain of Peoria, Arizona stated in an interview that in just a year he experiences about 100 deaths with texting being the cause. Texting while driving is a wide controversy that needs to be made as a law in order to protect lives.