Essay On Distracted Driving

Although distracted driving is a problem for all drivers, it specifically is a major problem for teenagers. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of death for American teens. When it comes to distracted driving, young people are the most likely to text and talk behind the wheel ("Distracted Driving Facts"). In Idaho between the years of 2010 and 2014, the age group 15-19 experienced the most crashes, with the age group 20-24 coming second. Teenagers also contributed to 10% of fatal car crashes and a little over 15% of serious injury car crashes ("Distracted Crash

Distracted driving is the leading cause of car accidents in America, followed by speeding, then drunk driving. A study performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTAS) found that 80% of car crashes were a direct result of distracted driving. There are three types of distractions for drivers: visual, cognitive, and manual. Cell phone usage whilst driving meets all three criteria for a distracted driver. When a person is using a phone they will take their eyes away from the road to look at the device (visual), they will think about the content of what they are looking at and take their mind off of the road (cognitive), and they will also take their hands off of the wheel to use the device (manual). There are many other reasons that can be attributed to distracted driving, like applying make-up or loud passengers in the car, but cell phone usage is becoming a rapidly growing concern, especially with younger drivers. The NHTAS identified that drivers under the age of 20 make up the highest proportion of distracted drivers that were involved in fatal crashes.

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.

A distracted driver is anyone who diverts their attention from driving by either talking or texting, talking or performing any other multitasking activity on a mobile device while driving. on a mobile device eitherRegardless if the device is a hand-held hands on or hand-freeoff or multitasking while driving. All distractions are dangerous, but text messaging is the most hazardous because it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver (Distraction.govDistracted Driving, 2013). Regardless of the ageage, sex, or expertise of a driver; a distracted driver is a danger to society. When we drive distractedFor the distracted driver, the result is the same, and it is just an accident waiting to happen. The fact is that, and the growing number of life changing accidents is inis on the rise. This practice does not only affect the driver but “all distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety” (Distracted Driving, 2013).

Distracted driving occurs when a driver operates a motor vehicle while engaged in another activity that divides his or her attention (Distracted ).

One of the biggest rites of passages in the United States at the age of 16 is obtaining a driver’s license. The freedom to roam the open road and explore the world around you in most cases is a joyous occasion. At 16, a young inexperienced driver is constantly conveyed that driving is a privilege and one must use caution or that privilege will be taken away. However, over the past few years one of the growing problems in United States not only affects young drivers but drivers of all ages. Distracted driving is a growing problem in the United States that affects not only people of all ages but race, and gender as well.

Distracted driving poses an immense problem across the United States, and the issue only seems to continue growing. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “In 2015 alone, 3,477 people were killed” in cases involving distracted driving, and of those killed, “teens were the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of fatal crashes” (“Distracted Driving”, n.d.). These terrifying statistics cannot be ignored. Distracted driving is a national epidemic, and unless society addresses the problem properly and efficiently, the risky driving behavior will continue to plague our streets, endangering peoples’ lives and leading to more fatalities.

It was a fine night in 2007 after one teenager was driving five others home from prom when the car just immediately stopped with a huge crash. It was 2 a.m. in the morning while one distracted driver and five teens sitting in the back seat. Whatever it may have been, “the crash was caused by drowsiness or distraction, or both” (Copeland). The driver may have been using their phone to get home without any knowledge of what they were doing. All five of the teenagers were ejected out of the car and one female, Lacey, who was not driving, was killed. Even after the death of Lacey, her parents regret not giving her the information about road rules and distractions. This is many of the stories that may not catch anyone's eye even though it is one of the most commons ways for injuries and deaths.

According to Ashley Gaddis from Counterpoint, “From 1999 to 2008, nearly fifty-two thousand people were killed in car crashes caused by distracted drivers” (n.pag.). Distracted driving started when technology became mobile and handheld. Many people have died and gotten injured from people not paying attention to the road. This problem has been growing as technology advances. Distracted driving is a big problem and there needs to be stronger penalties and laws in place to deter people from distracted driving.

Nearly nine in 10 teenage drivers have engaged in distracted driving even though they know that their actions increase their risk of getting into a car accident (Copeland). Drivers know that what they do is unacceptable but they still do it. Distracted driving is any activity that can distract a person’s attention away from driving (“Facts and Statistics”). Distracted driving can include changing the radio station, texting, eating, looking at an advertisement at the side of the road, or talking on the phone. There has been an issue in whether tougher laws are needed for distracted driving. To most people, tougher laws will make drivers not drive and be distracted because there will be a major consequence to it. Even though tougher laws will help some individuals,

Using a cell phone while driving has become the biggest manual distraction while driving.  According to a study, conducted by The University of Utah (2013),

In 2013, 3,154 people were killed from distracted driving in the United States while 10,076 people were killed from drunk driving. Similar numbers occurred in 2014 with 3,179 people killed by distracted drivers while 9,967 were killed by drunk drivers. Since drunk driving leads to three times as many deaths than distracted driving, talks of making their penalties equal should be dismissed. This, however, does not mean that distracted driving penalties should not change due to the high amount of injuries caused. In 2013, distracted drivers caused 424,000 injuries in the United States while drunk drivers caused 290,000 injuries.

“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. which is becoming more popular in today’s society because many have cell phones. Another type of distracted driving is drinking and driving, this continues to stay a topic for many years. Although drinking and driving and texting and driving carry many similarities with the

Studies conducted from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that using a cell phone while driving significantly impairs a driver’s reaction time and triples the risk of being involved in a crash or near-crash, and text messaging increases crash risk by a multiple of 8 for all ages (NHTSA, 2009). Situational awareness is significantly decreased while engaging in distracted driving, and in turn inattention blindness is increased drastically creating a potentially deadly situation on the roads. A driver who is multitasking has less brain function available and thus literally fails to see or pay attention to things that are squarely in the field of vision (Texting and Driving, 2010). On the other hand there are those that may be able to multitask successfully though the challenge is

When it comes to someone getting behind a wheel it’s a big responsibility, you are not a passenger that could be doing different stuff you are now carrying with several lives and people are waiting for you at home. Many things cross our minds exactly when we are about to drive, but we need to learn how to ignore them and worry about getting where we supposed to be. Nowadays many accidents that occur on roads are caused by distracting driving and it seems easy to choose to do something such as: texting, eating or drinking, talking to passenger’s etcetera. “The best way to end distracted driving is to educate all Americans about the danger it poses” Not everyone realizes the danger it is being distracted while driving, but every distraction cause at least once to take our eyes off the road.