The majority of people own and use cell phones on a daily basis. Some of this usage is done while said people are driving. While using a phone and driving is common, it can also be very dangerous. That is why people should not be allowed to use their phones while driving. There are other reasons why phone usage should not be permitted while a person is driving.

One of the reasons a person should not be allowed to use their phone while driving is that the risk of getting into a car crash is raised. Those who text and drive are 23% more likely to be in a car crash than those who do not text and drive. In 2016, 3,450 people were killed in distraction-related crashes. Many states ban the use of phones behind the wheel for this reason. If people did not use their phone behind the wheel, the number of deaths and injuries would drop drastically.

The states that prohibit cell phone usage behind the wheel are California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia. In Georgia, drivers are not allowed to touch any kind of electronic device with any part of their body. This law has been put into effect because of the more than 1,500 deaths from distracted driving in Georgia in 2016.

People should not be able to use their phones while driving. The use of phones behind the wheel puts many lives at risk. Many states have already banned the use of phones behind the wheel.

The rest of the United States should create new laws to prohibit the use of phones behind the wheel as well.