Phones & Driving

Over the past decade, technology has been deeply integrated into our lives to the point where we couldn't live without it. One of those technologies is our phones. Phones are constantly being used; from texting and talking to watching movies and playing games. People are constantly using them and it seems like you can't go anywhere without your phone. Because of this, there's been a dramatic rise in car accidents caused by phone distractions. States have passed laws banning cell phone use while driving, however, this really hasn't achieved much.

There are still many people looking down at their laps instead of looking at the road. Phones are helpful while driving for things like navigation or music, but drivers shouldn't be checking their social media or texting while driving. This diverts their focus from what's happening on the road, leading to an accident. While driving, drivers shouldn't be able to use their phones.

In the United States alone nearly 390,000 car accidents occur each year due to drivers being on their phones. "1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting and driving."(Snyder). A survey done by CBS News found that "98 percent of motorists who own cellphones and text regularly said that they were aware of the dangers, yet three-quarters of them admitted to texting while driving..."(Ap, 1). So even though most people are aware of the dangers, why do they continue you to use their phones while driving? According to the same CBS article, most of the people who do use their phones believe they're good multi-taskers. In the article, they said, "drivers believed they can "easily do several things at once, even while driving"."(Ap, 3). Most of these drivers honestly believe that they are competent enough to use their phones while driving but despite all their confidence, texting while driving is still "6 times more likely to cause an accident than drunk driving"(Snyder, 1). In a survey conducted in 2014 about 28% of the people surveyed said, "they are worried about missing out of something important if they don't check their phones right away."(Ap, 9). Another group, "believed that others expect them to respond to texts "right away"."(Ap, 10). And a small percentage believed that they are, "addicted to texting"(Ap, 11). For most of these people, it seems almost impossible for them to put their phones down for even a second. The constant use and over-reliance on phones have caused them to become very dependent on them. That means even while driving they are focusing on what's happening in the digital world on their phones, and not on the road they are driving on.

There are studies out there that say that banning cell phone use while driving has more positive effects than negative and that there are many benefits for allowing its use on the road. A study done by Harvard University found that using cell phones while driving, "Decreased emergency response times/improved life-saving outcomes"(Ropeik,3). This is a common argument habitual cell phone users make. They say that they will be able to report an emergency or accident faster if they have their cell phones already in their hands, but the truth is that they are the ones that will probably cause that accident. Another argument made is, "I was at a stoplight!" (Schule, 5). This is one of the most common excuses made by drivers caught using their phones. They believe if they're stopped that they aren't a danger, however, this isn't the case. A poll done by the Huff Post revealed that 63% of drivers, aged between 18-29, text at red traffic lights. Another statistic showed that, "More than 20 percent of distracted drivers age 15 to 19 involved in fatal crashes were distracted by cell phones..."("Texting At A Red Light", 4).

While on the road it is never safe to text, even while at a stoplight. "Stalling to text could lead to rear-end crashes if the other drivers notice the light turn green first."("Texting At A Red Light", 5). Almost, "28% of all automobile accidents..."(Ryan, 1), are caused by rear-end collisions.

This is considered one of the largest categories of car accidents in the entire United States. One of the most common causes of rear-ends is distracted driving.

Most people believe that they are skilled enough drivers to be able to drive with distractions, but that's just not the case. This ignorance has caused thousands of people to lose their lives every year. You are more likely to die in a car accident than a plane crash, and that's because of how easy it is to be distracted while driving. Imagine a loved one being involved in a fatal accident because a driver was on their phone. It would be devastating. Phones have become such a huge part of our daily lives, and we should be able to utilize them in order to help better them. The bottom line is, they have the potential to cause a lot of damage when they aren't used appropriately and they should not be used while driving.

Works Cited

Ap. "Why so Many People Text and Drive, Knowing Dangers." CBS News, CBS Interactive, 5 Nov. 2014, https://www. cbsnews. com/news/why-so-many-people-text-and-drive-knowing-dangers/. "Governor's Office Of Highway Safety In Georgia." | Georgia Governor's Office of Highway

Safety, 1 July 2018, https://www. gahighwaysafety. org/highway-safety/hands-free-law/. Lynn, Thomas. "Distracted Driving: Fatalities Still High despite Hands-Free Law." Valdosta

Daily Times, Valdosta Daily Times, 13 Jan. 2019, https://www. valdostadailytimes. com/news/local_news/distracted-driving-fatalities-still-hi gh-despite-hands-free-law/article_46c58389-6c14-5276-8b51-4324e32d4139. html.

Ropeik, David. "Study Finds That Restricting Cell Phones While Driving May Be Premature, That Benefits May Be More Compelling Than The Risks." Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, 24 July 2000, https://archive. sph. harvard. edu/press-releases/archives/2000-releases/press07242000. htm Ryan, Tim. "Rear End Car Accident Collision Statistics - What You Need to Know." California

Car Accident Attorney With Over 30 Years Experience, 10 May 2018, https://www. caraccidentcaselaw. com/info/rear-end-collision-statistics/.

Schuler, Zoe. "Top 5 Excuses for Using Your Smartphone While Driving." Impact Teen Drivers

| Texting & Distracted Driving Education Resources, Impact Teen Drivers, 23 Mar. 2016, https://www. impactteendrivers. org/blog/top-5-excuses-using-your-smartphone-while-driv ing.

Snyder, Edgar. "Texting and Driving Accident Statistics - Distracted Driving."

Edgarsnyder. com, https://www. edgarsnyder. com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statis tics. html.

"Texting At A Red Light Is Something Everyone Does -- But No One Should." HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www. huffpost. com/entry/texting-red-light_n_3915817.