Essay On Cell Phones While Driving

We all are probably aware that texting and talking on the phone is a distraction to all drivers and can be very dangerous. Also, we all know there are many other distractions besides texting and driving, and any type of technology can cause a driver to be distracted. Forty-one percent of all drivers use their hands to text in the car while driving, according to Greg Gardner (52). It can cause people to forget about pedestrians or their surrounding areas. People who are distracted often aren’t focused and don’t have both hands on the wheel. According to Bryan Wilson, people may say that cell phones are easy to be pointed out as a problem, but statistics show the damage cell phones can do to a person while they are driving (6). According to Simon Usborne, time spent not looking at the road while talking on the phone is 15% of the time (68). Also, while texting and driving the time spent not looking at the road is 30% of the time (Usborne 69). As technology improves more and more people may feel the need to use their cell phones while driving. According to Melissa Healy, cell phone use can be as dangerous as drunk driving (42). Tests should be done to compare the various ways of sober people under the influence driving also to compare the impact of texting and driving. This would give us a better understanding of just how dangerous driving and being on our phone really is.

Cell phones have become an essential part of many peoples’ lives as they are one of the main sources of communication. People are able to complete many tasks using their phones, such as making phone calls, sending and receiving e-mails, text messaging, and even snapping photos. Cell phones are not only beneficial, but they are impactful in many ways. As many positive uses there are for cell phones, cell phone usage can be undoubtedly precarious while driving. Cell phone usage while driving is many times done irresponsibly and can put the driver at risk of getting injured. In addition to the driver getting injured, innocent pedestrians could also potentially lose their lives or be crippled due to a texting person who was driving at the same time. According to The Federal Communications Commission, “over 8 people are killed and approximately 1,161 are injured daily in incidents reported as distraction-affected crashes in the United States.” Texting while driving has become the number one distraction of drivers and main cause of car crashes. These crashes could result in hundreds of thousands of people either losing their lives or experiencing life-changing injuries. Although cell phone usage is an effective way to communicate with others and to complete certain tasks, it has become problematic for drivers in recent years as it increased the risk of injury and death while driving. For these reasons, texting while driving should be illegal and punishable by law.

“Distracted driving refers to any nondriving activity that takes motorists ' attention away from the safe operation of their vehicles” (Leone). Every time a driver gets in a vehicle and decides to use a cell phone to have a conversation, either talking or texting, they put themselves and others lives in danger. The convenience a cell phone and the capabilities they offer have made them a substantial distraction and a cause of significant source of vehicle accidents and fatalities. There are three different types of distractions: visual, manual and cognitive. Cell phone use is the most dangerous distraction because it involves all three different types of distraction and plays a part in the increasing issue of distracted driving. Even

Distracted driving has been a problem for a long time. It has grown in the recent years because technology has become mobile and smaller. Ashley Gaddis from Counterpoint says, “A 2013 poll conducted by AT&T found that half of commuters admitted to texting while driving” she also says, “By 2007, one in six fatal car crashes were caused by a distracted driver, resulting in over 5,900 deaths” (n.pag.). Distracted driving can be texting while driving or talking on the phone while you are driving. There are some opposers that think that hands free technology is a good way to avoid distracted driving. Geoff Tyler states that, “Hands free devices that are suitable for use in the car can make holding a phone conversation as close as technologically possible to holding a conversation with a passenger” (n.pag.). Even though hands free technology helps you talk and text easier, you still have to take your eyes of the road to use it.

Many people, most being new drivers, believe that they are capable of giving full attention to the road while sending text messages simultaneously. Texting and driving is becoming more of a dangerous each year. In June of 2011, over 196 billion text messages were sent and/or received, which is up almost 50% more than in June of 2009 (“What” 1). While many people argue that texting and driving is not that bad, statistics do not lie. Texting and driving creates a risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted, drivers who use a hand-held device are 4 times more likely to get into accident harsh enough to injure themselves, and 40% of all American teens say that they have been in a car with someone who used a cell phone and put people in danger. Several cars today have hands free technology. Many of these newer model cars are equipped with technology that can connect your cell phone to your radio. Thus, making texting and driving more dangerous than driving while taking a phone call. When you are on the phone over the car, you do not have to look down at the screen to type anything or read anything. When you go to reply to a text message, this usually requires you to use on or both of your hands. If you are more advanced at texting, you might only need the use of one hand. Someone not so advanced may use one hand to hold the phone and the other hand to type the letters. If you have to use both of your hands to text when you are driving, then 9 times out of 10 you are using your knee to drive the car. Whether you are advanced or not so advanced, either way it goes you are taking a hand off of the wheel. In the event that someone takes their hands off of the wheel while they are driving, it will be harder for them to control the car. Lack of physical control and your reaction time can cause your

