Put the Phone Down and Drive
Thomas Gorman
Strayer
Research and Writing
ENB215050VA016-1138-001
Doctor Christine Braham
November 19, 2013
PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND DRIVE1
Put the Phone Down and Drive
Traffic accidents are increasing yearly in the United States. Most of these accidents can be avoided if people would take the time to slow down and pay attention. Some accidents can’t be avoided like a deer running into the middle of the road. Inclement weather is another example of road hazards that can cause unavoidable accidents. However, this paper will focus on the road hazard people can prevent. There are standardized laws across the nation for driving while under the influence. Improper cell phone usage while driving is an unnecessary distraction and there should be standardized laws for using cell phones while driving. The number of deaths from misusing cell phones is growing every year and will soon catch up to the number of alcohol related car accidents. It only takes a few seconds of not paying attention to cause an accident. When you take into account the other obstacles that people encounter while driving such as slippery roads, bad weather, and drunk drivers is there really need for this added distraction?
The advancement of technology has allowed people to access information instantly from their cell phone devices. Cell phones have the ability to send and receive instant messages, access email, stream videos, play games, and access the internet. This multitude of new functionality makes for hidden dangers, especially when coupled with operating a motor vehicle. The accessing of information while driving is a hazard which can lead to bodily harm and even death. With the rate of auto accidents caused by using cell phones reaching the same proportion as driving under the influence, we need to address this problem. The laws across our nation vary from state to state with regard to the use of cell phones while driving. Having standardized laws across our nation’s highways will prevent these needless collisions. Law enforcement officials have to crack down on these types of violations. A car stopped for not properly using a cell phone is a potential life saved. As technology gets more and more advanced, it makes it easier to access data for your cell phone devices. The popularity of these technological advancements in cell phone devices is especially appealing to young adults.
Research shows that teenage drivers are affected the most by this problem because of their inexperience on the road accompanied by other different types of driving hazards. “Distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens. Alcohol-related accidents among teens have dropped, but teenage traffic fatalities have remained unchanged because distracted driving is on the rise. (2007, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Study and NHTSA Study)” ("FACTS," n.d, figure 27). The added distraction of cell phones only hurts a young driver’s attention while on the road. Given that most young adults have more social interactions than adults, they often feel that all questions need to be answered sooner than later regardless of the situation they are in. “Nearly 28 percent of all vehicle crashes, or about 1.6 million each year, can be linked to talking on a cell phone or texting while driving, the National Safety Council estimates. The problem is especially dire for U.S. teens: Among those ages 16 and 17, some 26 percent have texted from behind the wheel. (And 43 percent of those in that age group admitted talking on a cell phone while driving, according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study.)” (Jackson, 2013, p. 1) Below are charts of drivers involved in fatal crashes also by age. (U.S. Department of Transportation [HNTSA], 2013, p. 2)
Steps to improve young adults’ behavior while in an automobile begin with education. The perception that most young adults have is that there is no problem with using cell phones while driving. It starts in the home and applies everywhere children may travel. Educating them on driving alone is not enough. Children have to be made aware that distractions can happen at a moment’s notice. So when they start to learn how to drive their focus should be on the road and not on their cell phones. Children tend to emulate what their parents do, so by setting the example, of proper cell phone use will driving. It will encourage the children to do the same.
The use of hands free wireless headsets can greatly reduce reaction time when young adults encounter unforeseen road hazards. Research shows that drivers that use hand free devices while drive have less of a chance to be involved in a collision. Using hands free devices can be as habit forming the same as put on a safety belt before driving. Wireless headset gives the users the advantage of using their cell phones while being about to have both hands on the steering wheel. Teach and promote the message that cell phone use will driving is just as deadly as driving under the influence. This will change the perception that all drivers have about using cell phone devices while driving.
As stated in car and driver magazine. “The results, though not surprising, were eye-opening. Intern Brown’s baseline reaction time at 35 mph of 0.45 second worsened to 0.57 while reading a text, improved to 0.52 while writing a text, and returned almost to the baseline while impaired by alcohol, at 0.46. At 70 mph, his baseline reaction was 0.39 second, while the reading (0.50), texting (0.48), and drinking (0.50) numbers were similar.” (Austin, 2009, p. 2) Promoting safe driving habits in the home and in the schools when young adults’ are starting to drive is only one why to reduce accidents on the road. Improper cell phone behind the wheel of a car is a message that everyone who drives need to be made aware of.
