Driving While Intexticated In the past ten years, texting and driving has become a major issue on U.S. roads. The problem has increased as smartphones have become more affordable and accessible (Full Coverage Auto Insurances). Even though 95% of drivers would agree that texting and driving is wrong, 71% of people admit to texting and driving (It Can Wait). Distracted driving is driving a vehicle while engaging in an activity that has the potential to distract the driver from the task of driving (Dictionary.com). Distracted driving is detrimental in today’s society; therefore, we need to apply some safety features that will keep everyone protected at all times. There are many helpful solutions to this problem like apps and features for …show more content…
When you are texting and driving, you take your eyes off the road for 5 seconds, which if you’re driving at 55 mph is the equivalent of driving across a football field without looking at the road (Texting and Driving Safety). As of June 2017, 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands banned texting and driving (CDC). According to Knowledge Center, Washington was the first state to put a ban on texting and driving in 2007. Four states (Arizona, Montana, Texas and Missouri) are without bans on texting and driving. Texas and Missouri have a ban on texting and driving for novice drivers. Arizona and Montana currently have no ban at all. However, Arizona’s ban on texting and driving will go into effect on July 1, 2018 (Knowledge Center.org). Distracted driving is part of the driver’s education course offered by private and public schools. People most at risk when texting and driving are drivers under the age of 20 (CDC). Teen girls are more likely to text while driving than teen boys (Full Coverage Auto Insurances). Teenage drivers have a 400% higher chance of being involved in a car crash while texting and driving than adults (IceBike). Teens have the reaction time of a 70-year-old with distracted driving (Teen Driver Source). Texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving. A North Carolina mother lost her son to texting and driving. Her son, Gage
Being able to drive is a dream come true, that can easily become a nightmare that you are never wake up from. The state of Florida is trying to make drivers aware of the dangers that come with distracted driving. Texting and driving is one of the biggest problems America is facing at the moment. Many people, especially teenagers, are dying from distractive driving. The state of Florida decided that they wanted to help with this problem and made it illegal to text and drive. They have also put up billboards all over the state to remind drivers about the law and the consequences of distractive driving. Not only could you be harming yourself but you could also harm others if you decide to text and drive. Do us all a favor and put your
Texting while driving puts everyone in danger because it takes your attention away from the task of driving. According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in 2015 there were 3,477 deaths and another 391,000 injuries caused by distracted driving in the United States, and that’s just in one year. While this
Driving”. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts your attention away from driving. This may include texting/talking on the phone, eating and drinking,
First of all texting while driving is a dangerous and risky thing to do in our society. Texting while driving is illegal in almost all states. People are realizing how dangerous it can be and making it illegal. In an article called distracted driving only two states, Arizona and Montana had no bans on cell phones while driving and only one state had a partial ban which was Missouri. Everybody else had a full ban on texting and driving. In an article called 10 Programmatic Reasons that will make you stop texting and driving today, it said “As the correlation between auto accidents and texting while driving escalates, many municipalities and states are passing legislation making it illegal to text and drive.” This basically is explaining how texting while driving is becoming illegal in almost every state. The punishment for the first couple of times will just be a $100 fine but will increase if you're a repeat offender.. But do you really want to spend $100 on a fine when you could spend it on a new pair of shoes or your kid? Texting while driving is illegal and you can be fined.
According to texting and driving statistics, every year, around 330,000 people die every year from texting and driving. This is around half of all the people who pick up their phones in the first place. Being on your phone draws your attention from the road, to your phone. Doisomething.org states, “When you text and drive you are 23 times more likely to get into a crash.” All it takes is a simple act of not watching the road. Being unaware while driving can put you, and other's lives at risk or injury or even death. This can affect your future, others around you, your friends, and your family. Texting and driving is a very big deal. Don't Text Drive states “5 seconds is the minimal amount of time a driver takes their eyes off the road. If you are traveling at 55 miles an hour, this would equal the length of a football field of not
“Text messaging … had the longest duration of eyes-off-road time of 4.6 seconds at a six second interval. This equates to a driver traveling the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour without looking at the roadway.” This statement was made by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute when they did a texting while driving study (“Skip Menu”). Texting while driving has become a large problem in the United States and it is growing. There are about 1,600,000 accidents per year as a result of texting while driving. Texting while driving has become a bigger problem for teenagers than drinking while intoxicated. In an article Delthia Ricks wrote for Newsday, she says:
According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), twenty states have banned handheld devices. Most states have already made texting illegal. I believe that making texting illegal is a start to a greater change, but more action needs to be taken. For example, the other thirty states need to work toward enforcing laws that ban texting for all drivers -- not just novice drivers, school bus drivers, etc. (GHSA). In regards to texting, Washington was the first state to pass a texting ban in 2007. This is a step in the right direction, but more states of this Nation need to be moving forward like Washington
Pulling off to the road shoulder to send a text or make a call decreases the peril of crashing, according to Liz Soltan. “Texting while driving is the riskiest type of driver distraction, making drivers 23 times more likely of getting into a safety critical event.” (http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/digital-distraction) Ontario Education Driving School in Waterloo has educated young drivers on the dangers of texting and driving, and how to restrict the use of devices. “Cell phones are right up there with drugs and alcohol as far as causing crashes.” Steve Guarisco said Vice President of OEDS (Ontario Education Driving School). “If you're checking a text (while driving), or worse, writing a text, you might as well have had two or three beers at that moment.” (http://ontarioeducationdrivingschool.com) Looking down for 5 seconds while driving 55 mph to send one text is the length of a one football field without paying attention to the road. (http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/digital-distraction) The life of everyone associated in a texting and driving situation is at risk if the driver does not have the knowledge and understanding on safety. In addition, being able to recognize the smart decision, can decrease the mindset of using the device, and avoid putting people's live at
These days almost everyone owns a cell phone. Texting has become a worldwide phenomenon and people can’t seem to put their phone down, even when they’re driving. Most states in the US have illegalized texting and driving, but four states are still allowing this to happen. Texas, Montana, Missouri, and Arizona have yet to make this dangerous combination illegal. Texting and driving injures about 330,000 people per year.
Texting while driving takes away the one thing that absolutely everyone counts on while behind the wheel, vision. No matter where the phone is placed, whether it is on the dash board or on the steering wheel, one’s eyes are not where they need to be. People’s eyes are supposed to be on the road at all times. Texting takes that away and it doesn’t matter how quick someone thinks they are, there is always a possibility. Just for that split second of reading a message that is so important, a crash could happen. Eyes are the most important thing needed when driving and when not on the road a lot of harm can be caused.
Almost every teenager who can owns a car has one and almost 50% of them do text while driving. Texting while driving distract the awareness you have on the road ahead of you. There has been some research about driving while texting. The research shows that your reaction speed is reduced when you are doing this dangerous act (Friedeman N. Pag). When you are texting while driving you most likely are not going to notice the car right in front of you for you to hit. Another reason why you should not do this while you are driving is that you are not aware of signs in front. Results of missing the signs that you might drive into a closed road or even into a place that leads to nowhere in the woods.
2. 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. This causes a driver to crash 23x the normal rate. Over 10,000 injuries nationwide due to texting while driving have been reported between 2007-2009. (http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html)
Driving while driving has become a major problem across the country. We are losing too many mothers, fathers, son, and daughters due to drivers being distracted with their cells texting. Nineteen states including the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) have banned it. The Transportation
Texting and driving is against the law because “In 2012 Alabama became the 38th state to ban texting while driving.” (http://www.drivinglaws.org/alabama.php) also “Novice drivers in Alabama- drivers aged 16 or 17 with an intermediate license less than 6 months- are banned from from using cell-phones (both handheld and hands-free) and, like all drivers, banned from texting. Even the bus drivers are banned from texting while driving.”(http://www.drivinglaws.org/alabama.php) Not only that but there are also fines you can get for texting and driving and those penalties are “Fines for texting and driving are $25 (first offense) then $50 and $75. A driver will also be penalized with two points against the driver’s license. Alabama’s cell phone and texting laws are considered “primary” laws. A primary law means that an officer can pull a novice driver for texting without having to witness some other violation. That is, the officer sees the novice driver texting and simply issues a citation.” (http://www.drivinglaws.org/alabama.php)
Texting while driving has developed into a growing danger amongst many drivers. Driving requires full attention at all times; moreover, texting impairs the drivers’ abilities, causing his or her reaction time to decrease dramatically. When his or her full attention is on the phone rather than on the road, the driver is unable to witness the traffic; therefore, causing a collision due to lack of focus. When both hands are on the phone texting, the driver easily loses control of the vehicle because of his or her inability to concentrate on the road. Improper driving is an unnecessary risk to