Many states prohibit texting while driving. In fact, laws have been established that prevent drivers from using their cell phone unless it is an emergency. About 73% of drivers say it is easy to text and drive, however 1.3 million car crashes are caused by texting and driving. An effort to band texting and driving in Texas is at limbo in the Senate and was one vote shy of having enough members agree to bring it to the floor. (Tinsley 1) Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo states that they are so very close and will prevent death, injuries and reduce property damage. Furthermore, she finds it difficult to believe that anyone is opposed to this. Some of the statistics of texting and driving: approximately 660,000 drivers are using cellular phones while driving. Unites States’ drivers are reported as 20% of teens using the cell phone and 10% adults using cell phones while driving. Driving a vehicle while texting is six times more dangerous than driving while intoxicated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (Distracted Driving 1) The Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood states distracted driving is a deadly epidemic. The most recent survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center shows just how widespread it is in almost 2/3 of the survey respondents had seen drivers in vehicles texting or on the cell in the previous 30days. Almost, 94% had observed motorist talking on a hand held phone. (Driving distracted 1) There are many
Every day there are many that are killed from texting and driving. So many people get injured or even killed because of texting and driving. Several people are addicted to their phones, especially teens. Teens are obsessed with their phones, they are always waiting for some to text them back. Texting and driving is a distraction that everyone should avoid because it can result in injury or death to oneself or others. This may result in property damage, and the probability for one to receive legal consequences.
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 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
Distracted driving, the act of driving while engaged in other activities, has long been a dangerous epidemic on America’s roadways. While there’s a wide range of activities that distract American drivers, texting while driving has become increasingly prevalent, as the popularity of mobile devices has risen since the 1990s (Noder, 2009). In American culture, which has become ever more dependent on cellphones, many experience the desire to always be accessible – even while on the go (Noder, 2009). This desire, motivated by both social and business objectives, leads many to use their phones behind the wheel. Eighty-five percent of Americans, a number
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.
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 2011, 23% of car accidents were caused from cell phones; that is 1.3 million crashes. That number has now rose to more than 1.6 million automobile accidents in 2014. In this century most Americans own a cellphone. 34% of Americans say that they have texted while driving. Although a vast majority of teens text while drive, they are not the only ones. 27% of adults admitted to texting and driving. This is a bigger problem than most people realize. Most children follow the example their elders set. This means, if your child or even sibling see that you are texting while driving, they are more likely to do it to. 48% of children the age 12-17 said they have been in a car while the driver was texting. Many states in America are working hard towards this problem. Thirty-nine states prohibit all drivers from text messaging, thirty-two states prohibit novice drivers from using a cell phone, and ten states prohibit the use of cellphones while driving. Florida has even stepped up to the plate in the fight against texting and
According to the article “The 25 Scariest Texting and Driving Accident Statistics”, it shows that eleven teens die daily, due to texting while driving. That may not seem like such a big deal, but yearly 4,000 teens and young adults die a preventable death. In the news article, “Can Laws Stop Distracted Driving If We Won’t”, Gabe Nelson states, “People know that distracted driving is wrong. In many places, it is also illegal to talk or text without a hands-free device.
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.
Many people are coming together to bring awareness to this ongoing problem. Supporters of bans on texting while driving assert that texting motorists pose a significant danger not only to themselves but to countless innocent drivers, passengers and pedestrians throughout the United States. Texting while driving impairs one's ability to drive as much as being drunk does and no one would ever argue that drunk-driving laws are unnecessary. Supporters also point to polling data that show overwhelming support for making texting while driving illegal. There has been reports of the government wanting to pass laws to ban using your cell phone while
Texting and driving is the act of reading, sending and typing text messages, e-mails or using online websites while operating a motor vehicle. Many people have viewed the practice and it is very dangerous. It has also been ruled as the cause of some motor accidents that have caused deaths. In some states texting and driving is illegal and/or restricted. Texting while driving had lead to increased distraction behind the wheel. In 2006, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group conducted a survey of more than 90 teens from for than 26 high schools nationwide. The results showed that 37% of students consider texting to be a big distraction while driving, taking a lot of focus off the road and things that surround you. Another study that was don’t
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
Some argue that tough enforcement will not do the job in stopping drivers who text and drive. For example some individuals believe that trying to create more laws is pointless. As Ashley Halsey, a staff writer for the Washington Post points out from surveys that show “… overwhelming support for a ban on text messaging, but the majority of drivers says they want to continue to use their cellphones behinds the wheel.” Even though people want to continue the use of cell phones in vehicles in spite of the laws, more laws could give officers the right to pull over drivers who use their cell phones while driving. In fact there are states where there’s bans on texting and driving and research shows that these bans actually did reduce the amount of
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.)
Driving while driving has become a major problem across the country. We are losing too many mothers, fathers, son, and daughters due to drivers being distracted with their cells texting. Nineteen states including the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C.) have banned it. The Transportation