Hang Up the Phone or Hang Up Your Life

In today's modern era, people's use and dependency on technology has drastically increased. According to the Pew Research Center, an estimated five billion cell phone owners exist around the world as of the year 2019 (Silver). Phones, specifically, have combined the use of regular land-line telephones, global positioning systems, and internet access into a small neat package. The list of benefits from such devices seems almost infinite however not many are able to recognize some serious repercussions.

In the year 2017, it was reported that there were a total of 3,166 deaths due to distracted driving (Currin). The United States Department of Transportation (USDT) declared the average time spent looking at a phone while driving is around five (5) seconds. USDT further states, "At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed."

Sergeant Clayton Richardson details in, "Distracted Driving and the Police Officer," how states are actively putting sanctions in place against the use of cell phones on the roads. 21 states, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, have put sanctions against distracted driving in relation to cell phone usage.

While there may be pressing reasons for drivers to be on their cell phones however no reason is more important than the lives of drivers, passengers and pedestrians as well.

Works Cited

Currin, Andrew. "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." NHTSA, United States Department of Transportation, 8 May 2019, www. nhtsa. gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving.

"Distracted Driving." Home, Governors Highway Safety Administration, 2018, www. ghsa. org/state-laws/issues/distracted%20driving.

Richardson, Sgt. Clayton. "Distracted Driving and the Police Officer." Distracted Driving and the Police Officer, Criminal Justice Institute School of Law Enforcement Supervision, 2016, www. cji. edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/distracteddrivingandthepoliceofficer. pdf.

Silver, Laura. "Smartphone Ownership Is Growing Rapidly Around the World, but Not Always Equally." Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, Pew Research Center, 31 Dec. 2019, www. pewresearch. org/global/2019/02/05/smartphone-ownership-is-growing-rapidl y-around-the-world-but-not-always-equally/.