No One is an Expert Distracted Driver
The cell phone (smartphone) has forever changed the world in which we live in and the way we view life today. It’s often the first thing we see when we wake up and the last item we see before we go to bed. It doesn’t matter where we are or whom we’re with, our cell phones are always with us. We use our cell phones to navigate our roads and highways, report traffic and civil emergencies through the 911 calls. We use cell phones to conduct daily business and enhance client relationships by improving response times to their calls. Our cell phones can even help diminish the tendency to speed by allowing us to call friends, family or colleagues and let them know we’re running late, which reduces the need …show more content…
Distracted driving is a factor in 14 percent of police-reported crashes involving teen drivers. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. [NHTSA], 2014, p. 2). A third of U.S. teenager sends 100 text messages a day. (Goldberg, 2010, p. 1). Distraction was a key factor in 58 percent of crashes involving drivers’ ages 16 to 19, according to an analysis of video footage of 1,691 moderate-to-severe crashes 6 seconds before they occurred. (Foundation for Traffic Safety. [AAAFTS], 2015, p. 2). "If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, their reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone." (Handwerk, 2005, p. …show more content…
(NHTSA, 2014, p. 2). “Texting while driving is now the leading cause of death among teenagers – surpassing drinking and driving, according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center.” Approximately 3,000 teens die each year in crashes related to texting while driving in stark contrast to 2,700 teen deaths related to drunk driving accidents. Nearly 50 percent of teens admit to texting while driving even though they know it’s dangerous and banned in 39 states. ("leading cause," 2013, p. 1). Nonetheless there is very little enforcement or even the perception of enforcement amongst the general public. This lack of administration only encourages this type behavior. What are the consequences of driving while talking on a cell phone? Does it vary from state to state? Everyone knows the law regarding Driving Under the Influence (DUI), primarily because of a national media campaign designed to educate and inform the public of the consequences if you break the law. The current law needs to be an overhauled with stricter enforcement of those policies regarding distracted
The cell phone (smartphone) has forever changed the world in which we live in and the way we view life today. It’s often the first thing we see when we wake up and the last item we see before we go to bed. It doesn’t matter where we are or whom we’re with, our cell phones are always with us. We use our cell phones to navigate our roads and highways, report traffic and civil emergencies through the 911 calls. We use cell phones to conduct daily business and enhance client relationships by improving response times to their calls. Our cell phones can even help diminish the tendency to speed by allowing us to call friends, family or colleagues and let them know we’re running late, which reduces the need …show more content…
Distracted driving is a factor in 14 percent of police-reported crashes involving teen drivers. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. [NHTSA], 2014, p. 2). A third of U.S. teenager sends 100 text messages a day. (Goldberg, 2010, p. 1). Distraction was a key factor in 58 percent of crashes involving drivers’ ages 16 to 19, according to an analysis of video footage of 1,691 moderate-to-severe crashes 6 seconds before they occurred. (Foundation for Traffic Safety. [AAAFTS], 2015, p. 2). "If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, their reaction times are the same as a 70-year-old driver who is not using a cell phone." (Handwerk, 2005, p. …show more content…
(NHTSA, 2014, p. 2). “Texting while driving is now the leading cause of death among teenagers – surpassing drinking and driving, according to a study by Cohen Children’s Medical Center.” Approximately 3,000 teens die each year in crashes related to texting while driving in stark contrast to 2,700 teen deaths related to drunk driving accidents. Nearly 50 percent of teens admit to texting while driving even though they know it’s dangerous and banned in 39 states. ("leading cause," 2013, p. 1). Nonetheless there is very little enforcement or even the perception of enforcement amongst the general public. This lack of administration only encourages this type behavior. What are the consequences of driving while talking on a cell phone? Does it vary from state to state? Everyone knows the law regarding Driving Under the Influence (DUI), primarily because of a national media campaign designed to educate and inform the public of the consequences if you break the law. The current law needs to be an overhauled with stricter enforcement of those policies regarding distracted