The Dangers Of Texting And 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.

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

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

It is interesting to see that more attention is placed on violent deaths from shooting than other accidental deaths. On the contrary, traffic mortalities continue to be one of the most important causes of death in the United States, for example, in 2010, there was an estimation of 32,788 deaths (Ferdinand et al., 2014). Death from motor accidents is therefore a serious public safety issue that should be addressed. Recently, in the city of Laredo, two people lost their lives and one was left in critical condition after being hit by someone who was texting and driving (Gallardo, 2015). Texting while driving is increasing at an alarming rate and the devastating effect on public health and safety warrants a thorough study. Policy makers and all interested parties must come together to do a thorough study that will lead to laws designed to curb such preventable

magine being at an intersection, and just when you think no one is there, you proceed to step on the gas, and you get text from your friend saying “ Where you at bro?” thinking since it’s your friend you look down at your phone for a split second, but then you lose focus and let go of the wheel slightly and end up turning onto the other lane which put in a dangerous situation, luckily there wasn 't any cars coming. These are the type of disasters that texting while driving can cause.

Distracted driving is equivalent to the use of cell phones, laptops, games in the car, the use of radio system including an intense conversation with a passenger. Certainly the habit of using cell phones associated texting and driving is the worst distraction and cause thousands of deaths each year around the United State. Most states in the United States have begun to create different types of laws against this kind, but so far these laws have not been effective. According to the Department of Transportation studies in only 4 states (CA, LA, MN and WA) it showed that the low-level laws implementation against texting and driving contributed to an increase in the statistics of accidents and deaths attributed to texting and driving (2014 p. 1). The Department of Transportation states that this increase in numbers is associated to those people that have chosen to avoid being seen went using their electronic devices looking away for much longer after the laws was imposed, this cause major incidents on the road. In these same studies conducted by the Department of Transportation indicate that the implementation of more stringent laws decreased the number of accidents and deaths caused by texting and driving.

Nowadays, it is a common occurrence to see people messaging from their cellular devices in the midst of driving. Many drivers, across the globe, engage in the practice without contemplating about the potential detrimental effects of their actions. Notably, researches have depicted that texting while driving is one of the major causes of road accidents. As a matter of fact, accidents caused due to messaging while driving has superseded those, which are instigated by drunk drivers. Drivers are inclined to the belief that they can send some messages without negatively impacting on their driving abilities. However, studies have revealed that drivers are not as capable of multi-tasking as they believe they are. Researchers have discovered that drivers who text while driving look at the road 400 times less compared to those who do not message. After all the research it shows that texting and driving increases the risks of accidents and could even be deadly. Texting and Driving is a widespread problem that is killing Americans across the country. Nearly everyone agrees that texting and driving is dangerous. Most people do it anyway. Texting and driving falls under a category of safety risks called distracted driving. Distracted driving covers any non-driving act that keeps drivers from safely operating their vehicles. Texting and driving is particularly hazardous because it takes the driver’s attention away from driving more frequently and for longer periods of time. Texting and

The journal article elaborates on the major distraction technology presents to drivers. I understand the impact of texting while driving. I work for a large telecommunications company that invests a lot of money into don’t text and drive campaigns. The journal influenced my understanding of the issue by using statistics to show me the large impact that texting and using cell phones while driving have in the United States.

It was the case Kubert v. Best (pg.228) that piqued interest on the hot topic of texting and driving … although it’s not just texting and driving that’s the issue. In fact, it’s not just distracted driving that’s the issue. The root cause is failure to take the utmost responsibility for our actions that affects our, and others, well-being. Open for discussion is the who, what, when, where, and why, of distracted driving, especially where age, hence experience, is concerned.

Five-year-old Xzavier Davis-Bilbo was inspired to be a professional football player, until October 10th, 2010 when he struck by a young woman who was texting while driving. This tragedy left Xzavier paralyzed from the diaphragm down (Hosansky). That same year the National Safety Council released a statement that "28 percent of all traffic crashes, about 1.6 million crashes per year, involved drivers talking on their cell phones or texting" (Texting and Driving Don’t Mix). Young people are not the only culprits behind these calamities, but according to the 2010 Pew Research Center driving statistics, forty-seven percent of adults admitted to texting while only thirty-four percent of teenagers did the same (Collins). An overall ban on cell phone use while operating a vehicle will limit freedom individuals have in their car, but will increase road and highway safety for the mass public. Even though there will be resistance, the dangers of distracted driving should convince lawmakers to pass nationwide legislation against cell phone use while behind the wheel.

A recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute estimates that texting and driving takes away from the road for 4.6 seconds, the same amount of time it takes for a car to travel across a football field at 55 miles per hour. Since there are both positive and negative factors in driving, we are starting to realize more that driving can be extremely dangerous. This here shows that there are multiple issues and causes as to why driving is becoming such a problem. Imagine if this was your family member being at stake for someone else’s distractions.(Hypothetical).

The message I chose to analyze is texting and driving, and the many dangers surrounded by it. I selected this message because people need to become more aware of how serious the issue is and the increasing number of fatalities that are resulting due to texting and driving. Did you know that texting takes your eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds? At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field blindfold (Distraction.Gov). Now just envision that you are driving to the grocery store and you receive a text message from someone. You check the road ahead of you and everything seems to be flowing smoothly so you glance down to reply to the message. Then as you look back up, all of the sudden there is a huge traffic jam but it is too late for you to stop and you smash into the vehicle ahead of you.

Cell phones are just one of the many distractions in everyday lives of all Americans. Many people know that texting while driving can be a very dangerous thing to do, and unfortunately it claims several lives every single day. Yet people still do it. Statistics show “even as deaths from roadway accidents are in statistical decline, America wrestles with the epidemic of cell-phone-distracted drivers,” (Stuller Para 1). Police have been cracking down on drivers that use their cells phones during driving. Studies show that it only takes about four to six seconds for someone not to be paying close attention to their surroundings on the road to cause an accident. Studies show “In 2008, nearly 6,000 people died in crashes involving a distracted or inattentive driver, while more than a half million others were injured.” (Stuller Para 22). People die in crashes every single day because of distracted

It seems as if every day, the news airs a breaking news story about an accident caused by texting and driving, and later shows an organization commercial stating the statistics and advising not to use any devices while driving. Texting and driving can be even more harmful than driving under the influence because while on our phones we focus on what we are commenting and texting that of which takes away the full attention we should have on the road, causing harm to not only ourselves but also those around us or inside the car with us.

There are problems and issues in every community every day. One issue that is becoming exceedingly threatening, and more of an epidemic than a bad habit, is distracted driving. Texting and driving specifically, immediately endangers yourself and anybody around you. Besides texting and talking on the phone, other distractions include eating or drinking, looking at maps, changing the radio, grooming, etc. Next time you are able to watch people driving, notice what they’re doing. I’ve noticed that often times, especially on the freeway, people are doing everything except driving. It’s almost as if they see it as a mundane task that doesn’t require their undivided attention.