Effects of Cellphone Use While Driving
The reason I oppose the use of cell phone during driving is because I was once engaged in a cellphone use while driving that totally distracted me as it diverted my concentration off the road. This happened to me years ago, while I was driving home from work, I made a quick phone call to my mother and at the same instant the car swerved onto the side of the street and almost hit a pedestrian crossing the road. I realized that the risk of taking my eyes off the road for a split second could cause an injury and even fatal accident. It will show the audience why this issue matters to me, and why it should to them. Using a cell phone while driving is dangerous and increases the chance of getting into a car accident. Therefore, texting ban should be implemented to reduce the number of accidents on the road. Cellular phones serve as useful convenient methods of communication. It has become an important communication tool that is used by people all over the world to keep everyone connected. However, the increase use of cellphone while driving is becoming a significant cause of automobile accidents because it decreases a driver’s awareness and attentiveness resulting in driver’s being distracted and impaired driving abilities. It is true that cell phones can also be very useful, but when automobile drivers use them while driving, it becomes a very high distractor because it distracts the driver, impairs the ability to control the vehicle and reduces awareness of what is happening on the road.
Distraction cause by a cellphone use is a growing problem nationwide that can lead to accidents causing injury and even death. Evidence suggests that cellphone use while driving has shown to be detrimental on driving performance. All drivers must be aware of any distractions while driving and take necessary steps to prevent accidents and danger to themselves and others. Drivers tend to have slow reaction to stoplights and obstacles when distracted of cellphone use while driving. In addition, drivers have their eyes off the road, delayed reaction times, impaired ability to keep in the correct lane, tail gating and don't always maintain a straight line on the road. Policymakers should implement driving policies prohibiting cellphone use while driving. According to Pascual-Ferrá, P., Liu, Y., & Beatty, M. J. (2012), “The use of cell phone while driving has been a growing concern to the general public as it poses a potential risk to public safety” (p.235). According to the National Safety Council, “It estimates at least 28% of auto accidents or 1.6 million accidents per year are attributable to cell phone use and texting while driving” (as cited in Ferdinand, A.O., Menachemi, N., Sen, B., Blackburn, J.L., Morrisey, M., & Nelson, L., (2014).
Despite offering huge benefits of communications, cell phones have become a major concern and a significant cause of automobile accidents. Drivers using cell phones behind the wheel are unable to concentrate and give full attention on the road due to being distracted on mobile use. Thus, cellphone use/ or texting should be prohibited to prevent accidents on the road. All drivers must be educated on the dangers of cellphone use while driving. Also, prohibiting the use of mobile phone while driving would result in increase awareness and attentiveness while driving. Cellphone use while driving is more dangerous and likely to cause accidents than drinking while driving and should be banned in all states to ensure safety of driver, passengers and other people on the road. Driving requires a high degree of concentration and awareness. Any distractions may have catastrophic consequences, including the possibility of a fatal accident. Cellphone use and texting during driving has become a leading cause of fatal accidents, death and injury among drivers and everyone on the road. The use of mobile phone while driving is extremely distracting and could negatively affects driving performance. These negative effects on driving performance are caused by physical, behavioral, sensory and cognitive distractions as a result of mobile phone use while operating a motor vehicle (Mckeever, J.D., 2013). In addition, driving while on the phone impairs the ability to make decision, low awareness in driving environment and less able to respond to sudden roadway dangers. The increase use of cellphone while driving is becoming a significant cause of automobile accidents because it reduces a driver’s attentiveness and concentration on the road resulting in driver’s impaired driving ability. According to Ferdinand, A.O., Menachemi, N., Sen, B., Blackburn, J.L., Morrisey, M., & Nelson, L. (2014) “Texting was seen as a unique threat to driving, as it requires the drivers to take their eyes off the road for several seconds or for a certain amount of time (p. 1371). Study has shown that it accounts about 18% of reported injury related crashes involving a distracted driver (Ferdinand, A.O., Menachemi, N., Sen, B., Blackburn, J.L., Morrisey, M., & Nelson, L., (2014). Research have shown the fact that “Breaking reaction time is also slower while talking on a cell phone during driving as it’s distract drivers' attention resulting in comparatively slow response to traffic signals and other related traffic”(Mckeever, J.D., 2013).
