Driving While Using Cell Phones

Many people take chances and put other people's lives in danger by using their cellphones while driving. Numerous deaths and injuries occur from those driving and using cell phones simultaneously. Using cellphones while driving causes needless accidents. It is almost impossible to efficiently multitask. The harm and effects of the accidents and deaths are far reaching. Drivers should not be able to use cellphones while driving.

Sadly, numerous people are killed or injured annually due to accidents. Specifically, many deaths are caused by car accidents and the accidents are from teens and even grown individuals using their cell phones while operating a motor vehicle. In 2015, studies showed that about 72% of deaths were caused by accidents and about 44% of the accidents were caused because the teen was driving a motor vehicle while using their cellular device.

For many, driving is a daily activity, not requiring much thought or consideration. However, the sad reality is that there are 3,287 deaths each day due to fatal car crashes (Teen). Texting while driving has become the number one driving distraction for many people. Drivers need to be aware of the dangers and keep their attention on the road, not on their cell phones or other mobile devices.

It has been proven that one cannot successfully multitask. While it might seem like you are accomplishing many things at once, research has shown that our brains are not nearly as good at handling multiple tasks as we like to think we are. In fact, some researchers suggest that multitasking can actually reduce productivity by as much as 40 percent (Teen). This means that someone operating a motor vehicle cannot operate the vehicle and use their phone at the same time without an accident happening or losing concentration of the road while trying it. In 2019, 36% of respondents (aged 18-24) admitted to texting while driving. Of those who admitted to texting while driving, 51%. In 2019, an individual that was operating a motor vehicle and also on their cellular device at the same time lost control of the wheel and as they were losing control of the wheel spun out, causing them to merge over into a lake and died because of drowning (McCartt AT, Oesch NJ, Williams AF, and Powell TC). Drivers are distracted, decreasing the driver's awareness on the road, leading to more car crashes which proves why multitasking is nearly impossible to do successfully and why it should not be done while driving.

The effects of the accidents that drivers are causing are horrific because the effects that the accidents and deaths caused are far reaching. Drivers should not be using cellphones while driving because not only is it life threatening, but it also can be life changing. In 2016, there was an incident that happened when a car rammed into the back of another vehicle (2016). The person whose car was hit was rushed to the hospital immediately. This person was paralyzed for the rest of his life. This man now struggles with seeing his kids because he has problems with mobility which prevents him from doing regular everyday activities that we take for granted.

In closing, Cell phone use while driving has become the leading cause of vehicle crashes over the last two decades. Using a cell phone while driving increases the driver's risk of causing a crash. Driving with a cell phone could cause injury or death.

It has also been proven that an individual cannot successfully multitask while driving. Last, driving while using a cell phone harms others in ways that can permanently change their lives and affect the lives of their families.

Works Cited

"2016 Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview" NHTSA.

McCartt AT, Oesch NJ, Williams AF, and Powell TC. New Jersey's License

Plate Decal Requirement for Graduated Driver Licenses: Attitudes of

Parents and Teenagers, Observed Decal Use, and Citations for Teenage

Driving Violations. Traffic Inj Prev. 2012 April; 14(3):244-258.

"Teen Distracted Driver Data" NHTSA.

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