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Using Cell Phone While Driving

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Submitted By shelovely
Words 880
Pages 4
Professor Tanguay
February 25, 2013

Using Cell Phones While Driving is a Huge Problem

Almost everyone has a cell phone, and that causes a problem for public safety when drivers use their phones up behind the wheel. Using cell phone while driving should be made illegal. Driving is a privilege not a right, therefore to ensure the safety of everyone and allow drivers to reach their destination safely, there has to be reinforced regulations. Cell phone usage should be a concern and drivers should refrain from using them while operating a vehicle because it can cause problems such as distraction, slower reflex, and endangerment. Cell phone is a distraction because that could present a serious and potentially deadly danger. Using the phone while driving can cause a cognitive problem, meaning driving and talking on the phone with someone prevents one from focusing one hundred percent on the road. “Studies show that driver pay attention to phone conversation is distracted because the paying more attention to the conversation and less to driving.” (Declare Ropeik) Take the case of Kelson Vaillancourt who “in May 2009 lost her 21-year-old brother to distracted driving. Kelson Vaillancourt was riding in the car with a co-worker to a job site when the driver failed to yield at a stop sign, drove into traffic and was hit by a tractor trailer. The driver died instantly and Kelson died hours later”. According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety drivers who use hand held device are four times likely to get into crashes to injure themselves (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). In 2009, nearly 5,500 people died and some were injured in car a accident that was caused by distracted drivers. Slower reflex is another reason why cell phone usage while driving should be illegal. It is a problem that can cause accidents. For example, when talking on the phone

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