Texting and Driving In 2012, Texas college student Chance Bothe was texting that he needed to stop texting because he said that he could die in a car accident (Zafar, 2012). He was driving at the same time, causing him to drive into a cliff. He miraculously survived but not without serious injuries – traumatic brain injuries, a fractured skull, a crushed face and a broken neck (Zafar, 2012). In 2013, 19-year old Elizabeth Haley Meyers was on her way to Royal Farms in Maryland when she hit 30-year old Wesley Roberts who was driving his motorcycle. She was texting while driving. Roberts died, leaving behind his children, a brother, and a father while Meyers faced the possibility of being sentenced up to ten years in prison and having to pay thousands of dollars in fines (Valcourt, 2013). Indeed, texting and driving is a growing problem in our country. According to Pascual-Ferrá, Liu and Beatty (2012), 25 percent of vehicular accidents, that is, 1.6 million accidents, every year can be attributed to cellphone use and texting while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also stated that “teens are six times more likely to crash while dialing a cellphone and 23 times more likely to crash while texting” (Mays, 2014). The reaction time of a person who is texting while driving becomes similar to that of a 70-year old who is driving without a cellphone (Mays, 2014). Pascual-Ferrá, Liu and Beatty (2012) also found that the effects of texting and
Statistics show that texting while driving is on the rise. In a published article, “Trends in Fatalities From Distracted Driving in the United States”, from National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2005 to 2008 car accidents involving a use of a cellular device increased by 28 percent, while drunk driving fatalities declined by 35 percent. In today’s world, many people are becoming attached to their phone, and they cannot put it down for 30 minutes. A study completed by Pew Research Center showed that 59 percent of young adults ranging from 18 to 34 years old are the most likely to text and
The act of sending electronic messages or texting is easily accessible to anyone that owns a cell phone. Often people are seen with the cell phone in one hand and texting while walking, eating in a restaurant with friends, working or shopping. It has become a part of everyday life. The convenience and the need to stay connected has made texting a useful method of communicating, that has increased dramatically with teenagers. “Adolescents report that texting is the most common way that they stay in contact with friends, sending an average of a hundred texts per day” (Delgado para. 1). This includes texting while driving. The effects of distracted driving from texting include legal penalties, increase in insurance premiums, motor vehicle crashes, and even death. Texting while driving has become a major problem in the United State and a simple LOL can have serious consequences.
Texting and driving has become a recent issue in today's society and is one of the largest epidemics to sweep our nation. The progression of text messaging, with more capable phones and larger numbers of people engaging than ever before, has turned into one of the largest distractions in our world. Many teens, as well as adults, have formed a habit of using their cell phones while driving their cars. Several people do not think that a quick text or even a glance at a phone while they are driving will do any harm. A great bit of accidents has taken place due to a careless individual that decided to look at their phone while they were in the process of driving. These days, phones have gotten even more
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
In this age of multitasking, the use of cell phones is combined with assignments like cooking, driving, babysitting, walking, doing college assignments and even eating. Whereas the use of cell phones while doing some chores might be simply annoying, the consequence of using cell phone with driving can be fatal. Recent polls by the Pew Research Center and other researchers show that about fifty to ninety percent young Americans admit using their cell phone while driving. This includes about thirty six percent who said they texted or typed something whiles driving. (Lopresti-Goodman, Rivera, & Dressel, 2012). The practice of using phone particularly texting while driving has increased the number of distracted driving accidents. When the cell phone records of people involved
Texting and driving was and continues to be one of the major factors of car accidents in America’s population. In the following advertisement named, “Phone in one hand, Ticket in the other” it is noted that texting and driving are frowned upon in our society, and the authorities are giving citizens tickets for texting and driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had created and promoted this ad to help decrease car accidents involving texting and driving, by informing the reader, you will be ticketed if you are caught being on your phone while driving a vehicle. The ad was first campaigned April 2015 by NHTSA. There are two messages being portrayed in this advertisement. First, the text of the ad, gets the audience thinking about two possible consequences of texting and driving. Secondly, the images demonstrate what may take place if you are using a cell phone while on the road. Lastly, both the text and images work together to get the message across that if you are caught texting and driving, you will be ticketed, and the use of a cellular device while driving can lead to a car accident. The, “Phone in one hand, Ticket in the other” ad successfully portrays its reasoning for being invented, and I believe the presence of this ad will decrease the amounts of accidents in America.