A complete ban on all cell phone use for drivers would reduce distracted driving resulting in lowering the numbers of accidents involving the use of cellphone during driving. Laws to ban cell phone use while driving should be enforced to reduce numbers of accident rates. In doing this, accidents will be prevented and more lives will be saved. Study indicates that states with hand­ held bans for all drivers saw reductions in traffic fatalities during the study period, particularly among those aged 22 to 64 years (Ferdinand, A.O., Menachemi, N., Sen, B., Blackburn, J.L., Morrisey, M., & Nelson, L., (2014). One study was done through a Virtual Road Driving Simulator and a group of young drivers to explore how texting and other behaviors impacted an individual’s driving performance (Mckeever, J.D., 2013). Based on findings, both radio tuning and texting have significant effects on all factors examined. In fact, texting proved to have more detrimental consequences as compared to tuning the radio (Mckeever, J.D., 2013).
Cell phone and/or texting while driving is more dangerous and likely to cause accidents than driving under the influence of alcohol. Recent researches have shown that using a cell phone while being on the road is even more dangerous than drinking while driving. The meta-analysis conducted by Pascual-Ferra, Liu & Beatty, study showed that “Texting had a comparable effect in driving performance as alcohol use and marijuana use” (p.235). The study was conducted following an increasing rate of car accidents attributable to the use of cell phone, more specifically texting while driving. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of texting to alcohol and marihuana use on driving performance. In fact, data gathered was tested using statistical methods and found texting had the same degree of impairment in driving performance with that of alcohol and marihuana use (Pascual-Ferrá, Liu, & Beatty, (2012).
The best solution to solve the problem of texting while driving is for states to enforce laws to ban texting while driving. Laws banning cell phone use while driving is an easy way and direct solution to reduce traffic injury and mortality. Texting ban will help reduce accidents and will make the road a safer place for everyone. Some people believe that using hands free devices while driving would help ban texting while driving. However, thorough study shows that it is not just the actual process of texting while driving that distracts the driver but the physical, sensory, cognitive or the thinking required in order to complete the task that distracts drivers (Mckeever, J.D., 2013). Drivers will still be distracted whether they are using a hands free device or the traditional form of texting because both method involves the use of a lot of mental energy to generate a two way conversation or speak into a speech recognition device. Therefore, the only solution to resolve texting and driving problem is for states to enforce laws completely banning texting while driving. Everyone should be aware of distractions and dangers using a cellphone or texting while driving. With more distractions than ever, it’s crucial that drivers know the basics of safe driving and practice them every time they’re behind the wheel to prevent serious car accidents and injuries. This is why texting ban should be implemented to reduce the number of accidents on the road.
A complete ban of cellphone use in all states will be more effective to combat traffic accidents and death than developing programs that would block messages, calls and make the keypad inaccessible while driving. A number of cellphone companies are considering developing new technology that they believed will help prevent a driver from texting and accepting calls during driving. Although, this new approach will limit the dangerous distraction by temporarily blocking text messaging and call while the car is running. However, it’s too early to verify their effectiveness and influence in reducing cellphone use and lowering the number of accidents. The author states “Apple Incorporation does not allow text-blocking apps on iPhone to blocks the device's core functions such as text messaging due to Apple’s restrictions on apps and system control” (LaVallee, 2009). Thus, installing the new software apps is very costly, anyone who is willing to subscribe will have to pay $100 before using it. A complete ban of all cell phone use for drivers while operating motor vehicle would reduce distractions and save lives. In fact, a survey conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center found that state laws that ban cellphone use while driving in many states are more effective as it reduces handheld phone use while driving (As cited in Insurance Information Institute, 2016). Based on a survey conducted in year 2012, it was found that 71 percent of respondents had stopped or cut back on texting, talking on a handheld phone while driving in the previous year (Insurance Information Institute, 2016). According to Insurance Information Institute, 2016, ”More than 50 percent of drivers who said that they were influenced to change their behavior because of state laws, up from 44 percent in a survey conducted in 2011”. According to a University of California, Berkeley, “Study found that cellphone ban reduced the overall traffic related deaths by 22 percent while deaths rates were down by 47 percent caused by drivers using hand-held phones (as cited in Thompson, 2012). The study was conducted two years before and two years after the cellphone ban took effect in 2008 (Thompson, 2012).

