Phones & Driving

Cell phones are a part of everyone's life in the twenty first century. Society uses them for everything from keeping up with social media, remaining in contact with people, personal entertainment and so much more. With so many people in possession of a cell phone, it is no surprise that they use them at inappropriate times. One of those times is while driving, the use of a cell phone while driving is not only dangerous but irresponsible. I think drivers should not use their phone while behind the wheel.

Driving while on a cell phone is almost as bad as driving while under the influence. In the article LiveScience, it says; "Studies show that driving while talking on a cell phone is extremely dangerous and puts drivers at a four times greater risk of a crash," said Janet Froetscher, president and CEO of the NSC. "Driving drunk is also dangerous and against the law. When our friends have been drinking, we take the car keys away. It's time to take the cell phone away". This shows that not only is driving while on the phone four times more dangerous than driving without a cell phone but it is also as dangerous as drunk driving. Cell phone use while driving is also common amongst teen drivers. 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". This statistic shows that multitasking behind the wheel is dangerous and becoming a life-long risk. Knowing these statistics drivers should take more caution and families should take control of this risk.

People might argue that they should have their own choice whether to use a cell phone while driving. In the article , Stop Texting and Driving "Since each driver recognizes the potential dangers they could involve themselves with if they choose to text and drive, a law should not dictate a ban on texting and driving behind the wheel." This statement from the article shows that people think they should have their own choice if they want to text and drive and it shouldn't be a law. Humans will always make mistakes while driving. In the the article FEE it says; Earlier government studies have repeatedly found other distractions to pose a far more serious problem than phone-related distraction. According to 2010 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, cell phone distraction has barely budged as a fatal crash factor, ranked behind drivers being "lost in thought." This has not led to calls for nationwide prohibitions on daydreaming while driving". In the year of 2010, cell phone use while driving wasn't the most dangerous thing to do while driving.

In the article THE ZEBRA, texting while driving statistics from 2012-2018 say that "14% of distracted driving deaths were attributed specifically to cell phone use, as opposed to other forms of distracted driving."

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