Texting driving is as dangerous as guns there are more accidents caused by texting and driving then there are injuries caused by firearms (Law Center). That's the biggest reason why texting and driving is such a huge problem. At any point throughout the day there are approximately 660,000 people on their phones while driving (Edgar Snyder & Associates). The reason for this is because over a quarter of all people who text and drive believe they can multi task without affecting their driving at all. These people don't find out the truth of this statement until it is too late. Imagine a world where you can feel safe on the road a world without texting and driving. I feel that I have
However 75% of these people admit to texting while driving (Moreno n.p). “Greenfield, who studies the effects of digital technology on the brian, likes to call smartphones, the world's smallest slot machine (Kareklas et. np.). Scientists have discovered that once a person revives a text message the dopamine levels increase as people anticipate the message. While driving the only thing the driver should be focused on is the road. Receiving a text message while driving takes the driver's attention away from driving and focuses on the cell phone. Most people know the potential risks associated with texting and driving. However what people do not understand is it only takes five seconds of the driver's attention to cause extreme car accidents (Salvucci et. al.). People overlook the seriousness of texting while driving. More accidents each year occur from texting and driving than drinking and driving (Salvucci et. al. 21). Many cell phone services are inventing new ways to reduce texting and driving behavior. These new apps will block incoming texts or calls if the cell phone is moving faster than the speed of 10 and 25 mph (Moreno
In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that “8 people are killed and 1,161 are injured daily in the United States” (CDC). At any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010 (DMV). Further supporting the fact that cell phones have become such a precious commodity that it is hard to imagine everyday life without them. Cell phones alone aren’t the problem, but when you add the cell phone plus a vehicle into the mix it’s just not possible to safely reach your destination. When you are operating a motor vehicle the task requires a person’s full mental capacity, so when a person is using their phone and driving they’re splitting their focus onto two separate task. “Among the various forms of distracted driving, texting stands out as particularly dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction, requiring the driver to take his eyes off the road, remove at least one hand from the steering wheel and take his mind off the task of driving” (Gormley 91).
According to an article, “Texting and Driving Statistics”, 3,179 people died and 431,000 people were injured in 2014 due to distracted drivers involved in accidents. Distracted driving is not caused by cell phones alone, it could be caused by the radio, a navigation system, eating, conversing with others in the car, or reading. The same article states that, “because text messaging requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver, it is by far the most alarming distraction.” The percentage of drivers texting while behind the wheel increased by 0.5 percent from 2013 to 2014. It is a dangerous issue that is causing death and injury every year. The average time used to read a text message is five seconds, and according to the article, “When traveling at 55mph, that's enough time to cover the length of a football field blindfolded. “ That is ample time to cause an
According to kelly (2012), about “six billion messages are sent a day and over 2.2 trillion in the US, (Kelly, 2012). The worst violators are high school seniors, 58% have said they have texted while they were driving within the month before the study (Bratsis,2013).” That is a lot of teens that are texting nowadays. The majority of teenagers argue that “texting and driving is a “common” thing to do.” but when not only their lives but also other
Today, texting while driving out numbers the amount of drunk driving according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Texting while driving is six times more likely to cause a wreck than drunk driving. You are 23 times more likely to wreck if you are texting. Texting while driving is equal to driving bind for 5 seconds each text. Out of the worlds’ population of over 7 billion, at any given moment all over the world, over 800,000 drivers are texting. Drivers think they can handle looking away for a second to reply, or read a message. By doing this you are decreasing your break reaction time by 18% (national). “The concentration needed for safe driving makes texting safely at the same time impossible” (Bratsis 70). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (C.D.C.)
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
As cell phones become more popular, texting while driving is becoming the most widely known cause for car accidents among teens. The alarming rate of incidents where texting is involved is getting more parents worried and warning their children about the danger of texting while driving. Parents are urging the fact that drivers should pay attention to the road and traffic, not their phones. A popular study of 18 to 24 year old drivers showed that 66 percent of them have texted while driving. Since texting while driving is becoming more popular many states are passing a law to ban the use of any cell phone device while in a vehicle. Texting while driving is an important issue that is causing many deaths and those who cause these deaths and
Does it seem like everywhere you go people are preoccupied with texting? Often people are seen with the cell phone in one hand and texting while walking, in a restaurant eating with friends, working or shopping. It has become a part of everyday life. The convenience and the need to stay connected has made texting a useful method of communicating, that has increased dramatically with teenagers. According to Dr. Delgado, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Perelman School of Medicine, “Adolescents report that texting is the most common way that they stay in contact with friends, sending an average of a hundred texts per day” (para. 1). This includes texting while driving. The effects of distracted driving from texting include legal penalties, increase in insurance premiums, motor vehicle crashes, and even death. Texting while driving has become a major problem in the United State and a simple LOL can have serious consequences.