Persuasive Essay On Texting And Driving

1316 Words3 Pages

We live in a world where technology and the internet have taken over our lives, essentially providing a constant flow of information and entertainment to anyone who has a smart phone, tablet, or computer in their possession. While there is no denying technology offers many benefits to people within the business, political, financial, medical, academic and entertainment worlds, technological advances regarding handheld devices are not without problems; the biggest of which is texting while driving. There has been a drastic increase in texting while driving in the US over the past few years. “At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number
In Massachusetts, the fines for being caught texting and driving are as follows: 1st offense-$100, 2nd offense-$250, 3rd or subs offense-$500. While these fines have had little impact on reducing teen texting and driving, as evidenced by the increase in accidents and deaths by distracted drivers, they do provide an existing framework from which the state can easily impose the more punitive fine structure I am proposing to help combat the problem. I believe Massachusetts should impose a fee structure of $500, $750 and $1,000 for first, second and third offense, respectively. Additionally, as most offenders know it is difficult for law enforcement to catch them texting while driving, the state must implement legislatures that result in both increased insurance rates based on the number of texting offenses a person has (similar to speeding ticket calculations) and imposes an immediate 30 day license suspension for 2nd time offenders and loss of license for 6 months for 3rd time offenders. These penalties and laws against using your phone while driving should be implemented on the whole country, not just states who choose to put them in place, so that individuals can safely travel across state lines. Unfortunately, these laws are hard to enforce as police cannot always catch people texting while driving, and because most people
Given the difficulty police are having in catching and issuing citations to people who are texting and driving, the federal government must assist the states in their efforts to reduce the problem by placing federal regulations on automobile manufacturers. These regulations would require all cars manufactured from 2017 on to include this feature that prevents drivers from using their phone while their car is running. Ironically, the solution to the problem that was created by technology may lie in technology itself. This regulation would remove the driver’s choice of whether or not to follow the no texting and driving laws, removing one potentially deadly distraction from teenage drivers.This alternative would be the most effective out of all of them. If this device and application were required for all new car owners, it would vastly decrease the amount of people texting and driving, simply because they could not make the wrong choice. From a feasibility standpoint, it should not be difficult to require all car manufacturers to install this feature in its cars just as other safety measures are required, such as a seatbelt or

