Phones & Driving

In today's day in age drivers range from the age of 15 to 70 and older so there is indeed a large range of different drivers with different experiences and different skills behind the wheel. Many people take pride in their ability to multitask while driving like being able to seamlessly merge into ongoing traffic with one hand while trying to calm down their crying child in the back. But a common boast upon many people is their ability to use their phone while driving and not being fazed or seeing it as a distraction since they think it is not that much of a danger to them or anyone around them. This is a very bad trait as distracted driving is the number one cause of car related accidents in America with reckless driving coming in second which can also happen when drivers use their phone as it can lead to them losing focus and driving recklessly. Reasons like this is why most cars don't have dvd players in the front seat for the passengers side as it can be a distraction to the driver. Driving while being on a phone is also illegal in some states like Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, and Illinois with a fine of $50,00 and up to 1 year in prison. The main reasons why drivers should not be able to use cell phones in any capacity while operating a vehicle is because you are more likely to crash and you put others at risk.

The first reason why drivers should not be able to use their cell phone while operating a vehicle is because you are more likely to crash. It's been documented that 19% of drivers of all ages admit to surfing the web while driving. In a blog post by Napoli Shkolnik PLLC it states,"This one is pretty obvious, but did you know that you are 23 times more likely to crash if you text and drive? According to the National Safety Council, 1.6 million car crashes due to texting while driving happen each year. If you don't want to crash your car and get injured or even killed, don't text and drive." These statistics show just how dangerous texting and driving is and why people shouldn't overlook this issue as it is a national problem that doesn't get published enough. Most people like to ignore the problem of texting while driving as they might have grown up with older figures who do the same. A good point can be found from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where they have an article that states,"Cell phone use while driving statistics and texting and driving facts show that this behavior is common and dangerous for teen drivers. In 2017 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,166 people were killed in 2,935 distraction-affected crashes, accounting for 9 percent of all fatal crashes in the United States. Knowing cell phone use while driving statistics and texting and driving facts may help families manage this dangerous risk. Texting while driving and other cell phone use while driving facts and statistics show that this multitasking behind the wheel is becoming a life-threatening norm. Talking or texting while driving or checking or sending social media posts takes eyes and brains off the task of driving. Coupled with inexperience and lack of driving skills, cell phone use can be especially deadly for teen drivers." This article shows that teens especially need to be more mindful when it comes to what they do in their vehicle since they are so young and easily persuaded that might think it's okay to use their phone if their friend is calling or if they want to record something while driving even though it's never safe. It also shows how since most teens just start off driving they are inexperienced and don't know how to multitask. A car crash is one of the most traumatizing things to happen to a person with many surviving vitamins gaining PTSD from the experience. With that being said using your phone while multitasking in the car could result in a car crash.

The second reason why drivers should not be able to use their cell phone while operating a vehicle is because you are more likely to crash and you put others at risk. Many people use their phones while driving when they're with their friends or family as they might feel comfortable enough to do so or feel they are skilled enough to do so..In another blog post by Napoli Shkolnik PLLC it says,"Not only does texting and driving put your own life at risk, but it also gravely endangers the lives of other people around you. As a driver, you are responsible not only for the passengers in your car, but also for other motorists on the road, not to mention pedestrians who often end up hurt or killed because of the negligence of drivers. Speaking of pedestrians, you know how kids can pop up seemingly out of nowhere and get on the road? Well, you are much less likely to notice them while looking at the phone in your lap." This piece of commentary on the issue greatly embodies how other people's wrongdoing might affect anybody caught in the crosshairs like a child crossing the street. It also provides commentary on how much you value the people in your car if you're willing to put them in such grave danger in that case. Another good point can be found from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where they have an article that says,"Because technology will change and new distractions will be introduced, parents need to make sure teens understand the value of engaged driving, where the driver is continuously attentive and focused. Make a family commitment not to use distracting devices while driving. According to research conducted at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), teens who do not frequently use a phone while driving believe the benefits of putting away their phone while driving outweigh any drawbacks." This article makes great use of the theme of technology with how it can affect someone's mindset. It also shows how parents need to educate their kids to be better drivers. Putting their friends at risk and potentially harming them is something that nobody wants to do. Which is another reason why people must stop using their phones while driving.

In conclusion the main reasons why drivers should not be able to use cell phones in any capacity while operating a vehicle is because you are more likely to crash and you put others at risk. Drivers should stop trying to multitask everything and do everything at once and just pay attention to the road. The road is shared by everybody so when one selfish person decides to not pay attention and drive around clueless then everyone else suffers. Although it would be considerably easier to pull over and use your phone while parked many people go out of their way to still put many lives in danger because of the inconvenience. Consequences getting caught driving while being on your phone also include spikes in insurance rates as companies will charge you higher premiums. Bragging about being reckless on the road should be condemned and not boasted all multitasking while driving by using your phone only shows impatience and immaturity. Texting and driving has cause six times more deaths than drunk driving yet people still shrug it off due to them thinking they can manage to keep their attention in two places at once. Hopefully beginner drivers are taught to take their time on the road and not to be in a rush to respond to a notification immediately and wait and do it when the time is right.