Figure 1: The chart shows the effects of texting ban in California. It shows that there is a significant decrease in road accidents related to distracted driving since 2008 when the use of handheld phone while driving was banned across the state of California. Traffic related accidents have dropped by 22 percent while deaths caused by drivers using a cellphone have decreased by 47 percent.
The law bans all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving. This ban prohibits drivers from using their phones to perform phone calls, sending or reading text messages on cell phones and using other apps. Police officers will immediately apprehend drivers and issue tickets if they witnessed texting while driving violation. To illustrate this, drivers who violate the law will face a $25 fine for the first offense and $50 for each additional offense. These bans impose significant penalties for violations, including fines ranging from $20 to $500 in adopting states, license suspension, and even jail time (Cheng, 2012, pg 2). However, exceptions on the law of banning texting while driving includes cellphone use during emergencies, car is not moving or parked on the shoulder lane. In addition, drivers are also allowed to use a hand-held cellphone if their car is in neutral or in park, or their car is stopped because normal traffic is obstructed. A driver committing three moving violations within a year could lead to a driver's license being suspended. Failure to comply with the law will result in further license suspension, fines and possible jail time. Moreover, current updates on the law for banning texting while driving includes increase in penalties for distracted drivers found to be involved in accidents and caused crashes. Distracted drivers causing injuries will face up to a year in prison, and up to $2,500 in fines. In addition, drivers involved in fatal accidents are subject to $25,000 fine and three years in jail. If the driver were involved in an accident and caused injury or death, the driver would be charged with a felony or guilty of a misdemeanor. Texting ban law will enhance safety of driver, passengers and other people on the road. Cellphone use while driving is a serious traffic violation that could result in a driver disqualification.
It is important that all drivers are aware of the dangers on cellphone use while driving. Motorists have to take this matter seriously to prevent injury or fatal accidents. Using cell phones during driving distracts attention of driver increasing road safety concerns. Cellphone use while driving is a growing concern as it’s negatively affects a person’s ability to drive safely, and increases the risk of anyone else on the road, therefore use of cell phone while driving should be prohibited. The complete cell phone ban should be put in place in all states because reduced distractions would mean fewer accidents, and this would save lives. I urge everyone to think about what you have read today and join me to stop distracted driving by supporting my advocacy to implement texting ban while driving to reduce accidents and mortality rates. Failure to act now could lead to many more traffic injuries and deaths on roads nationwide.

References

Ferdinand, A.O., Menachemi, N., Sen, B., Blackburn, J.L., Morrisey, M., Nelson,
L., (2014). Impact of Texting Laws on Motor Vehicular Fatalities in the United
States. American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 4, No. 8, August 1 2014, pp.
1370-1377
LaVallee, A. (2009, August 26). Tech journal: Firms racing to end texting and driving— as states pass new bans, companies build services to disable in-car cellphone messaging. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com
Slone, S., (2014). Enforcement of texting while driving bans. The Council of State Governments Knowledge Center.
Retrieved from http://knowledgecenter.csg.org/kc/content/enforcement-texting- while-driving-bans Pascual-Ferrá, P., Liu, Y., & Beatty, M. J. (2012). A Meta-Analytic Comparison of the Effects of Text Messaging to Substance-Induced Impairment on Driving Performance. Communications Research Reports, Vol. 29, No. 3, July- September 2012, pp. 227-238.
Mckeever, J.D., (2013). Driver performance while texting: Even a little is too much. Traffic Injury Prevention, Vol. 14, No 2, 2013, pp. 132-7.
Cheng, C., (2012). The effects of cellphone bans on driver behavior, accidents, and casualties. Texas A & M University. Retrieved from http://econweb.tamu.edu/common/files/papers
Thompson, D., (2012). California cellphone can reduced traffic related deaths, injuries, Berkeley study finds. Huffpost Tech.
Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/california-cellphone-ban_n_1322726.html
Insurance Information Institute (2016). Distracted Driving
Retrieved from http://www.iii.org/issue-update/distracted-driving