In today's society everyone uses their cell phones everywhere and anytime. They have become the main source of our communication, entertainment and even education. People tend to use cell phones everywhere. Even when they are driving. The question is, should cellphones be used while operating a vehicle? My answer is no and this is why.

Cell phones have taken away from attention and respect. All persons cell phone etiquette varies. My grandmother only uses her cell phone when sitting at home similar to when she had a landline phone. On the other hand, my mother uses her cell phone all day and night and appears to be upset whenever her cell phone usage is interrupted. I find myself drifting away on my cell phone while in the middle of doing homework and even while cleaning.

In the article "2019 texting and driving Statistics" the US Department of Transportation reported that "cell phone use while driving kills up to 3,000-6,000 people every year" (Miller and Zois, 2019 ). This is because when checking your notifications which seems to only require a quick glance down at your phone, that is all the time it takes to cause an accident. I have personally experienced being in a vehicle with a distracted driver that was attempting to reply to a text message and slowly lost control of the car's position in a lane. What if a car in the opposite lane was doing the same thing at the same time? We could have collided easily. Have you ever been driving just to be stopped at a light longer than the light is red? That would be compliments of another distracted driver in front of you and looking down at their phone instead of up at the light. Then there's the distracted driver that missed the bike rider parallel to them simply because of taking their eyes off of the road briefly.

The thought of having your emails, social media and even a dictionary right in the palm of your hand has to be the best invention of the new millenium. With that being said, it causes us to adapt to checking those many notifications instantly. Even our parents are pleased with the ability to access their children at any time and any place. So much so that even my mother expects a speedy reply or answer, even during times of school or work. Car makers even started to incorporate cell phone usage during driving with the bluetooth features and auxiliary cords. Now rather than drivers texting, they have begun sifting through their various playlist and music apps rather than listening to the radio.

Lastly, we have the unpredictable emergencies that happen on the roads. If we are distracted by our cell phones, that causes a delay in our reaction to emergencies. I've often been driving myself and witnessed another driver having a tire blow out. If I was distracted by my phone, that would have prevented my quick thinking and ability to avoid the collision. I have also driven behind cars with missing brake lights. The only way I knew they were about to stop was because of my ability to visually scan my surroundings and to be aware of when the light changes or if I need to quickly switch lanes to avoid hitting them from behind. What about the recent incident of a tree collapsing on the highway? If everyone was distracted everyone's ability to react would be compromised causing an even larger highway collision.

In conclusion, I am anti-cell phone usage while driving. The bottom line is when you are driving the operation of that vehicle should be your only concern. Things can happen in an instance and you have to be fully alert to react, resist, or prevent from colliding with other cars. Texting and scrolling on social media can wait until you're at your destination. Think of it this way, to use my phone while driving could mean life or death. If you ever thought about a friend you forgot to call back or a text to reply to it can wait. A prompt response is not worth your life or the lives of the people around you. Remember, states nationwide are turning into Hands Free states with a law that requires you to be free of any device while driving. If anything else, a reply is not worth the fine or the points on your license.

Works Cited: https://www. google. com/amp/s/www. millerandzois. com/amp/texting-driving-statistics. html