...Texting While Driving is Dangerous When sending a text message while you are driving your eyes leave the road for an average of 4.6 seconds. It may not seem like much time, but a lot can happen in that small amount of time. In five seconds, a silver Toyota 4 Runner can tap the left side of your green Honda Civic at 65 miles per hour and send you flying across a freeway. In five seconds a car can travel the distance of a football field. In five seconds your neighbor’s daughter can run out into the street to grab her soccer ball as you back out of your driveway. What if you were not paying full attention to what you were doing? What if you were trying to dial a phone number on your cell while trying to back up? What if you did not see the little girl? What if it was your little girl? Tragic accidents like this happen all too often because of a driver being distracted by his cell phone. They have begun to influence our language, our thought process, and all too often, our driving. Within the past decade, Driving While Texting has become an extreme problem in the United States, and it is getting worse year by year. Opposed to those who believe that there is no harm in this act, I will explain that using a phone while behind the wheel is life-threatening Six thousand people die a year due to drivers distracted by their phones. That’s one hundred and sixty five people in one day, or another person every hour and a half which shows how dangerous texting and driving really...
Words: 658 - Pages: 3
...driver. Eric had went out that morning on a bike ride and while he went on a road not far from his home near Santa Maria, California, Eric was killed when a teen driver traveling at 60 miles per hour struck his bike with her truck. Eric was struck and killed by a distracted teenage driver who neither swerved nor braked. It was later revealed by the driver's cell phone records that she was texting just before the crash. Even though people have been told numerous amount of times what not to do while driving such as texting, driving intoxicated, eating,...
Words: 1416 - Pages: 6
...I. Texting and driving intro 1. Why it’s bad 2. Why it’s a distraction 3. Different types of distractions II. Texting and driving paragraph 1 1. Texting and driving 2. Music and driving III. Texting and driving paragraph 2 1. Consequences 2. How to fix the problem IV. Texting and driving paragraph 3 1. How victims can injured in a wreck 2. How victims can be killed in a wreck V. Texting and driving conclusion 1. Why it’s dangerous 2. How can it stop Texting and driving is a dangerous thing in our generation today. Both cars and phones have come a long way, and are increasing every day. Due to this increase and demand in both cars and phones, there is a bigger risk of texting and driving in our generation. We need to figure out a way...
Words: 824 - Pages: 4
...Crystal Comp 1 November 25, 2013 Texting and Driving “Five seconds, is the average time your eyes are off the road while texting. When traveling at 55 mph, that’s enough, time to cover the length of a football field” (“Stop The Texts Stop The Wrecks”). Most accidents are blamed on distractions while driving. Most of those distractions are proven to be caused by texting and driving. Many teens do not realize how quick accidents can happen. When it comes to texting and driving, accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. This problem, has taken our nation by storm in the last decade. Whether people think they can safely text and drive or not, this problem need to be stopped. Accidents have increased significantly since cell phones have become popular. “Using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s handheld or hands free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08% (“Stop The Texts Stop The Wrecks”). Texting and driving is now at a higher accident rate then drinking and driving. To me, this is getting out of hand. Teenagers and young adults ranging from age fifteen to age twenty are rated as the greatest portion of distracted drivers. Texting and driving should be banned in every state because it is dangerous, irresponsible, and there are alternatives! As previously stated, texting and driving is very dangerous. Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. There is no possible way for a person to drive and concentrate...
Words: 1193 - Pages: 5
...are many people who are somewhat confident that they can safely text while driving and yet there are so many people getting in car accidents or even dying over this problem. There are many people who justify their phone use by increasing following distance between cars; they hold the phone near the windshield for better visibility and only text at a stop sign or red light. There are a lot more people who own a cell phone than there were in the past decade. Most states in the US have already begun to put laws on phone use and text messaging for any one driving in those states. Many people have their ideas about why cell phone use should be banned or not and if it can be safely done with new technology. Laws against texting while driving...
Words: 1564 - Pages: 7
...Texting and Driving Joaquin Colon DeVry University Prewriting What is your narrowed topic? Be detailed in your answer. You can use any of the versions you’ve developed for prior assignments. Texting and Driving. In a growing habit becoming more dangerous than drinking and driving for the simple fact of the range of people that can incurred in this habit. Who is your primary audience or reader? Why? Be detailed in your answer about your audience. My primary audience will be the youth because statistically are the more prone to text while driving. Young people have grown up in the technology revolution in which for the mentality is that nothing in the social media world can wait or will be absolute within days. In a sentence or short paragraph, what is your thesis statement, including your angle? Write what will appear in your essay. My point is that texting and driving is a problem that concern all ages and different back grounds for the fact that many lives are in jeopardy in the street because of this bad habit. What topic sentences will you use as the foundation of your communication? (If necessary, add more points.) * Is that text worth your life? * Be smart if it is that important pull over. * Don’t let technology decide for you. * Don’t turn your head, be the difference. What method of organization and development will you use to develop your paragraphs? * Introduction: * The main reason could be that 82% of young adults...
