Technology and Driving

Have you ever been riding in the car and looked over at a red light and saw someone on their phone? I see it all the time when I go places with my parents, though we know it is illegal today in GA and other state people still do it. Driving is an activity that requires all your attention. My mom would always you are not only driving for yourself but for everyone on the road. No one should be able to use their cell phone while operating a vehicle to ensure safety for all drivers and even pedestrians.

Being a driver means you are responsible for your life and others driving and existing around you. Unfortunately, driving accident statistics gathered by edgarsnyder. com says, 1out of every 4 accidents in the US is caused by phone use while driving. That is a large portion of accidents and if we cannot use our phones while driving to rid a quarter of accidents then its worth it. The countless amounts of stories about parents and friends losing loved ones to accidents is an untimely loss that can never be justified, and we should do everything we can to spare people from a hurt such as that.

Outside of accidents leading to loss of life because of cell phone use while driving there is also the issue of distractions. A cellphone is like a computer, a MP3 player, a videogame and many other entertaining things wrapped up in one. Using this addictive piece of technology while driving is like asking for a distraction and distractions or lack of awareness of the road leads to car crashes. There might not be any deaths, but a car crash is still something to avoid. Raising your car insurance? A bad thing. Having to get your car or parent's car repaired? A bad and expensive thing. A distracted driver is a driver more likely to crash and damage their own and others' property.

There are some cars that have automated cellphone connection and touchless operations. Those vehicles do prevent the distractions, but you could still argue it is still just as bad as drunk driving. Your eyes may be on the road, but your attention is focused towards voice commands to your cellphone. It may be loosely related, but you can still be so focused on listening to that text and voicing a response that you alert enough for all the unexpected things that can happen on the road. People find that to be the compromise, but it's also seen as a mental distraction.

Overall cellphones just should not be matched with an activity such as driving. Driving should be a moment to unplug and focus even GPS can be used without the use of your cellphone. Cellphones have been proven to cause car accidents, distractions and crashes. Just keep your hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and attention focused and your cell phone will be waiting on you when you get to your destination.

Works Cited

Staff, Live Science. "Should Cell Phones Be Banned While Driving?" LiveScience, Purch, 12 Jan. 2009, www. livescience. com/3220-cell-phones-banned-driving. html.

"Texting and Driving Accident Statistics - Distracted Driving." Edgarsnyder. com, www. edgarsnyder. com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics. html.