The Negativity of Texting Where would we be without text messaging? What would our lives be like without text messaging? Text messaging or texting has become evolved into a part of our daily life. We depend on it for most if not pretty much all of the way we communicate. From sending messages, pictures to videos and so much more. “The first text message was sent in 1992 from Neil Papworth, a former developer at Sema Group Telecoms” (Erickson). “Nokia was the first handsets manufacture whose total GSM phone line in 1993 supported user-sending of SMS text messages” […]. “In 1997, Nokia became the first manufacturer to produce a mobile phone with a full keyboard: the Nokia 9000i Communicator” […]. Like any new technology, growth of texting was …show more content…
It has become so addictive that has also become a safety hazard issue. There have been many reported deaths due to the cause of driving and texting. It has gotten so bad that even the public, people crossing the road have gotten injured, hurt or even died. The numbers have been growing every year and despite the numbers and the dangers of it people still continue to do it time after time year after year. The facts of texting and driving are shocking enough. “Drivers who are texting behind the wheel have 23% higher chances of causing a crash, which is equivalent to downing four beers and then getting behind the wheel” (Snyder)! Even when the dangers are clear, and the facts are out there we continue to text and drive or read our texts while driving. Here are other facts that are quite shocking when it comes to texting and driving. “11 teens die every year as a result of testing while driving” […]. “21% of teens drivers involved in fatal accidents were distracted by their cell phones” […]. “The National Safety Council reports that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year, and nearly 330,000 injuries” […]. What’s even more shocking and surprising is that not only driving and texting is dangerous but walking and texting is as dangerous if not more dangerous than driving and texting. “A study at Stony Brook University found that when people used …show more content…
Although it is considered as the best way of communication from messages, pictures, to videos and more it is also the most dangerous way of communication when it comes to driving and walking while texting. The numbers are not only shocking but also growing year by year. What can we do about this, some car makers have started to install devices to block texting while driving by installing hands free options in their cars? Hands free devices are helpful to drives since they can use their voice to text and talk then having to type or hold their phone while driving. When it comes to walking and texting it comes down to the person and self-control not to text while walking in high traffic areas and while walking where cars might be present. On the side of health texting can cause eye strains and headaches, even shoulder and back problems. Even though it’s something that’s hard for all of us to do, limiting texting could be the best thing when it comes to safety and health issues. Not only does texting affect health and safety but also children and adults cause it pretty much takes over our lives. It can cause emotional stress and unneeded tension from what in written in the texts to why people haven’t replied to texts and so
Over the past two decades the use of cell phones has grown significantly and statistic from the past two years have proven that driving while on the phone or texting is becoming one of the leading causes of traffic accidents today. In 2011, a survey of more than 2800 American adults revealed that even thought they know that using a cell phone or texting while driving is distracting, they do it anyway, and teens surveyed admit that texting while driving is their number one distraction. "Each year, 21% of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of cell phone usage. This result has been expected to grow as much as 4% ...
Phones use while driving is one of the worst habits to have. Drivers who text while driving are twice as likely to crash than some who is drinking and driving (New Approaches to End Texting While Driving). Teenagers believe they are the best drivers and can multitask while driving. In order to text while driving you have to be looking at your phone. If you are looking phone you are not taking precaution to what in front of you. People think looking down for one second will not hurt. In one second anything could happen such as hitting someone or even running off the road. Other people ar...
The Harvard Center of Risk Analysis preformed a study, they studied the road and people who text while they drive. Results show that texting behind the wheel causes 330,000 injuries and 2,600 deaths a year. People who talk or text on the phone are just as impaired or even more impaired as a drunk driver. A study was performed at the University of Utah, it shows that the participants crashed when they were texting while driving but when they were intoxicated, they did not crash. This shows that texting while driving takes your focus off of the road and into the conversation you are having on the phone. Also, the University of Utah has proven that hand free devices do not make driving any safer. But, driving with passengers and talking to them makes drivers safer. Passengers help inform drivers of possible risks on the
The cell phone provider known as AT&T has produced several commercials to show the dangers of texting and driving. These are designed to grab people’s attention and to touch them in a small place in there heart to the point that they no longer feel the need to pick up their phone in the car. They stress over and over the dangers of reading just one text. There have even been safety precautions placed in teens vehicles that record them as well as the road while they are driving to catch any of this distracted behavior. 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 has owned 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 loosing someone they love, but we still to 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
Nearly everyone will admit that texting and driving is not only dangerous for the driver and passengers it is dangerous to other drivers on the road as well as pedestrians. Most will still do it. Texting and cell phone use has literally become somewhat of an addiction. Cell phones can be found by bedsides, in the hands of people walking, even on desks of many students while in class, who should be paying attention to instructors. Why is the fear of missing a message causing drivers to continue this dangerous behavior? How
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
Texting and driving is a deadly issue in today 's generation. Using our cellphones while driving is a damaging habit among teens and adults. This habit caused many catastrophic accidents and deaths. Texting while driving has made the roads unsafe for other drivers. Many states recognize the immense threat resulting from texting and driving and have placed a ban on this epidemic. While many people realize texting and driving is hazardous others believe that the ban is useless and not strong enough of a solution.
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...
How often do we text? Text messaging is a very useful way to communicate; but, there are occasions where texting is unnecessary, for example in meetings, watching movies, interacting with family, and even in the shower. However, while texting can be overused, it can also help us get to know one another in easier and faster ways. In Natalie Y. Moore’s article “The Rule of Thumbs: Love in the Age of Texting," she explains how the use of texting it is slowly destroying the love between two people (Moore, 1). Although, some people might agree with Moore points of view, when she argues that texting is killing romance and it should be reserved for some notifications, such as “I’m running late;” others might disagree with this idea
Texting and driving kills! A cell phone can be a bad distraction for anyone, especially if they are driving. Ever since the automobile was invented, there have been many distractions that drivers and those around them have had to worry about. ¨People take their hands off the wheel for many reasons.”(Three types of driving distractions.)People have been seen putting on makeup using their rear view mirror while driving down the road. Some people like to eat a 4-course meal while driving. People have been seen eating using a fork and spoon while driving. Another thing people have been seen doing is actually reading a book or magazine while behind the wheel! Distractions while driving may not have been as big a deal when the automobile was first
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
Step onto any college campus and take a look around. You will find clumps of students standing around in circles, phones in hand, typing away. What is it they are doing? Texting. Ever since the first text message was sent in 1993, the use of text messaging as a means of communication has spread like wild fire, especially amongst the adolescent generation. And with this new form of communication a new language has appeared; text-speak, the shortening of common words into abbreviations and acronyms (Drouin 49). While texting and the text-speak language seem to have been welcomed by many, what affect is this new technology having on the way we communicate? Is it possible that texting is negatively affecting our ability to use formal written communication, or is this idea just a myth perpetuated by negative media attention? And what changes has texting brought to the way we communicate person-to person? Are these changes positive, negative, or perhaps a mixture of both?
Texting while driving has become a known danger nowadays, but not very many people know that texting while walking can be unsafe as well.... ... middle of paper ... ... A. “Mobile Phones and Society-How Being Constantly Connected Impacts Our Lives.”