Research has shown that use of hand held mobile phones while driving can increase the risk of crash by up to 23 times (Vic Roads, 2009). In an attempt to curb the number of people taking such risks, TAC launched a campaign to bring awareness to the problem of distracted drivers, many of whom are distracted by hand held mobile phones, commonly used to talk or text while driving. Considering the statistics regarding the chance of crash when engaging in such activities and the prevalence of the problem, TAC has launched the campaign with hope of creating attitude change.
The TAC advert, witnessed by participants of this study, shows various situations of distracted drivers. Two situations of specific relevance to this study, talking on a hand held mobile and texting whilst driving. In all occasions the danger is present, in the final situation the danger is realised via the crash.
‘Attitude’ can be defined as a set of beliefs, feelings, behavioural tendencies and evaluations, that are mostly enduring, and are positive or negative in nature, regarding some person, group, object, issue, event or symbol (Vaughan and Hogg, 2011). This reveals the problematic nature of any attempt to use persuasion to force attitude change. While enduring, resilient attitudes are unlikely to be easily altered, it is not impossible to do so.
A dual process theory was proposed by Petty and Cacioppo (1981), the Elaboration Likelihood Model in which, attitude change can occur via two processes. The Elaboration Likelihood Model postulates two processing routes of persuasion, the Central Route, and the Peripheral Route. The former refers to more careful thought utilising more cognitive resources, while the latter, less motivated, less car...
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...erely the hand held mobile. It has been speculated that laws pertaining to banning of mobiles whilst driving should include hands free mobiles. Future research should utilise this information and perhaps measure attitudes regarding all phone use whilst driving rather than only hand held phone use.
This study has utilised the two processes of elaboration set out in the Elaboration Likelihood Model, to measure the success of the TAC campaign, in changing attitudes of favourability towards the dangerous practice of using a hand held mobile whilst driving. The results of the study show that attitude change is possible via both Central and Peripheral Route processing, as measured before and after viewing the TAC advertisement. Central Route processing has a clear advantage and was significantly more effective than Peripheral Route processing in attitude change.
This investigation analysed the results of 28 year 12 students in a persuasion research program, displaying the change in attitudes through the conduction of anti-smoking messages in advertisements to persuade people not to smoke.
Kerbel, Matthew R. (1993). An Empirical Test of the Role of Persuasion in the Exercise of
According to Stephanie Hanes in the essay “Texting While Driving Is as Dangerous as Drunk Driving,” a driver on a phone and those talking on a phone are four times likely to crash. This statistic shows how dangerous using the phone or even texting is while driving. As technology has increased, so has the use of cellphone. Distracted driving has caused an increase in car fatalities and disasters. However, distracted driving can be prevented if drivers take precautions, but no matter what we do, trouble will always be spelling on the road.
Most people think of someone using their cell phone while driving when they hear distracted driving, but it it much more than that. Distracted driving is when someone who is behind the wheel get distracted by either taking their hands off the wheel or take their mind of driving, which can cause them to get into an accident (paragraph 2). Distracted driving is broken down into three main parts, manual distractions which is taking your hands off the steering wheel, visual distractions which is taking your center of attention off the road and cognitive distraction which is when your mind is not focused on driving and just starts drifting away (paragraph 3). Cell phone use is easily the biggest cause of distracted driving compared to eating, talking, and others because using your cell phone requires visual, manual and cognitive attention from the person behind the wheel and in a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, the amount of people who break the law and use a handheld device behind the wheel increases every single year. An estimated amount of more than, six hundred thousand people use their phone while driving. Distracted driving has quickly risen and developed in the past few years and is becoming an enormous problem. In a recent study, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), showed statistics of approximately three thousand, one hundred fifty
Cell phones can be our best friends ands our worst enemies.They are our primary form of communication with the outside world.We have all kinds of information about everything and everyone at our fingertips. However,the use of a cell phone while driving can be very dangerous.660,000 drivers a day attempt to use their cell phones while behind the wheel. It is reported that the use of a cell phone while driving leads to about 1.6 million crashes every year. It is said that around 11 teenagers die every day due to the use
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).
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.
Every day in our life's we are persuaded to make choices. Persuasion is a very
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
In the most advantageous of cases this model suggests that a receiver “considers the content of the persuasive message carefully and has favorable thoughts about the content” (Enfante, Rancer & Avtgis, 2010, p. 172). When receivers engage in cognitive thinking, they participate in the type of persuasion the authors call the “central route” (Enfante, Rancer & Avtgis, 2010, p. 172). Under the central route, the receiver employs positive feelings towards whatever the source is saying and then in turn acts or forms attitudes based off of the positive thoughts. Thus they interact thoughtfully with the information the source is attempting to get across.
Wood, W. (2000). Attitude change: Persuasion and social influence.. Annual Review of Psychology, 51(1), 539.
According to “Cellphone Use While Driving Statistics,” “In 2012, 3,328 people were killed in distraction-related crashes. About 421,000 people were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver” (Cellphone Use While Driving Statistics). ‘’ Texting and Driving Statistics - Distracted Driving Drives up Risk." Edgarsnyder.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015’’. As cellphones become more popular, smartphones were developed. These everyday uses of cell phones include texting, calling, games, social media, and other applications for personal use. Unfortunately, many accidents have taken place due to the use of cellphones while people are driving on the road. Most of the people can’t concentrate on the road while they are talking or using cellphones, so it will be a great idea to put them away while driving. More safety precautions are needed to be taken for individuals who will be talking on their phones while driving. While cellphones offer huge benefits to our lives it becomes a grave concern and one of the major causes of road accidents. Many countries have imposed restrictions and punishments on using
...the demands of driving, but the fundamental problem may be the behaviour of the individuals willing to pick up the technology" (Reimer, 2009).
Research has proven that it is difficult to concentrate on driving and talking at the same time. A recent British study showed that talking on a mobile phone while driving was more hazardous than operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Tests conducted by scientists for UK-based insurance firm, Direct Line, involved 20 subjects using a driving simulator to test reaction times and driving performance and compared this to when drivers had too much to drink. The results showed drivers' reaction times were, on average, 30 percent slower when talking on a handheld mobile phone than when legally drunk - and nearly 50 percent slower than under normal driving conditions. The tests also showed that drivers talking on phones were less able than drunk drivers to maintain a constant speed, and they had greater difficulty keeping a safe distance from the car in front.
Over the last few decades, the use of cell phones has become a very common tool. Furthermore, Technology has certainly advanced, and the cell phone is becoming the most preferred mode of communication. The demand for a cell phone is growing every day. In addition, the use of wireless technology is affordable, and anyone can buy a cell phone at a reasonable price. They come in all shapes and sizes. They range from black to bright metallic white. American public use of cell phones is increasing everyday. As the number of people using cell phones increase, the use of cell phones while driving will also increase on our streets and highways. At the same rate, motorists still converse on cell phones and write text messages while driving. Motorist will also engage in other activities apart from driving. For example, drivers will text when driving, and they will dial numbers. Drivers will receive calls and converse with the recipient for long periods. Again, driving demands your full attention, and your concentration needed when talking on the phone. However, it means that the driver has to divert his attention to the conversation, which leads to less concentration on the road. On the contrary, one can therefore connect motorist’s accidents and cell phone usage while driving.