Why Phones Shouldn't Be Used While Driving.

Thanks to technological advancements, here in the twenty-first century we have instant access to other humans, modern healthcare and even quick transportation. So what happens when those advancements are used in negligent ways that can put other people in danger? Take cell phones, for example. These are devices that modern humans use on a daily basis to communicate with each other. What happens when a cell phone is combined with the use of a car. It can be not only dangerous for the passengers of the cars but other people around the car as well. According to the United States, Highway Traffic Safety Administration Distracted driving involving phones took over three thousand four hundred and fifty lives in 2016 alone. Statistics and research clearly show why people shouldn't use a phone in any capacity while operating a motor vehicle.

First of all, due to recent legislative laws passed in various states, accidents involving cell phone use have been greatly reduced. Since the evolution of phones, going from corded phones to cordless, to flip phones and touch screen, phone use while driving has become more common with each advancement. Texting and driving became sensationalized in the mid two thousand, which caused bills like House Bill 1965 to be passed in Oklahoma, which made texting while driving illegal in the state. After passing that bill, fatalities in Oklahoma dropped a whopping thirty percent. The law also helped lower injury crashes by twenty-two percent, and it showed a twelve percent overall decrease in car crashes. This data showed the impact that phone use while driving was indeed dangerous. In over forty-seven U.S states, texting and driving are considered illegal. While in over twenty U.S states its completely prohibited to use your phone while driving. These precautions were taken because texting while driving was extremely common, as well as dangerous, and not taken as seriously. The mixture of negligence and convenience caused injuries, fatalities, and crashes.

Secondly, cell phone use while driving is recognized as dangerous by many Americans.

According to an anonymous poll from the United States Highway Traffic Safety Administration ninety-four percent of drivers realize the dangers of texting while driving. But of that ninety-four percent, thirty-five percent admit to still doing it. Many people choose to use modern advancements in a way that places themselves, and others in harm, knowingly. One out of every four car accidents in the united states is caused by texting and driving. Texting while driving is six times more likely to cause an accident, compared to drunk driving.

Phone use causes a four hundred percent increase in attention off the road, which will most likely result in a crash.

Many people would argue that you can't stop people from using phones while driving, here are some ways we can eliminate the use of cellphones while driving. Things like ads, laws and even outside prevention can help stop distracted driving involving phone use. Phone company AT&T launched A campaign to inform consumers about the dangers of using phones while driving. After that campaign "24.5 million consumers pledged to not to drive distracted on its site, itcanwait. com." Stats like that can show us how raising awareness via even everyday ads, can help prevent more tragedies.

In 2017 AT&T launched drive mode, a driving app designed to keep users from using their phones while driving. When the app is turned on, it uses the phones navigation sense to track if the phone is going over twenty-five miles an hour. Once that speed limit is triggered, the app can send out automatic responses to incoming text messages which keep the driver focusing on the road. The app has over 250 million downloads in over one hundred countries. This shows people are willing to take precautions if informed, and given options.

In conclusion, phones should not be used in any capacity while driving. Stats show that phone use while driving can cause distractions, which may lead to fatalities. By implementing laws such as house bill 1965 in Oklahoma, we can help prevent distracted driving. Data shows us that by passing laws and using consumer awareness tactics, we can successively decrease phone use while driving. No phones equal fewer distractions which reduce car accidents and preserves our lives.