I would totally encourage people to stop texting while driving. For drivers 15-19 years of age involved in fatal crashes, 21 percent of the distracted drivers were distracted by the use of cell phones (Henry, Mark 2007). Some people think it is better for them to make a law about banning call phones while driving. Staying focused is the main thing. Taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds will cause you to have a lethal crash.
Some states have already put a stop to cell phones, but not every state. To prevent fatal accidents, all states should illegalize the usage of phones while driving. Some believe banning cell phones is not necessary. Roff from U.S. News responded, “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2011 there were 3,000 fatal accidents resulting from ‘distracted driving,’ which could be anything from talking on a cell phone to eating to putting on make up to screaming at the kids for making too much noise to fiddling with the GPS system in heavy traffic. By putting the blame on a single technology rather than on the bad choices made by individual drivers, where it belongs, LaHood is missing the mark.
Most people are against this action is because it causes many car accidents every year. Did you know that texting while driving is one of the longest eyes-off-the road time of distracted driving activities? According to DWI, text messaging makes a crash up to 23 times more likely. While other activities like, dialing, talking or listening or reaching for a device is less likely. While driving, adults and teenagers cannot resist the urge to pick up their cell phone and send a text or respond to one.
Texting while driving causes you to get to close to the vehicle in front of you, not being able to brake in time, and losing control. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration texting while driving is comparable to consuming four beers( Over the Edge 2014). Is that text/phone call while driving really worth a life? Example when driving down the interstate usually one runs into one of the big billboards and last week it read: 222 TRAFFIC DEATHS THIS YEAR, GET YOU HEAD OUT OF YOUR APPS AND DRIVE
Second, people can become so wrapped up in their conversations that their ability to concentrate on driving decreases. Lastly, people are constantly reaching for their cell phones to make or answer calls, making it impossible to keep both hands on the wheel. Adding to research that suggests that cell phone use while driving is hazardous, Progressive Insurance found that 46 percent of 837 drivers who used cell phones while driving swerved into another lane, 23 percent tailgated another vehicle, 18 percent almost hit another car, and 10 percent ran a red light. Of those surveyed, 90 percent admitted to using their phone while driving alone. Cell phone use while driving is basically the same as driving after drinking alcohol, both cause the driver to have poor speed maintenance, poor lane control, slow starts at signaled intersections, abrupt lane changes, sudden stops and cutting off other drivers.
To be exact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that “more than 15 people are killed and more than 1,200 people are injured in crashes that were reported to involve a distracted driver”. Victims of these preventable car accidents sustained some minor injuries but others suffer from permanent damage, or even die. My claim is that distracted driving is claiming the lives of more pedestrians and cyclists. I think that the law banning texting while driving is a great idea. Drivers that continuingly text or use their phone while driving are still putting those around them at risk.
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.
About 421,000 people were hurt in a car crash involving a distracted driver during the year of 2012. Overall, to stop wrecks that engage in texting is to either let others text for you or wait until you have reached you designated place to text back. How has the cell phone ban law effect drivers’ behavior? Study show that people who talk on cell phones tend to be more unsafe drivers, says a new study from MIT that included a test drive. Studies also state that you can take the driver away from the cell phone but you cannot take the behavior away from the driver “www.news.sciencemag.org/2012/08/why-cellphone-bans-dont-work”.
Driving to work in your car you see traffic starting to back up which is not good, because you’re already running a little behind. A sign reads “left lane open, only.” Slowly making your way along you see the cause; An accident. Four cars piled up, and there are numerous emergency vehicles present. It looks bad. Finally breaking through, you make it in to work to turn on the news to find out the accident was caused by a driver texting on their cell phone.
Distracted drivers in Illinois don’t perceive the dangerous of taking their eyes of the road. Distracted driving in Illinois is so dangerous because it takes a drivers attention away from the primary task of driving. One text message or Email is a distraction for a driver because their probably texting someone at the moment or are expecting a text from someone, and are eager to read the text message. “Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration tell that When texting, drivers took their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds” (Opposing Viewpoints). Talking your eyes of the road even for a minute is extremely dangerous, a fiasco can happen even if you’re driving around the neighborhood.