Phones and Driving

Although Cell Phones are pretty useful it does not mean that people should be glued on to it the whole time. They may help connect one another, but at some points, the phone has to be put down. Such as when someone is doing tasks that need them to be focused. For example, driving needs the person driving to be all the way focused. Although most people may tend to use their phones for a GPS system most cars in this modern day have a GPS system within it. Phones should not be used in driving because of less attention on the road, setting a bad example for young children, and it is worse than driving under the influence.

First of all, cell phones are a Manual distraction. This means that the tasks that require the driver to take a hand off the steering wheel and manipulate a device. (Hilbert 24) Due to this, the driver is more distracted and unsafe when driving. According to the text "This inventory highlighted aspects of equipment designs that could affect driver distraction."(Hilbert 30) This means that the driver would spend more time looking at a screen than on the road. As stated by the author, "Cellular phones, and other in-vehicle distractions, force drivers to divide their limited attentional resources among tasks, thereby focusing less of their attention on driving." (Delashmit 160)

Phones may still be useful for people but less time looking at the road is still not a good thing and could set a bad example for younger children.

Secondly, children have a developing mind. Meaning that certain events may scar them for life. They may even think that it is okay to be on the phone. As it states in the text " For example, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, in collaboration with NHTSA, found that driver inattention was involved in 80 percent of all vehicle crashes (65 percent of near-crashes)." (Delashmit 150) If a parent or older sibling, while a child is in a car, is on the phone when driving then they are more likely to be distracted from the road and crash. The younger people are trusting the person who is driving and if there were to be an accident then it could start the development to a mental health disorder. As stated by the author "These implications highlight the degree to which a child or adolescent is likely to be involved, witness or experience a crash or the consequences of a crash and therefore be subjected to any number of physical injuries or psychological disorders."(Greydanus 92) If it was not bad enough driving under the influence is a little like worse then spending eighty percent of the time on the phone while driving.

Finally, although driving under the influence is bad, it is still not worse then spending more time looking on the phone then on the road. As stated in the text "The public does not appear to be as cognizant of this social responsibility aspect, as distinct from personal risk, for in-vehicle technology use, compared to alcohol."(Hilbert 153) This meaning that driving under the influence is not as bad as being on the phone.

A test was conducted to see how drivers would drive under the influence or on the phone. The results where "Some studies of cell phone use have compared the degradation of performance to some level of alcohol impairment. Strayer, Drews, & Crouch (2006), for example, found in a study of simulated driving that drivers using cell phones had elevated crash risks similar to those of drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of approximately .08 g/dL, though the specific impairments of each group differed." This test showed that there were more accidents with being on the phone than driving under the influence.

Although some may say that having the phone out is okay seeing as it is used for navigation. There are laws in place for driving and having a cellular device. As stated by the text "These laws take several forms: Some require drivers to use a hands-free device if they want to talk on the phone, some prohibit younger or less experienced drivers from using any type of cell phone, and some allow officers to cite drivers for using a handheld cell phone if the driver is pulled over for another offense."(Guerin 163) As shown they only get in trouble or is only bad if they have it in their hand only if they get pulled over and the officer sees it in their hand. Driving while on the phone is not bad.

In conclusion, phones and driving is not that good. It puts the risk of lives on the line. It causes more vehicle accidents on the road than any other distraction. Although it maybe be handy to help navigate it still should not be used eighty percent of the time while on the road. It sets a bad example for children. It is still slightly worse then driving under the influence. Driving and having a phone out is bad.

Works Cited Page

Delashmit, Geraud, and Henri Be´dard. Accidents?: Causes, Analysis and Prevention. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2009. EBSCOhost, search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=315730&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Guerin, Lisa. Smart Policies for Workplace Technologies?: Email, Blogs, Cell Phones & More. Vol. 4th Edition, NOLO, 2015. EBSCOhost, search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=993011&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Greydanus, Donald E. Children and Youth?: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Motor Vehicle Crashes. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2017. EBSCOhost, search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1530461&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Hilbert, Richard C. Distracted Driving. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2011. EBSCOhost, search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1530945&site=eds-live&scope=site.

Houghton, Sidney C. Cell Phones and Distracted Driving?: Selected Research. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, 2014. EBSCOhost, search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=666184&site=eds-live&scope=site.