Words: 1990 - Pages: 8
...More than one trillion text messages were sent world-wide last year. Texting while driving has become more common in today’s society than it has ever been. I would like all people driving behind the wheel of any vehicle to stop using their cell phones while driving because it is extremely dangerous and irresponsible. People need to be against texting while driving because it causes a large number of car accidents every year. Many of them are fatal. While driving, teenagers and adults cannot resist the urge to pick up their cell phone and text. As soon as the driver’s eyes look down at their cell phone, the focus on the road is drawn away. About 6,000 are killed because of some kind of distraction while driving and about 1,000 of those accidents reported cell phone use as the distraction. If you think you can’t wait five extra minutes to “lol” in response to your friends joke, you’re dead wrong – pun fully intended. The University of North Texas says others were so wrong that it cost 16,141 people their lives during the 2001 to 2007 time frame. Texting while behind the wheel can even be more dangerous than a drunk driver. A texting driver travels 25 more feet than a normal driver when required to stop. Typically, a drunk driver travels four more feet than a non-impaired driver. It is a scary thought that texting while driving is worse than drunk driving. According to the University of Utah, cell phone distractions can increase reaction time as much as if you had a...
Words: 548 - Pages: 3
...exchange them between mobile phones better known as texting. This trend of texting came around in late 90’s and has immensely advanced.It’s fast and it’s easy. We respond to that buzz of our phones spontaneously and tune out of our surroundings. A large number of drivers don’t hesitate to both read and respond to test messages while driving. Unfortunately texting has also become a huge safety concern when it occurs while driving. Texting while driving is a serious health issue. Multiple cases have confirmed that texting while driving is becoming a rising problem across the nation. The crashes are happening far too frequently involving both teens and adults. It has reached the point where many states have banned text messaging while operating a vehicle. While talking on a cell phone, a given user can still keep their eyes on the road and at least one hand free, where as text keeps the user’s eyes on and sometimes even both hands on the phone. Texting while you are driving takes one thing away, your vision. Everyone’s eyes are supposed to be on the road at all times. A crash could take place in just a second of you reading the message. Your eyes are the most important thing that you need while driving, a lot of harm could be caused. People today think that texting someone else is fun and necessary. When a person decides to text he or she does not realize the potential dangers that could happen. Texting while driving is not only dangerous, but it is also costly. People are not only...
Words: 2383 - Pages: 10
...Texting While Driving When sending a text message while you are driving your eyes leave the road for an average of 5 seconds (stoptextsstopwrecks.org). It may not seem like much time, but a lot can happen in that small amount of time. In five seconds a car can travel the distance of a football field. In five seconds a small child can run out into the street to grab their toy as you back out of your driveway. Since they were first introduced, texting while driving has become an extreme problem in the United States, and it is getting worse year by year. But this doesn’t have to continue. Texting while driving should be illegal because it is a highly dangerous action, and by illegalizing it, it’ll bring the world one more step closer to being a safer place. In the book Cell Phones and Driving it stated, "6,000 people die a year due to drivers who are distracted by phones. That’s one hundred and sixty five people in one day, or another person every hour and a half …for example, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted a study of cell phone use in a moving vehicle and concluded that sending a text message while behind the wheel makes the risk of a driver getting into an accident 23.2 times higher than that of a non-distracted driver. When sending a text message, the driver looks away from the road for 4.6 seconds across a 6 second interval”(Kiesbye7-10). 6,000 is a very large number, especially when it’s placing a number on fatalities. And texting was the main...
Words: 1112 - Pages: 5
...Texting While Driving It only takes a few moments for anyone to open his/her phone and respond to a text, but it also takes only a moment for his/her life to be over with. Texting while driving is one of the most dangerous things that someone can do while driving. People only think about the excitement to respond to a text; but rarely do they think about the results. People shouldn’t be texting while driving for three reasons: it is illegal, it takes our attention off of the road, and it risks our life and others. Texting while driving is illegal. (Illinois Text Messaging and Cell Phone Laws) People shouldn’t be texting while they are driving because they could get into an accident and could face severe fines and possible jail time. Most states prohibit all drivers from texting and driving. Some people feel that it shouldn’t be considered illegal; that texting while driving is no different than drinking coffee while driving. They might feel that way because they don’t want to pay a fine but more so they don’t realize how dangerous it is. Texting while driving takes your attention off of the road. It takes your attention off of the road when you’re reading or sending a text. I sat down with a few friends of mine who have told me that they have texted while driving and some of their justifications were it didn’t take their attention off of the road because they only did it when they stopped at a light. According to a study by the American Automobile Association 46% of teens...
