Texting While Driving

Texting while driving puts many driver’s lives in danger daily. Multiple people feel that staying connected to the outside world is more important than focusing on the road ahead, although it is not. It can harm others on the road who are doing nothing other than trying to make it to their destination safely. If people would open their eyes to the dangers of texting while driving, less car accidents would take place every year and the roads would be much safer. Distracted drivers need to know the position they put others in as well as themselves. While behind the wheel, drivers should never direct their attention to their cell phone, and should always keep their eyes on the road.

Texting, as of right now, is one of the most used ways of communication. But when texting is mixed with driving, it is not the safest combination. Texting and driving should be banned in all fifty states for all ages because texting is a privilege, not a right, it is a distraction, it is dangerous, and innocent lives have been tremendously affected.

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

“Text messaging … had the longest duration of eyes-off-road time of 4.6 seconds at a six second interval. This equates to a driver traveling the length of a football field at 55 miles per hour without looking at the roadway.” This statement was made by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute when they did a texting while driving study (“Skip Menu”). Texting while driving has become a large problem in the United States and it is growing. There are about 1,600,000 accidents per year as a result of texting while driving. Texting while driving has become a bigger problem for teenagers than drinking while intoxicated. In an article Delthia Ricks wrote for Newsday, she says:

Texting and many other forms of distracted driving such as eating, answering calls, and listening to loud music can be detrimental to how you drive. Of all these texting is arguably the most dangerous. Those who feel it 's not dangerous to text and drive think they are able to multi-task good enough behind the wheel to be able to text.  Well, this is

It limits your response to someone crossing the street, whether if its a child, an adult, or a group of teens. When you text and drive there is "less time to response to a roadway danger" (Hang up and drive). When having less time to respond to something in the road while texting and driving it may lead to many accidents and deaths. The usage of your phone while driving causes a dangerous environment to the people around you on the road. Staying off your phone prevents anyone including yourself from getting hurt. Texting while driving causes many dangers risking all walks of life. You never know what to expect on the road so one should be aware of their surroundings at all

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

Ever wonder how your life would be if you killed someone while driving and texting? Think of it this way, it could be your friend, your child, someone you love with all of your heart or even you. How would this affect you, your family or the family of someone else you could easily hurt? During this essay I will persuade you why Idaho should enact Legislation which prohibits texting while driving with statistics, facts and my own personal experience.

Many statistics can prove how texting while driving is a serious problem, and a majority of the drivers do not realize the risks. Other drivers know the dangers and risks of texting while driving, but do not have the appearance of caring. Although the amount of casualties resulting from texting while driving has decreased considerably, there is still a shocking number of deaths and casualties from this issue. The number of casualties and deaths from texting while driving have surpassed the number of drunk driving incidents. Drunk driving deaths a year amount to about 2,700 lives while driving and

According to Winfrey, how is texting while driving similar to driving while drunk? How is it different?

Many people admit to texting while driving on a daily basis. Mostly everyone has either received, read, or responded to a text in their lifetime. In 2014, there were 3,179 people killed in an accident involving texting. (“The dangers of texting while driving”) Multiple people have died due to texting while driving or someone who was texting while driving. In the past 10 years texting while driving has been getting out of hand. Texting while driving should be illegal in every state because it can cause a fatal accident, texting while driving is getting worse every year, and it can take the life of an innocent person.

Currently, there is a law regarding the use of devices while driving in the Commonwealth of Virginia. According to the state agency, Department of Motor Vehicles drivers under the age of 18 years old are outright banned from using cell phones or any sort of personal communication devices while driving. In fact texting is banned for all drivers. In Virginia, it is considered a primary offense, meaning the police can pull you over if they suspect you of texting while driving. The first time this happens the fine is $125 and $250 for offenses thereafter. A website titled “Virginia Decoded” shows the use of devices while driving specifically defined as:

Texting while driving takes away the one thing that absolutely everyone counts on while behind the wheel, vision. No matter where the phone is placed, whether it is on the dash board or on the steering wheel, one’s eyes are not where they need to be. People’s eyes are supposed to be on the road at all times. Texting takes that away and it doesn’t matter how quick someone thinks they are, there is always a possibility. Just for that split second of reading a message that is so important, a crash could happen. Eyes are the most important thing needed when driving and when not on the road a lot of harm can be caused.

Imagine driving down the road texting, not looking at the road unaware of your surroundings. All of a sudden the car is flipping around, once the car has settled you realize that you have hit an oncoming car from swerving in and out of the lanes. The other victim was killed instantly by contact, and you have major injuries from what you can see. Finally, when police arrive on scene they ask to question you about the accident, and you tell them you were texting while driving. You are further charged with manslaughter because the oncoming driver was dead on contact. Studies show that texting while driving is the leading factor in 1.6 million accidents every year, which is about 25 percent of all driving accidents (Bowers, 2014). To put that in perspective, studies have shown that five seconds is the minimal amount of your attention is taken away from the road when texting (Bowers, 2014).

Many people have died or have gotten seriously injured while texting and driving. In 2010 nearly 3,100 people have died in crashes from which they were distracted. Texting and driving is a combination that is just as dangerous for motorist as drinking and driving. Texting and driving is distracting, deadly, and illegal.