Cell phones have been proven to be a distraction to people young and old but mostly in teenagers. Driving while distracted is a factor in at least 25% of all car accidents (Nationwide). Teenagers and adults alike believe that they can multitask and text while driving. It is easily possible for your eyes to slip off the road. Therefore, instead of your eyes locking in on your phone they should be locked on watching your speed, the road, and the traffic. At the same time, while

With new technology being introduced on almost a daily basis, it needs to be decided what ways are safe to use that technology. Advanced technology has created an abundance of things that can be used while driving. The most popular technology used while driving is the cell phone. Although it was invented in the 1970s, the cell phone did not gain momentum until the 2000s. Even during its first days, the effect of a cell phone distraction was already in the spotlight (Brown, Tickner & Simmonds, 1969). Allowing people to talk wherever and whenever, it became important to ensure this technology was not harming society. Driving is a complex cognitive task. Since its use boomed in the 21st century, several road problems and accidents were linked

“In a split second you could ruin your future,injure or kill others,and tear a hole in the heart of everyone that loves you” Sharon Heit, said this after experiencing the pain of having to lose her son due to a texting while driving accident.Many drivers that use a phone behind the wheel, don’t think of the danger texting while driving.Texting while driving doesn’t only put the driver in danger,but everyone else on the road. Because of this, lives are being destroyed, people are getting hurt, and laws are being made to try to prevent this.

“A distracted driver may fail to see up to 50% of the available information in the driving environment. You may look but not actually “see” what is happening. Focus of the driver is not on the road or traffic and it becomes difficult to handle phone and vehicle at one time. Cell phones during driving also reduce the mental capacity of drivers as they fail to concentrate on minor or major activities happening around them. Cell phones distract drivers' attention resulting in comparatively slow response to traffic signals and other related traffic events. Studies have shown the fact that breaking reaction time is also slower while talking on a cell phone during driving. The perception, vision, general awareness, and concentration of the driver are impacted while communicating on a cell phone during driving. Especially during bad weather or driving on slippery roads, drivers engaging in conversation pay less attention to these areas increasing risks of fatal accidents.

Approximately 660,000 drivers try to use their cell phone while behind the wheel. Smartphones are a convenient way to stay connected with people all the time, but create a serious risk when you decide to interact with your device while driving. Statistics prove that using your phone while driving is a risk and should not be done. Cell phone distraction rates are high. The National Safety Council reports that the use of phones while driving, causes 1.6 million collisions each year.

The topic of my persuasive paper, I chose to research the issues surrounding the question, "Should regulations regarding the use of cell phones while driving be standardized?" I say absolutely, the safety of the millions of American motorists should be considered more important than convenience. The matter of this kind of behavior happens all day, every day across our nation. Especially for the young generation between the ages of 16-29 but lately. Despite the growing dependency on cell phone usage I 've also been seeing older people texting and driving to the point where they would drive entirely so slow

In 2007, 64% of US adults admitted to texting while driving despite the fact that 89% approved of laws that would ban the practice (Richtel, 242). Cell phone users, even though they are aware that texting and driving is dangerous, continue to text behind the wheel anyway. In A Deadly Wandering, Matt Richtel demonstrates that most drivers simply cannot help but be distracted by their cell phones as a result of both behavioral and neurological factors.

Although cell phones have not been around for a very long time, they have become a key part of our lives. People use their cell phones for just about everything such as: texting, talking, schedule planning, internet surfing, etc. Sometimes we can even do two or more of these things at the same time. Unfortunately, people are also choosing the wrong time to be using their cell phones: while they are driving. As a society, we have become so focused on how much we can do at one time that we are willing to risk our personal safety as well as the safety of others because we can’t put down our cell phones.

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

Driving in general can be hazardous. Driving and having such a distraction as a cell phone at ear, or ringing somewhere in a car, is ten times more dangerous. Not surprisingly, drivers who use a cell phone while driving perceive cell phone use by others as less of a threat to their safety as do non-users. A huge number of accidents caused by talking on a cell phone. During the last 5 years texting has become insanely popular. It’s a great and convenient tool because people don’t have to call person to just say ‘ok’ on that dinner invitation. The worst part is that many people still think that texting while driving just that ‘ok’ is ok. Unfortunately, even with traffic police enforcing those ‘no cellphone’ laws, individuals still neglect those simple safety concerns. People need to start understanding themselves how dangerous it is.