Texting While Driving: Is It Worth the Risk? When a cell phone goes off in a classroom, a movie theater or in concert hall, it is irritating, but at least our lives are not in jeopardy. However, on the road, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating they are dangerous. Texting while driving remains one of the most dangerous distractions for drivers. As reported by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, it is 23 times more likely that a driver will crash while texting and driving (www. http://safetextingcampaign.com). Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by texting while driving that they resemble drunk drivers; weaving between lanes; drifting off to the side of the road or nearly running down pedestrians in
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Some States have introduced the “Safe Texting Campaign” which encourages the reduction of texting while driving. The “Safe Texting” campaign hands out literature at community events, as well participating in community founder’s day events where they talk to members of the community about “Safe Texting”. This Campaign also includes apps for your phone with the message display that reads: “please don’t text and drive” (www.safetextingcampaign.com). If implemented, it can give us peace of mind and allow teenagers to continue enjoying their growing independence. We must all set the standards higher for safe positive behavior behind the wheel and stop texting and driving. A study done in 2003 by the Psychology Department at the University of Utah showed the following: “After controlling for driving difficulty and time on task, the study concluded that cell phone drivers exhibited greater impairment than intoxicated drivers.” In 2015, Utah Legislation House Bill 63 passed banning hand-held cellular devices and implementing fines of $100 up to $1,000 if bodily injury or death occurs (Deseret News March 22, 2016). On March 21, 2016, an impaired driver killed Kaydon Sillitoe, an 8-year-old boy, in Payson, Utah while riding his skateboard. The driver was arrested and booked into jail for operating a vehicle negligently. The bail was set at $10,000 (Deseret News March 22, 2016). Better education is apparent when people follow the laws and become more attentative. We need to set higher a standard for people to stop texting while driving. When the fines are high enough that people have a hard time paying them, then people would be better at not texting and
Some States have introduced the “Safe Texting Campaign” which encourages the reduction of texting while driving. The “Safe Texting” campaign hands out literature at community events, as well participating in community founder’s day events where they talk to members of the community about “Safe Texting”. This Campaign also includes apps for your phone with the message display that reads: “please don’t text and drive” (www.safetextingcampaign.com). If implemented, it can give us peace of mind and allow teenagers to continue enjoying their growing independence. We must all set the standards higher for safe positive behavior behind the wheel and stop texting and driving. A study done in 2003 by the Psychology Department at the University of Utah showed the following: “After controlling for driving difficulty and time on task, the study concluded that cell phone drivers exhibited greater impairment than intoxicated drivers.” In 2015, Utah Legislation House Bill 63 passed banning hand-held cellular devices and implementing fines of $100 up to $1,000 if bodily injury or death occurs (Deseret News March 22, 2016). On March 21, 2016, an impaired driver killed Kaydon Sillitoe, an 8-year-old boy, in Payson, Utah while riding his skateboard. The driver was arrested and booked into jail for operating a vehicle negligently. The bail was set at $10,000 (Deseret News March 22, 2016). Better education is apparent when people follow the laws and become more attentative. We need to set higher a standard for people to stop texting while driving. When the fines are high enough that people have a hard time paying them, then people would be better at not texting and