Regina Dodson
Student ID AC1400470
SP180.1.1 Principles of Public Speaking
Assignment 06_06
02-07-2014
I Believe and Persuaded the Use of Cell Phones Should Be Mandatorily Banned Nationwide 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 in 2012, to 3,328. However, the number of people injured in distracted-driving accidents increased from 387,000 in 2011 to 421,000 in 2012. Studies show that drivers are at a four times greater risk