Cell phones have become a huge part of modern life.. Cell phones play a large role in our society from keeping track of the kids to calling for help in emergencies. As the popularity of cell phones increase, concerns over hazards and car accidents they cause has increased also. A law should be passed stating that all cell phone use be illegal while driving.
Talking on a cell phone while trying to drive a car puts the driver, other drivers, and pedestrians in danger. The risk of a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian being killed by a driver using a cell phone is 1.5 in a million per year. There are three dangers associated with driving and cell phone use. First, drivers must take their eyes off the road while dialing. Second, people can become so wrapped up in their conversations that their ability to concentrate on driving decreases. Lastly, people are constantly reaching for their cell phones to make or answer calls, making it impossible to keep both hands on the wheel. Adding to research that suggests that cell phone use while driving is hazardous, Progressive Insurance found that 46 percent of 837 drivers who used cell phones while driving swerved into another lane, 23 percent tailgated another vehicle, 18 percent almost
hit another car, and 10 percent ran a red light. Of those surveyed, 90 percent admitted to using their phone while driving alone. Cell phone use while driving is basically the same as driving after drinking alcohol, both cause the driver to have poor speed maintenance, poor lane control, slow starts at signaled intersections, abrupt lane changes, sudden stops and cutting off other drivers. Driving while talking on a cell phone increases your risk of an accident from 34-300 percent same as driving drunk. Several states have attempted to pass laws to ban cell phone use while driving. Cab drivers in New York are not allowed to use cell phones while driving.
On the other hand, those who appose banning cell phones while driving argue that when states issue drivers licenses, an individual motorist has been given the chance to be both responsible and capable of making decisions behind the wheel. Also, holding a conversation on a cell phone while driving is no more distracting than talking to a passenger. Lastly arguing that a driver should be able to chose whether or not to use a cell phone while driving and any attempts to legally prohibit this is taking away the personal rights of motorists.
Cell phone use including hands-free should be banned in Texas. People claim they never use their cell phones while driving, but in reality they do. Cell phone use is one of the biggest distractions while driving. It takes away your reflexes and your attention off the road. One in four crashes involves driver distraction (txdot.gov). Drivers who use cell phones in their vehicles have a higher risk of collision than drivers who don't, whether holding the phone or using a hands-free device (txdot.gov).
David Hosansky states that the use of cell phones and texting should not be allowed while driving. The increased uses of cell phones and texting while driving has become the center of safety conversations. In fact, there are more than 5,000 deaths related to the use of cell phones and texting while driving over the last decade. Even if laws were put in place it is believed that motorists would still find it hard to put down their phones down. Hosansky also gave an example on the hazards of texting while driving, especially among young drivers. There are very few states that have implemented laws restricting the use of cell phones or texting while driving. David Hosansky is a freelance writer in the Denver area. This article seems to have been written for the general public and thought to be informative. I found this especially helpful and informative in finding this is not just a local problem.
This paper examines the dangers that arise when cell phones are used at the same time as operating a vehicle. The paper will explore the following question of why this is a problem and why the research is important. The variables investigated are the use of cell phones while driving, whether speaking or texting, and the accidents and fatalities caused from the distraction. Data of the accidents and fatalities caused by drivers distracted by their cells phones is stated to research and further explores the age group and gender of the people involved into the accidents to uncover patterns. Possible outcomes of the implementation of laws prohibiting cell phone use while driving are discussed as well as the sampling measures used to survey and research the variables.
Texting while driving is a lot more dangerous than drinking while driving. Talking on the phone or texting while driving delays reactions. “Talking on the cell phone while driving can make a young driver’s reaction time as slow as a seventy year old. Texting on a phone while driving is 48 times more likely to have a car accident (“Statistics”).” According to a study done by Rossi crashes happen every fifty five seconds all over this world. In ten years time it is estimated that there will be 16,000,000 car wrecks worldwide. Taking your eyes off the road for that short amount of times, it only takes just five seconds to check that one text message is twenty three times more dangerous.
People are distracted enough as it is without have their cell phones attached to their ears while driving. The topic of using a cell phone while driving has been debated for many years, because there are two types of people with two different opinions. On one hand people have things that require their attention at all times, and on the other people cannot give their full attention to the road and fellow motorists if they are using their cell phone while driving.