Words: 690 - Pages: 3
...places quicker than by taking a bus with many stops or walking. Also having the ability to text others on their cell phones speeds up the process of communication. People who own cell phones try to combine texting and driving to make personal calls or for business matters. While driving they check their emails or even go on the Internet! Texting while driving is a highly controversial issue and is discussed constantly all around the world. As a result of texting and driving, many more car accidents occur each day and because of this, research has been conducted about why people text and drive, the dangers of texting while driving, the statistics, laws in New Jersey, and ways to prevent texting while driving. Not only can texting and driving be dangerous for yourself, but it can be dangerous for others around you. When first getting your driver’s license, you are taught to keep your eyes on the road. You are taught to drive with no distractions and to concentrate on what is ahead. After becoming comfortable, drivers soon realize that they can do a lot more than just have two hands on the wheel and drive. Nowadays it is very common to see drivers glancing down at their phone or even holding it up to the steering wheel. Is this because drivers are addicted to texting while driving or is it a matter of just no self-control? Atchley’s study “Why Do We Still Text and Drive” stated, “If you are addicted to something you make irrational decisions.” For example, if you are an alcoholic...
Words: 2113 - Pages: 9
...regarding the use of cell phones while driving be standardized? The use cell phones have spread like wild fire in the last ten years. It has become a part of everyday life for many Americans citizens, and a good number of people depend on them to carry out daily operations. Unfortunately, many accidents have taken place in the ten years due to the use of cell phones while on the road. The leads to believe that if people cannot concentrate on the road while talking or texting on cell phones they should not have a cell phone near them at all while driving. The purpose of this research is to discover if texting while driving is the leading cause of automobile accidents of today. Society does not view texting while driving as a safe practice. There are many articles, news reports, and laws passed on texting while operating a vehicle because of the danger associated with the act. Texting while driving causes numerous of problems such as: distraction from the road, a decrease of attention once he or she turns away from the road in responding to a text, and limiting physical ability because texting requires the use of one or both hands to reply to messages. These are some of the issues researchers investigate in finding a conclusion to if the individuals should or should not text while operating a vehicle. Solving the problem of texting while driving is important to Team A because it will reduce the number of accidents connected to texting while driving. According to Statistics and Facts...
Words: 2651 - Pages: 11
...distracted driving and most of the distractions are caused by cell phone usage. (Mulgrew) Many drivers today have such busy lives and never have time to get the things they need to do completed in one day’s time. This leaves them to get things done while on the road. Checking emails is a top priority for Americans and since many havsmartphonees, they will do it on the road as well as send text messages.There are many laws being established to try to prevent distracted driving from happening, although they can’t completely stop it. No matter what age the driver is, under no circumstance should they be texting while driving. Texting or using a cell phone while driving is very hazardous to yourself and the people surrounding you. One reason the majority of people are against this action is because it causes a great amount of car accidents every year. (Copeland) While driving, adults and teenagers cannot resist the urge to pick up their cell phone and send a text or respond to one. When the driver hears the vibrate or ring, nothing can stop them from checking the notification on their phone. As soon as the driver’s eyes meet their cellular device, their focus on the road is drawn away. In 2009, 5,474 lives were taken and 448,000 people got injured from car accidents from being distracted while driving, says the government. (Copeland) The lives of innocent people are being taken every day due to a simple distraction. Car crashes are four times more common to take place while the driver...
Words: 2463 - Pages: 10
...eighteen admit to texting while driving. Driving is already dangerous, so when people add texting, it becomes scary. Not everyone comprehends how big of an issue texting and driving is so they think it okay to do it. Texting while driving takes place by nearly 800,000 drivers at any time across the country. Texting while driving causes car collisions, distracts drivers, and puts lives in danger. To start, texting while driving causes many car collisions because the driver may not have their attention on the road. Each day when on the road I survey a countless amount of people texting while they drive. Just one second can change the driver's life permanently. Drivers are twenty- three times more likely to crash while texting, I have read about so many fatal collisions from texting it blows my mind to think people still text while driving. Texting while driving causes thousands and thousands of car collisions and nearly eleven teen deaths every day. For example, Kayla Preuss a sixteen year old girl died...
Words: 624 - Pages: 3
...To Prevent Unnecessary Distractive Driving Banning the use of cell phones should be made mandatory nationwide while driving because it is a one of the nations’ top killers in America. Driving while being distracted kills thousands of people every year. Yet many drivers think they are good at managing both tasks so they continue to text behind the wheel. A car travels approximately 100 yards in less than the 5 seconds it takes to read a text. Texting distracts people from driving properly by diverting their attention to their cell phone, instead of focusing on the road. Furthermore, studies show that texting is as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. Subjects are found to be mentally impaired while driving and chatting on a mobile device as when they are under the influence. These are the top reasons why I believe and am convinced that driving while on a cell phone should be banned in America. Cell Phone Usage as Top Killer in America National statistics show that cell phone usage while driving has become one of the nation’s top killers on our roadways today. According to the Texting and Driving Safety Statistics an average of 1,600,000 accidents are reported each year due to texting while driving. Nearly 25 percent of all accidents nationwide, 11 percent of which are teenagers ages 15-19, occur on a daily basis. (Texting and Driving Safety, 2010) Approximately 3,331 people died in 2011 in accidents related to distracted driving. The number of deaths dropped slightly...
Words: 1305 - Pages: 6