The Influence Of Texting While Driving

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.

The act of sending electronic messages or texting is easily accessible to anyone that owns a cell phone. Often people are seen with the cell phone in one hand and texting while walking, eating in a restaurant with friends, working or shopping. It has become a part of everyday life. The convenience and the need to stay connected has made texting a useful method of communicating, that has increased dramatically with teenagers. “Adolescents report that texting is the most common way that they stay in contact with friends, sending an average of a hundred texts per day” (Delgado para. 1). This includes texting while driving. The effects of distracted driving from texting include legal penalties, increase in insurance premiums, motor vehicle crashes, and even death. Texting while driving has become a major problem in the United State and a simple LOL can have serious consequences.

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

Texting and driving has become a recent issue in today's society and is one of the largest epidemics to sweep our nation. The progression of text messaging, with more capable phones and larger numbers of people engaging than ever before, has turned into one of the largest distractions in our world. Many teens, as well as adults, have formed a habit of using their cell phones while driving their cars. Several people do not think that a quick text or even a glance at a phone while they are driving will do any harm. A great bit of accidents has taken place due to a careless individual that decided to look at their phone while they were in the process of driving. These days, phones have gotten even more

Nearly 330,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. According to Kiernan Hopkins, texting and driving is more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving. He also tells us that since the average speed in the US is 55 mph, taking 5 seconds to read a text in this time means that the driver travels the length of a football field without looking at the road. Officer Wil Sunderland from the Oklahoma City Police Department says the No Texting and Driving Law is working and 94% of people support and obey the law but 74% go against the law. People realize the outcome of texting and driving and know there can be punishment by law, which makes driver's put down their cell phones when the vehicle is in motion. Sunderland also informs us that with the help of Siri, drivers can keep their eyes on the road by using voice commands which can type and send messages, play music, make phone calls and more.

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

Texting while driving driving is very dangerous and or deadly. Texting or talking while driving is very deadly and mostly affects teens. “In contrast a passenger in a car is likely to be aware of the competing demands for drivers attention.” Injury facts found that the use of cellphone caused 26% of the nation’s car accidents, a modest increase from the previous year.

The number of distracted driving injuries totaled a half million in 2009. The organization cites that about 5,000 deaths happened in 2009 due to distracted driving. These deaths accounted for 16 percent of traffic deaths for 2009. It was seriously bad 2009 when it came to distracted drivers. States without texting ban signs Arizona, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. But i think all states should have them just for safety.

43 states plus D.C prohibit all drivers from texting and driving. Texting while driving is 6 times more likely to cause an accident than driving intoxicated. According to The National Safety Council cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes a year. Study after study proves how dangerous distractions can be while driving.

Cell phones was listed as one of the most common distraction. As study by the University of Michigan reports that 60 percent of people use their cell phones while driving. Texting while driving is exactly like drunk driving, each driver’s reaction time is way too slow. This is how crashes happen. Young adults think it’s perfectly fine for them to text and drive but they say that5 people older than them shouldn’t text while driving.

Forty-three states already make texting while driving a primary offense. Three besides Florida list it as a secondary offense - Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota. There is no state law against texting in Arizona, Montana and, for noncommercial drivers 22 and older, in Missouri. The federal government estimates

People need to understand that there are dangers to using a cell phone while driving. There are no laws in any state that actually prohibit totally the use of cell phones while in the course of driving. However, there are laws that relate to cell phone use in various states. For example, in Texas, the bans against text messaging and cell phone use is primarily for novice drivers who are 17 years of age or younger. (GHSA 2013). In 2011 alone, over 3,000 people died and over 380,000 people were injured in automobile accidents that involved a driver who was districted. (CDC). These statistics are growing as the years go by. In San Antonio, there is a ban on cell phone usage while driving in a school zone. That is a start. Also, in 2009, an order was executed banning federal employees from texting while driving in the course and scope 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.)

A major issue in today's society is texting while driving. The biggest form of communication among people is texting. Texting while driving distracts your attention from the main task which is driving the car safely. Texting while driving is one of leading cause of car crashes.Researchers at Cohen Children's Medical Center New Hyde Park estimated 3,000 annual teen deaths nationwide from texting and 300,000 injuries (Ricks). This is more than the number of teens who drink and drive. In comparison, 2,700 teens die from drinking and driving. Because of texting and driving, there has been an increase car crashes, teen injuries and teen deaths

Stephanie Hanes a journalist who has worked for renowned publications including USA Today is of view that, individual no matter how good he is at multitasking stands at the danger of being a cause of an accident. Research in 2014 conducted by McCartt, Kidd and Teoh funded by Highway Loss Data Institute, concluded that the accident rate in states that have imposed a ban on texting during driving are similar that in states with no such law. This is clear evidence that law is ineffective. While driving unforeseen events including an animal appearing from nowhere might occur; if driver attention is at his phone, slow response might put the driver and the animal in a dangerous situation. Texting while driving is an addiction that takes the driver