Should Drivers Be Allowed To Use Cell Phones When Driving?

Why Driver's should desist from using their Cell Phones while DrivingHundreds of research indicate that using the cell phone while driving is a dangerous prospect that leads to loss of lives. Statistically, 50 minutes of phone chatter while driving increases the likelihood of a car crash or car accident almost five-fold (Crundall, 2017). Texting has also emerged as an issue but many reported cases indicate talking on the cell phone while driving. In the United States, 20 states have banned the use of hand-held cell phones, while another 48 states have banned text messaging while driving (National Conference of State Legislature [NCSL], 2019). Surprisingly, no state is yet to pass laws banning cell phone use across a multitude of drivers, and this explains the continued rise in cell phone-use induced car and road accidents. The majority of drivers and motorists claims that 'being distracted by mobile phones" is the leading cause of car and road accidents.

One major issue concerns the risk of using one hand to navigate bends and respond to potential hazards while talking on the phone. According to Crundall (2017), the majority of roads accidents in Europe occur in steep slopes, bends and corners, with 35% of them involving the driver communicating on his/her cell phone. Another issue involves the act of conversation which leads to a loss of concentration - cognitive processing - that ultimately leads to an accident (NCSL, 2019). Scientists from Carnegie Mellon University conducted a simulation study and discovered that the human spatial brain activity is affected when performing dual-task, leading to loss of concertation and hence accidents (Crundall, 2017). Processing of auditory messages becomes a problem when driving and communicating on a cell phone, explaining why a driver, under no circumstances, is required to use his/her cell phone while driving.

References

Crundall, D. (2017, February 1). Why using a mobile phone while driving is so dangerous ... even when you're hands-free. The Conversation.

https://theconversation. com/why-using-a-mobile-phone-while-driving-is-so-dangerous-even-whe n-youre-hands-free-71833

NCSL. (2019, May 29). Cellular phone use and texting while driving laws. Legislative News, Studies and Analysis | National Conference of State Legislatures. https://www. ncsl. org/research/transportation/cellular-phone-use-and-texting-while-driving-laws. a sp