... driving is avoidable. Using cell phone while driving is very dangerous and life risking because drivers would be easily distracted. Using cell phone while driving is unnecessary, unless in emergency situations.
The biggest problem is young adults and teenagers when you are young you think nothing will happen to you. In 2009 a study found that physically dialing a phone while driving increase the risk of a crash as much as six times(consumer reports 2011). When texting and talking on the phone it takes ones eyes off the road which causes you to be driving blind.
Research shows that talking on cell phone distracts drivers and quadruples their chances of getting into accidents such as rear-ending a car ahead of them.
In 2005 in the UK 13 deaths and over 400 injuries were attributed to accidents where drivers were using cell phones, deaths which could have possibly been avoided. There are 4 main reasons for banning cell phones at the wheel:
First and foremost, the risk of using a phone while driving is a big chance of an accident more than what the people think. According to the Harvard study “Texting while driving and other forms of distracted driving are responsible for more than 1 million crashes, 400,000 injuries, and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. each year—and those numbers are likely to in...
The use of mobile phones while driving are a major destruction to the drivers, it is definitely no different from a mother trying to nurse a baby at the back sit. A good percentage of road accidents has been attributed to driver destruction. (David and William, 2001) There are evidence of cell phone related road carnages and this remains to be a concern. In 1999 a girl was killed by a driver when he got destructed by a phone, same case reported last year and even the death of a state corrections officer on North Carolina. However much drivers say they have a right to use their mobile phones, they should know of the destructions it causes when
Driving is a major responsibility, just like having access to a phone. When these two mix, scary things can happen. For the safety of everyone on the road, many states have made cell pone use while driving illegal. I believe this was a very good decision on behalf of those areas, because using a cell phone shouldn't be a priority while behind the wheel and it is a very dangerous act. First of all, while on the road drivers already have a lot of multitasking to do, between their own actions, and those of other drivers. Drivers have to pay attention to their mirrors, their speedometer, their blind spots, and everything going on around them; whether it be a parent with kids in the backseat, or friends on the way to a sports game.
While it is true that laws do not stop one hundred percent of infractions, they serve as a great disincentive, and can greatly reduce the number of people who do text and drive. With less distracted driving there are fewer accidents, meaning fewer car repairs and hospital bills. Not only that, but it means that fewer people become injured and can even reduce the number of deaths. It is important, therefore, that laws be enacted to prohibit the use of cell phones while driving. Every automobile accident that a loved one of mine has experienced has been due to distracted driving. Whether it be friends or family, they all vividly recount a sense of distractedness from the other driver and anger at them for driving recklessly. With this in mind, it becomes more than just an issue of nationwide expenses, it is a personal worry of mine that I or someone I love will be seriously injured in an accident caused by cell phone use. Especially considering that nearly all of my friends have now gotten their licenses and are on the roads, I want them to be as safe as possible. Laws prohibiting cell phone use and distracted driving are therefore very important to me, as they are just one of the necessary steps that our country must take in order to reduce the number of accidents and increase safety
Cell phone use by motorist is dangerous and can cause accidents resulting in deaths and injuries. Furthermore, Nations and states should take the lead in outlawing this dangerous act. Prohibition of Cell phone use by motorists globally is the solution. Since a driver cannot concentrate fully on driving while making a phone call, he remains as impaired as someone who drives while intoxicated. In addition, imagine the risk one puts himself in when he is being driven by a drunk driver .This is the same risk that a motorist speaking on phone faces. If lawmakers are serious about addressing the increasing number of deaths related to motorists using cell phones. Hence, they should ban use of cell phone use by motorist.
Also, there are cases when mobile phones use while driving becomes important. Such happens when people need to respond to emergencies. Mobile phones are primarily used for communication purposes. Mobile phone use while driving if banned might show that the government is impeding the right to communicate. The government just needs to ensure that mobile phone users are also responsible enough. This is done through rigorous dialogue and not those proposed legislations. For example, mobile phones is necessary if someone is chasing you in a car, then you might have to call the police. If there is an emergency, like someone was sent to the hospital, it would be nice to be able to receive that information, even if you are driving.