Cell Phones and Driving: A Potentially Fatal Combination

Cell phones are a staple in many people's lives today. It is a convenient and straightforward way to communicate with someone, gain knowledge, and directly search for information and use for different types of entertainment and media. Everywhere you go, you can see a phone on someone's person, and sometimes even on the road. This single action of holding a phone in your hand on the road has a heated debate going on around it. Should this be permitted or not? Let's look at the statistics-- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA 2019) reported 3,166 deaths that occurred in 2017 due to visually distracted driving. That makes up 8.5% of the total fatalities that year (FCC 2019). While this is still less than ten percent, we can make that number a lot lower and spare hundreds of lives each year. These deaths are avoidable.

The utilization of cell phones in a vehicle while operating should be prohibited in all states by legislation, nationally. Such prohibition includes messaging and all media; however, navigation programs on the phone could have several legal compromises and adjustments.

As mentioned previously, 8.5% of the annual fatalities in 2017 were caused by distracted driving. In addition to this information, The CDC states, "Each day in the United States, approximately nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver." (CDC). This is a massive amount of injuries each that could be easily avoided and possibly save many lives. Edgar Snyder and Associates, a personal injury law firm, publishes that "Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving" in the nation and 21 percent of teenagers behind the wheel that died in crashes were diverted by phones (Edgar Snyder and Associates). Texting is while driving is the most hazardous activity that can be done while operating a vehicle. "Texting can make vehicle accidents 23 times more likely to happen." (Helbock 2018). Looking at a phone while typing a message impairs the visual, cognitive, and manual abilities needed to efficiently and safely drive a car. While sending or replying to a text, a person is no longer only thinking about the road, but also taking in information and visuals on the phone. They are distracted from lights, signs, signals from other cars, and the entire road overall. Additionally, both hands are not on the steering wheel, weakening their control and regulation of the vehicle.

All of these disturbances, individually and combined, are exceedingly dangerous. When a person that is driving is using a mobile device, it not only imperils their own life but also the lives of passengers that may be in the vehicle with them, pedestrians, and other road users such as motorists and cyclists. In these kinds of accidents, many are either killed, injured, and many are frequently left disabled in various ways. However, phone use for travel navigation is a complex debate distinct from texting.

Numerous drivers use navigation applications installed on their phones and acknowledge that they are more efficient than the ones that may come in the system within their vehicles. However, not all are using them safely- having their phones in their lap, or next to them in a cupholder while looking at directions. They do this while also trying to pay attention to the road, but this is no better than not paying attention to the road entirely. Even if a person is not typing, the dilemma yet lies in not having eyes on the road. Looking down even for a few seconds to follow the navigation route is extremely dangerous. To this problem, the solutions are phone stands added with audio navigation guides. A sturdy phone stand should be fixed to the front windshield of the car from the inside a touch lower than eye level, so a person can still see the road ahead and their directions. In addition to this, an audio guide can play to direct them with ease while still having a visual guide at their convenience that will have a significantly lesser probability of inducing a fatal accident.

The best ways to prevent these accidents are with laws and education. Teaching young adults early in school is essential to have them remember the lessons later in life. The education system should take charge of incorporating lessons on road safety and phone use each year of a student's educational career to help them recognize the danger they could put themselves in when driving and looking at a phone in their hands. The earlier they start, the more educated they would be, and the less likely they would be to make the wrong decision later in life. After a student has graduated, strict road laws on phones and driving should be a regular reminder of their education, and not to put themselves and other people at risk. Legislation should be passed in every state regarding phone use in the car and make it reach out to citizens effectively. This would significantly reduce the number of vehicle fatalities each year.

While cell phones are utilized everywhere throughout our everyday lives, people should not use them while operating a vehicle. Various statistics show that this is an extremely practice that claims a multitude of lives every day, yet people continue to do so. Through education and legislation, the fatal numbers could be reduced, and citizens would be more educated on road laws and safety for themselves, including those around them, and make the streets safer for everyone. It is time to take this data more seriously and prohibit cell phone use on the roads.

Works Cited

"Distracted Driving." NHTSA, 8 May 2019, https://www. nhtsa. gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving.

"Distracted Driving | Motor Vehicle Safety | CDC Injury Center." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www. cdc. gov/motorvehiclesafety/distracted_driving/index. html.

Helbock, Melinda. "Facts & Statistics About Texting & Driving (Updated for 2019)." San Diego California, 2018, https://www. personalinjurysandiego. org/topics/facts-about-texting-driving/.

"Road Traffic Injuries." World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 30 Sept. 2019, https://www. who. int/violence_injury_prevention/road_traffic/en/.

"Texting and Driving Accident Statistics - Distracted Driving." Edgarsnyder. com, https://www. edgarsnyder. com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics. html.

"The Dangers of Distracted Driving." Federal Communications Commission, 10 May 2019, https://www. fcc. gov/consumers/guides/dangers-texting-while-driving.

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