Today, we use our cell phones for just about anything and everything to include; texting, talking to our loved ones, and connecting with the rest of the world via social media. Cell phones have become a natural way of life to where we pick up our phones and use them like second nature. However, the dangers present themselves when we get behind the wheel of a car and carry these habits of cell phone addictions with us. If all states ban the use of cell phones while driving, then there would be a reduced amount of fatalities each year.

Texting and driving according to the National Safety Council, is responsible for 1.6 million accidents per year and 11 teen deaths every day according to the Ins. Institute for Highway Safety Administration. For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, there were 13% that admitted to texting or talking on the phone at the time of the accident. While overall, 34% admitted to texting while driving, 52% admitted to talking on the phone while driving (Marino, 2012). A few seconds is all it takes to end your life or the life of someone else. On the road, Americans hold their lives and the lives of other drivers at risk because they are anxious to check how many likes their picture got or what plans they have for that night. These are things that can wait until you safely reach your destination. Many would agree that they are able to multitask while driving, to include answering calls, checking social media, and texting while driving, but the proof is in the statistics. Most people know that the usage of cell phones while driving is a dangerous thing to do, but they think they can do it safely this one time, but it's one of the major challenges.

Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes or mental focus off the roadway. It can be as simple as sending a text message, answering a phone call, or reaching for something in the car. These are some of the distractions that we as Americans face on a day to day basis. Loosing focus of the road even for a brief moment can end in catastrophe. For example, if a driver is going at a rate of 55 mph and decides to check a text message, in 5 seconds they can drive the length of a football field before regaining focus on the road (Marino, 2012, p1). In this situation, this distraction can be the difference between life and death. Talking on the phone may not seem like a distraction; however, in reality it is far more than that. With new technology development, newer cars are now equipped with hands free Bluetooth. In my opinion, car manufactures should continue innovate and develop operational equipment in cars to make the danger factor of talking on the phone while driving non-existent. Lastly, multi-tasking is a distraction that most of the time goes unnoticed. From putting on makeup, eating fast food, to searching for items in the car, these are daily tasks we do in the car without thinking about it. What we don't realize, is that we are still putting our lives and the lives of others at risk by trying to multi-task while driving. 93% of rear end collisions occurred because the driver of the following car removed their eyes from the road 3 seconds prior to the collision (Bagg, 2006).

Some Americans would agree that all states should have stiffer laws when it comes to texting and driving. Currently, nine states including Washington D.C, and the Virgin Islands have banned drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving, while no states have completely banned all cell phone use, thirty states, and Washington D.C. have banned cell phone use by new drivers and teen drivers. Furthermore, another thirty-five states, Washington D.C., and Guam, have banned texting while driving.

Although many cities have passed distracted driving bans, there are some states that refuse to enact those laws to include Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and Oklahoma. Opponents would agree that the more states banning distracted driving laws, the more safe our roadways would be (Albanesius, 2011). Distracted driving is a very serious offense and can carry severe sentences behind this madness. In some states, such as Massachusetts, distracted driver, which causes a death or injury can be charged with vehicular manslaughter which can be punishable up to 30 days in jail and fines ranging from $300-$3,000 and a license suspension for fifteen years. For example in 2012, an 18 year old, Aaron Deveau was texting while driving and the car he was driving crossed over into the center lane and hit an oncoming vehicle driven by a 55 year old male, which resulted in his death. This is just many of the documented fatalities that distracted driving causes and some would agree that there should be more severe consequences (McCarthy, 2015). Opponents think that creating laws banning someone from using cell phones while driving, would just make drivers mad and they would feel like this is an infringement of their rights as American's. One way we can eliminate distracted driving is to install a no-texting app on your cell phone which can alert an incoming caller sending them an automated message saying, "Sorry I can't take your call right now, I'm driving" or an app that cuts teen's cell phone service while driving. Sprint and AT&T are two of the cell phone providers that offer anti-texting apps (Professional Safety, 2013).

While cell phones are a huge benefit and can make life easier, let's not forget that distracted driving affects the lives of many every day from injuries to death. Keep our roadways safe by just putting your phone down and staying focused.