Phones have evolved exponentially, especially from the twentieth to the twenty-first century. Over the course of ten years, phones without cords have become commonplace. Many individuals use them while shopping, cooking, and exercising. There also use them while operating a vehicle. However, using any device while driving can cost thousands of dollars and even your life. Cellphones should not be used while operating a vehicle.

The term distracted driving has become prevalent in courtrooms because drivers are more susceptible to the accessibility cellular devices, streaming services, and social networks provide. According to the auto insurance comparison search engine, The Zebra, approximately nine people are killed and over 1,000 people are injured from car accidents when one driver is preoccupied with their cell phone. This means that defensive drivers are not impervious on the road when another driver utilizes a cellular device. We, as a society, have the responsibility to keep others safe. The next time one sees their loved ones should not be on an autopsy table following an easily preventable car accident. The solution is to this dilemma is to enforce laws pertaining to cell phone usage and operators of vehicles.

New drivers already face the challenge of utilizing their defensive driving in their daily lives. Many drivers, both new and experienced, would say that a notification on their phone takes a second to acknowledge. However, those who check messages risk their lives. According to Miller&Zois Limited Liabilities Company, a law firm based in Maryland, five seconds of viewing a text message is the amount of time it takes for car travelling at fifty-five miles per hour to drive across an entire football field. Therefore, if an individual decides to look at a notification or respond to a text message, that person could enter a river or cliff at that same speed by using a phone while driving.

Citizens are not entirely at fault. According to the National Safety Council, cell phone use while driving is under-reported by law enforcement. This, in turn, means that too many offenders are only given warnings and no punishment for their reckless behavior. Tax-paying civilians are suffering because authorities do not hold offenders accountable for dangerous driving habits. Every state must outlaw phone use and produce punishments for those who continue to indulge in their distraction on the road, lest they seek for a steady increase in distracted driving injuries and fatalities.

Humans are said to be social creatures. However, social behaviors will limit the focus of drivers. A single second is an ample amount of time to lose one's life. Phones and driving are as compatible as water and oil. Do not post a picture, send a text message, read a book, or watch a movie when behind the wheel. Put the phone out of sight and out of reach.

Works Cited

"Distracted Driving Statistics." The Zebra, 09 Apr 2019. Web. 09 Sep 2019. <https://www. thezebra. com/distracted-driving-statistics/>

"2019 Texting and Driving Statistics." Baltimore, Maryland Personal Injury Lawyer | Car Accident & Medical Malpractice Attorneys | Miller & Zois. Miller&Zois, LLC, 2019. Web. 10 Sep 2019. <http://www. millerandzois. com/texting-driving-statistics. html>.

Distracted Driving Research, Infographics. National Safety Council, 2019. Web. 12 Sep 2019. <https://www. nsc. org/road-safety/safety-topics/distracted-driving/research>.