Although teenagers are most affected by misuse of cell phones, this problem really impacts everyone, from the cost of vehicles repairs to the loss life. Driving on roads is hard enough without the added distraction of cell phones. People get busy and tend to neglect things and try to find answers using technology no matter where they are and it may not seem harmful to check your email, instant message or talk without a wireless device connected to your cell phone. However, there are times when traffic patterns can change in an instant and drivers could go from sixty miles per hours to only ten in a matter of moments. According to the National Phone Survey on distracted Driving Attitudes and Behavior, “Overall, the results of the first national phone survey on distracted driving suggest that the driving population underestimates the danger of using a cell phone or texting while driving and a significant proportion do not hesitate to talk on a cell phone or text while driving. Most do not believe that their own driving is affected when they use these electronic devices, but they feel very unsafe when riding as a passenger with another driver who is talking on a handheld phone or texting.” (Tison, Chaudhary, & Cosgrove, 2011, p. 1) As with most young adults older drivers tend to have the same outlook when it comes to driving and using cell phone devices. The chart below points out estimated number of people injured in crashes and people injured in distraction-affected crashes.
(HNTSA, 2013, p. 3)
Law enforcement officials have to play a bigger role in enforcing these violations. There are a number of commercials stemming from buckling safety belts to driving under the influence. Law enforcement officials should approach improper use of cell phone devices as they do other offenses that happen on the road. Research from an article in USA Today reports “As more states draw the line on texting while driving, only about one citation is issued per day, on average.” (Copeland, 2013, p. 1) Taking into account that there are hundreds of speeding violations issued daily the numbers pale in comparisons. Currently the fines in California for texting and drive are hundred and sixty two dollars for the first offence and two hundred and eighty five dollars for subsequent offences. These fines help but the problem is that other states don’t follow the same guidelines.
Police departments and Highway patrol office should make cell phone law violations just as critical as all other violations that are encounter while patrolling the roads and highways. Until people start getting stop and receive fines they will not take the problem seriously. It is up to our law enforcement officials to help change the public perception when it comes to improper cell phone use while driving. Standardized laws will also provide consistency for fines and traffic violations. People will receive the same charges from state to state. If there is consistency throughout our nations then the perception will change as well.
There are great inconsistences for state to state on the use of cell phones while driving. Currently only twelve states prohibit all drivers from using hand held cell phones when driving, forty one states prohibit texting and driving. Every state in the country has had cell phone related accidents. With the exception of Guam being the only state without a reported incident. There are some many variations of the law state to state ranging from complete bans to texting only. Arizona should have the same laws as Delaware currently in Arizona it is ok to use hand-held cell phones while driving there are no laws in regards to texting while driving as well. Delaware has a complete ban on all the cell phone related use while driving. When reviewing the same states all have bans on driving under the influence and driving with a seat belt.
Attention to this problem is growing and states are starting to listen. The Department of Transportation is also becoming very involved and “hosted two national summits devoted to the issue, crafted sample legislation, which states can use to adopt distracted driving laws, issued several rulemakings banning texting while operating commercial vehicles and limiting the use of handheld cell phones, and initiated pilot law enforcement programs in Hartford, CT, and Syracuse, NY, modeled after the Department's successful efforts to increase seatbelt use and curb drunk driving.” More information on the rules can be found at: http://www.distraction.gov/content/dot-action/regulations.html ("PR - Ohio Enacts Ban on Texting While Driving," 2012, p. 1). Federal legislation has to be into place to govern all of our states roads and highways. Federal law can encompass the all the states. Also it will develop a standard that all law enforcement office can use. People should treat this like all traffic related crimes and readily enforce them when broken. This we increase the safe of our roads, highways, and family.
The bottom line is that we need laws in place across our nation in order to make our roads safer. If we do not start taking this matter seriously and start standardizing cell phone while driving laws, then all of our futures will be at risk. Not only will highways not be safe but just walking down the street will become more hazardous than a warzone in Iraq. We need these laws to be passed and effectively enforced. Texting and talking on a cell phone while driving without a handset should be a mandatory fine in all states and not just for times when a driver is pulled over for something else. It is time for everyone to take responsibility. It is time to put the phone down and just drive.
References
. USA TODAY. Retrieved from
Austin, M. (2009). Texting While Driving: How Dangerous is it? CAR AND DRIVER, 2. Retrieved from
Jackson, N. M. (2013). Dn’t txt n drv: why you should disconnect while driving. Retrieved from
STOP THE TEXTS. STOP THE WRECKS. (n.d). Retrieved from
Tison, J., Chaudhary, N., & Cosgrove, L. (2011). National phone survey on distracted driving attitudes and behaviors. (DOT HS 811 555). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.
U.S. Department of Transportation. (2013). Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes by Age, 2011 [Graph illustration]. Washington DC: NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis.