Dangers Of Distracted Driving Essay

Distracted driving is very dangerous to everyone on the road ways.  Distracted driving is engaging in non-driving activities that distracts the driver from the primary task of driving (SIRS).  In 2015, 3,477 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver (CDC).  Each year about 421,000 people are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver (Edgar Snyder).   Drivers would not be texting if their message was not very important.   Distracted driving should be illegal and security devices in vehicles should be implemented in order to save lives.

In this article “Distracted Driving”, many distractions are mentioned other than just cell phone usage, such as changing the radio station or driving with kids in the back seat. It is stated that the dangers from distracted driving are because of the decrease in brain function and inability to pay full attention to the road. These practices lead to wrecks and in many cases death.

Distracted driving is a major problem on the roads today. Not only is distracted driving dangerous for the driver himself but also for other people who happen to be on the same roads as them. The Annual AAA Foundation traffic safety culture index reports that 81.1% of drivers believe distraction is a serious problem and is a behavior that makes them feel unsafe

Laws should be created and enforced for people who are texting while driving because it increases death rates, accidents, and more money will be paid to repair the car. Distracted drivers could be driving while eating, talking to passengers, or using the GPS. However, texting while driving is considered to be the most hazardous act. When people use their phones while driving they are putting their life and the people around them at risk. According to statistics compiled by the Department of Transportation in 2018, 3,477 people died and another 391,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes caused by drivers who were distracted because they were texting or using cell phones.

The risks of distracted driving are great and lead to unfathomable results. According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), there are three main types of distracted driving. The first is visual - taking your eyes off of the road. The second is manual- taking your hands off of the wheel, and the third is cognitive - taking your mind off of driving (CDCP). While all of these exist amongst distracted drivers, the major distraction for most people is visual and manual. For example, whether an individual is changing the radio or the most common and dangerous thing, texting; particularly because texting involves all three forms. It involves

The amount of car accidents that happen each year continue to increase. This continues to happen because of the number of people who consistently drive distracted everyday. This is due to a surplus of reasons, however, many fall subject to driving distracted because they prioritize their cell phones more than what is happening on the road in front of them.

Tom Vanderbilt, author of “Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What it Says About us)” claims that text messaging while driving, or “distracted driving” is comparable to drunk driving in the 1950s. He says “The Science is clear, the laws were becoming clearer, but the culture against drunken driving hadn’t manifested” (Politico). I agree with Vanderbilt; it’s clear that distracted driving puts drivers and passengers at significant risk, yet laws are only now starting to appear concerning the issue, and it’s not yet culturally unacceptable.

According to Distracted Driving.gov, The Official US Government Website for Distracted Driving, 3,179 people were killed, and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers in 2014. AT&T's Teen Driver Survey states that 97% of teens agree that texting while driving is dangerous, yet 43% do it anyway, as posted on DoSomething.org

WARNING!! There is currently a dangerous epidemic outbreak of accidents caused by distracted driving all across the United States. Many believe that this outbreak only affects teenagers. Although, according to The Texas Department of Transportation in 2015 there has been over 105,000 of these accidents deals with teenagers and adults as the driver due to distracted driving. Safe driving is described as a complex procedure that requires 100 percent of focus and concentration. While, distractive driving is defined as any time the driver takes their eyes off the road for even a split second due to any distraction. These distractions can range from eating to using any electronic device and even talking to others inside and outside the car. There are countless of cases after cases about drivers being distracted and getting into fatal car

Distracted driving is an increasing problem in the United States and among younger drivers. According to reports, distracted driving is similar to drunk driving because it diverts the person’s attention away from driving. Every year, thousands of people die from distracted driving. With laws, education, and campaigns could reduce the amount of deaths per year ("Facts and Statistics").

Texting and driving is being blamed for most teen accidents in recent years when in fact there are many other reasons for these accidents that have been around for decades. Instead of addressing this problem as “distracted driving” and covering many of the reasons for these teen accidents it is being pin pointed on one activity, but by doing this, it is ignoring other issues that need to be considered. Pinpointing texting as the cause of more teen accidents is easier to do because the other driving issues are not as easily controlled, for example, radios, DVD players, GPS systems, food, and people. Texting and driving is not safe, but should we focus on it as a campaign when there are clearly other factors to consider such as vehicle components,

In our fast-paced world, people often attempt to multitask. While multitasking works great at times, multitasking while driving leads to distracted driving. Unfortunately, distracted driving can lead to car wrecks, some of which result in fatalities. While not all driving distraction can be completely eliminated, there are several things you can do to avoid becoming a distracted driver.

“In a split second you could ruin your future, injure or kill others, and tear a hole in the heart of everyone who loves you,” (Heit). This specific quote shows how the results of distracted driving not only affects you, but also those around you. Distracted driving has been a serious concern for many years. This subject has been an issue because of the dangers it brings to the safety of others. One major type of distracted driving includes texting and driving.

Imagine being blindfolded for the length of a football field while driving. This would not feel very safe, right? Well, five second is the average time your eyes are off the road while sending or reading a text. When traveling at 55 mph, that is enough time to cover the length of a football field. Plus, the average amount of time it takes to get into a crash is only three seconds. 11% of all drivers under 20 that were involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest population of distracted drivers. It is not just teens, adults are also breaking the law while driving. 49% of adults say they have been passengers in a car when the driver was sending or reading texts on their cell phone. Reaching for a phone, dialing, texting and other uses of portable devices increases the risk of getting into a crash by three times. As of 2011, about 60% of drivers use cell phones while driving. There is obviously a huge chance of getting into a wreck, whether you are the one texting or not. It is not just the decision to not text and drive, but the decision to refuse to get in a car where the driver has their cell phone

Distracted driving is an issue everywhere. The number one form of distracted driving is using a phone, and it is becoming more of an issue everyday. According to an article “driver distractions” 80% of crashes and 65% of near crashes involve some form of driver distraction that occurred three seconds before the vehicle crash. The main causes that lead to the crashes are reaching for moving objects inside the vehicle, looking at an object or event outside the vehicle, reading, or cell phone use. Cell phone use is the number one reason for distracted driver crashes so, it is the topic that will be covered.