Persuasive Essay On Texting And Driving
899 Words | 2 Pages
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% ...
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David Hosansky's Article On Two Sides Of Texting While Driving
1106 Words | 3 Pages
This article mainly focuses on the solution for texting while driving. While the majority of people will admit that texting while driving is dangerous, they will still participate in the act. With the auto industry getting more and more advanced, it starts to create more opportunities for drivers to get distracted. For a long time, we have had many of things that can be a distraction. What is going to help people become less distracted drivers? Parents already have the option to download an app for their kids that notify the parents when their child is going over a certain speed
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Excuses For Distracted Driving
1043 Words | 3 Pages
These sort of programs have shown immense help in the number of fatalities on the road today. Along with these kinds of programs there have been several laws put in place that ban cell phone use while driving. In Syracuse, N.Y. there have been strict laws against handheld cellphone use and texting and driving, and they have been extremely effective (Copeland, 1). Law enforcement saw over 70% of texting driving put to a halt. Transportation secretary Ray LaHood said, “Over half a million people are said to be injured, and thousands more are killed in distracted driving accidents” (Copeland, 1).Another very effective campaign that will probably soon be known world-wide is “Phone in one hand, Ticket in the other”(Copeland, 1). Most people in todays world would be familiar with the “click it or ticket” phrase that has allowed people to be reminded to put on your seat belt. Just as this campaign reminds people to wear a seat belt the “Phone in one hand, Ticket in the other” is designed to remind drivers that it is far too dangerous to be interacting with your phone while driving (Copeland,
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The Message That Kills: Texting While Driving
614 Words | 2 Pages
Texting while driving is national growing trend, and it is quickly becoming one of the country’s top killers. Most drivers think they can manage to text and drive and still stay safe on the roads; however, the numbers do not lie! According to the National Safety Council, 1,600,000 accidents per year are caused by someone who was texting and driving. Laws and penalties for this act are too lax, and tougher laws should be enforced.
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Consequences of Texting behind the Wheel
830 Words | 2 Pages
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.
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Aldous Huxley's Vision Of The Future Is Still Relevant Today
877 Words | 2 Pages
Texting/using a cell phone while operating a vehicle is one of the front runners in technology related deaths/injuries. Statistics show that 660,000 people per day attempt to use a cell phone while behind the wheel, and that 1.6 million of reported car crashes per year are linked to cell phones. Eleven adolescents lose their lives every day due to texting and driving (“Cell Phone Use While Driving”), these are young lives that are being cut short due to recklessness and a lack of concern for others and even themselves. This is what technology has done to society. It is obvious that people today believe that liking an Instagram picture or texting back their best friend is more important than another person’s safety and well being. People have begun to put others in danger in order for them to fulfill their own electronic addictions. Humans once loved and cared for each other, now they love and care for their cell
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Persuasive Essay On Texting And Driving
2405 Words | 5 Pages
This is also why I think they should just ban all use of cell phones. “13% of drivers age 18-20 involved in car wrecks admitted to texting or talking on the phone at the time of the crash. 34% of teens say they have texted while behind the wheel of the car, 82% of Americans age 16-17 own a cell phone. 52% say they have talked on the phone while driving.” (Texting ad driving Blog) These numbers could be reduced if we applied the changes I have stated to the
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Essay On Texting While Driving
1171 Words | 3 Pages
Car crashes due to texting while driving is a widespread epidemic that has taken our nation by storm for more than a decade ago. People may think they can safely write text messages on their phone while driving, or just do not think there is any real risk in the act does not matter. Texting while driving must be done away with at all costs. To achieve this fit, our government must take action by adding uniformity to the laws and impose punishments on the offenders. Similarly, it is also important that the government provides sufficient educational programs. This will help spread the message about the dangers of tapping the phone’s keyboard while behind the wheel.
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Texting and Driving
1004 Words | 3 Pages
“It’s the number one killer of teens” (Clark, 2013). A war is waging on throughout the streets of America. Everyday people risk their lives by driving. The enemy? Texting while driving. It is the act of composing, sending, or reading text messages while behind the wheels of a running vehicle. Driving under this influence is extremely careless and dangerous to others and is likely to cause accidents resulting in injuries or deaths. This problem is on the rise because the only ones with the power to make an impact against ending this war are law makers and law enforcement. The truth of the matter is law officials are losing the battle against people sending text messages while driving a car on the road. Law officials are mulling over the situation at hand, not doing enough to fight against the selfish crime. The laws regarding texting and driving are not fierce enough and law enforcement does not successfully apprehend the issue amongst drivers. “A Triple A study that found 9 out of 10 of its Arizona members want a texting and driving ban, but for the last 6 years, state lawmakers have rejected the bans” (Monier, 2013). Citizens desire more protection against this selfless crime, and more needs to be done. Law officials need to create laws regarding texting and driving including harsh penalties that would prove effective and then strictly enforce those laws on the streets because it is their sworn oath and duty to protect the citizens they represent from this unhandled danger.
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The Solution to Texting and Driving
1158 Words | 3 Pages
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...
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A Minute Saved: Practice Safe Driving
744 Words | 2 Pages
Distracted driving is an issue that needs to be addressed. “When drivers who had an accident or near-accident due to distracted driving were asked, many said they would repeat the hazardous behavior” (Brody). Many states have enacted texting bans, but that does not seem to be enough. In survey conducted by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 67 percent of drivers surveyed admitted to talking on the phone while driving and 21 percent had been texted (Richtel). One solution might be to require drivers to stow devices such as cell phones. If driver seen with access to a distracting device a citation should be issue. When people are reprimanded with monetary losses, they tend to change their behavior. Multiple offenders should be subject to the loss of their driving privileges similar speeders. Common sense, with distraction laws, should come into play. It would seem arbitrary to give drivers tickets if their passengers were using any such devices like cell phones. If distracted driving laws existed, insurance compa...
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Texting While Driving Thesis Statement
298 Words | 1 Pages
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.
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Persuasive Essay: The Dangers Of Texting And Driving
1044 Words | 3 Pages
In some states there are no laws passed to make texting behind the wheel illegal and in others the fine is as little as $75. It saddens me that someone’s life can be worth as little as $75 and saving a little time each day. So if our lawmakers don’t see a real problem and our teens don’t want to recognize the risk, who else can take responsibility for this huge
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Persuasive Essay On Texting And Driving
827 Words | 2 Pages
People are constantly fixated on their phones, checking social media and texting and they seem to have become accustom to doing this wherever they please, whether it be at dinner, at work or in the car. The use of a cell phone while driving is extremely dangerous and destructive to not only the driver, but also everyone driving around them. Every year, twenty one percent of fatal car crashes involving teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 were the result of using their cell phone while behind the wheel. This statistic is expected to grow as much as four percent every year. But, texting and driving is not just a problem among teen drivers. One-fifth of adult drivers in the United States also report sending text messages while driving (“Cell Phone & Texting Accidents”). To help fight this problem, the government needs much take a stronger stance and try to stand up against texting and driving to make the idea a bigger deal and implement harsher punishments, as well as stressing the damaging effects of texting and driving to children and teens early on in
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Persuasive Essay On Texting While Driving
783 Words | 2 Pages
In today’s society, texting and driving have become an issue. Many teens and adults, have formed a habit of using their cell phones while driving. Texting while driving can be very distracting, which can cause many accidents to happen. In trying to prevent this, new laws have been passed, making the use of cell phones while operating a car, illegal. However, too many people do not respect this law. People should stop getting distracted while driving because texting while driving is taking people’s attention on the road, accidents are getting higher and is comparable to drunk driving.
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Persuasive Essay On Texting And Driving