Texting And Driving: It's Killing Our Youth

Simply putting down your phone and paying attention to the road is a decision that not only could save the life of a driver but could save a whole family and community a whole lot of hurt. At any given time during the day approximately 800,000 people across the United States are on their phone while driving, which explains why texting is the number one distraction for teens across the country (Don’t Text and Drive-Volunteer Society of America). However, we can change this. Educating teens about the true risks of texting and driving just might save a life. Any text can

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.

Plenty of people are losing their daughters, sons, or other family members because of either distracted driving or drinking and driving. Both are a big issue. Not only are people getting hurt, but parents also suffer when their children get into an accident. People do not think about the people they are hurting because of their actions. People need to take care and drive safely each time they are behind the wheel. Five seconds is the average time someone’s eyes are off the road while they are texting (“Facts and Statistics”). The majority of teens respond to a text message at least once or more every time they drive. Teens have the tendency of responding to a text message when they are driving or even when they are on their social media. Cell phone use while driving might be as or more dangerous than driving under the influence of

In modern Society Technology is increasingly prevalent. With 82% of 16 year olds owning a cell phone the risks of use behind the wheel are increasing monumentally. According to research, even using a hands-free device to talk does not completely reduce the risk of getting into an accident. According to the Highway Safety Association people using a cell phone while driving are 23 times more likely to get in an accident. Studies show that humans are only able to multitask to a certain point and while behind the wheel the risks are just too high (Copeland). The majority legislators understand the hazards of phone use in a car, but continuously refuse to ban and create laws to prevent it. The statistics back up the hazards of distracted driving yet the government refuses to prevent the danger.

Texting while driving is an epidemic that has taken our nation by surprise. Over the last decade analysts have seen an increase in the number of accidents relating to texting and driving. Today many people think that they can type on their phones or while driving, without thinking that there is any real danger in the act of doing so. Something must be done to stop texting while driving. But what can be done though? How do we control this deadly action that many people do behind the wheel? The answer to this is that our government must take action by adding conformity to the laws and punishments rendered to the offenders. It is also important that the government give enough awareness and educational programs in order to spread the message about the dangers of texting and driving while behind the wheel.

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,

The pain and heartbreak caused by car crashes in America is something our nation can no longer ignore (Lewis 15). Texting and driving needs to be stopped once and for all. Teenagers all around the world are getting hurt and some are dying. Many people think that this issue should be stopped for once and for all. Don’t get me wrong, I love having a phone and everything, but I think that when you are driving you should not be on it. There is a time and place for it. But not when you operating a vehicle. Texting and driving drives me insane. One of my biggest pet peeves when I am in the car with someone. Other people think that this issue is not a problem. I think that texting and driving is a very dangerous thing for many reasons. Because it causes many accidents and people are not learning their lesson. Texting and driving needs to be stopped for once and for all. By installing products in the cars to prevent people from texting and driving.

Over 75% of teenagers say “texting and driving is a “common” thing to do.” but when not only their lives, but also other innocent individuals lives’ are put into danger for no real reason at all, it should never be considered a common thing. “Texting while driving can cause a person to be 23 times more likely to be in a car accident.” according to an article by Kristin Marino. Why would a person put their life at risk just to reply to someone’s text message that could wait until they reach their destination? It does not make sense that most people are aware of this growing problem in our country. Yet they all think the statistics do not apply to them. If individuals would use some of their time to research and read some of the statistics and stories of others who have been injured in texting and driving accidents, they might realize it could happen to them at any point in their lifetime. The person on the other end of that text message would most likely rather see their friend alive because they did not text them back right away, other than dead because they tried sending them one text that could have waited until they had reached their destination.

People text and drive for various reasons; however, it’s never more important than a life. Texting is becoming the most popular form of communication; leading to increased texting while driving percentages. Mobile communication is becoming more and more popular every year. Now, almost half of all teenagers admit to texting while driving (The Cons of Texting and Driving, 1). The age group committing the biggest proportion of “texting while driving” incidents is teenagers. The main reason is that they see this as socially acceptable. If everyone is doing it, they feel that it is the accepted norm. This is wrong. Drivers, including teenagers, should set a good example in not “texting and driving”. If enough abide by this rule, a reverse in the trend to text while driving may occur. Always remember to set a good example, especially for teenagers (Leon Neyfakh, 1).

I think that text and driving is one of the biggest issues facing teens. With “nearly 75 percent of those ages 12 to 17” owning a cell phone (Texting While Driving). This means that nearly every person that is around the age of driving has the potential to become distracted. This can cause serious and potentially deadly accidents just because of a simple text message. The NHSTA said that “5,474 people were killed in the United state due to distracted driving incidents” (Texting While Driving).

Imagine as someone’s son, father, and husband is on their way to work when their cell phone rings, indicating that they have received a text message. Instead of waiting until they get to work to check their phone, they decide to read it, blowing through a red light and crashing into an ongoing car severely injuring themselves and killing the other person they hit. The driver happened to be a single mother of three kids. Three kids who will now have to spend their childhood mourning the loss of a loved one from an accident that never should have never happened. This has been the reality that America has been living in for years now. Texting while driving plays a dangerous role in the lives of Americans, causing more motor vehicle accidents than

Preventing teens from texting and driving is not an easy task. Despite statistics and campaigns against texting

Many drivers lack of awareness puts them in danger. Teenagers are at the most at risk. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, drivers under 25 are 3 times more likely to text while driving. Young people are less likely to consider texting and driving to be unsafe. 60% of 18 to 20 year olds reported sending texts while driving to be “very unsafe,” compared to 95% for those over 45. Clearly, young adults are completely unaware of how much their attention suffers when they check their phone for even a

Texting and driving has caused many accidents and is up there with drunk driving in causes of accidents. The main reason why is because most cell phones require two hands while texting and it is a law so a driver is trying to keep the phone down out of sight of a police officer. In this situation both hands are off the wheel and they are looking down, not a good combo. The generation of young drivers is the

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, one in five crashes in the state of Texas involves driver distraction. I’m sure it is clear to know that drivers who use their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle have a greater chance of risk of collision than drivers who do not have their cell phones in sight. Absolutely no person’s life is worth a single text message that can always be put on hold knowing that you will arrive at your destination safely. Another fact about texting and driving according to “the global movement for good, do something,” is one of a survey taken by AT&T’s Teen Driver which reveals that 97 percent of teen do know and agree that this is a dangerous form but yet 43 percent will still continue to do it anyway; this is mainly because these teenagers have probably not had the experience of it turning in to an accident or known anybody close to them that has neither had the experience. I believe it is not until something bad happens to these teenagers until that it will scare the cell phone out of them that they may not even want to have it in sight while driving.