Thursday, January 21, 2010
Cell Phone Usage While Driving
Many of us feel like we are great multi-taskers, being able to apply makeup, eat, and drive all at the same time, and as our culture in the United States becomes more and more advanced in technology, more people are starting to feel that they can get away with talking on their phones and texting while driving too. I am one of these people. Ever since I had my phone and a car, I have been guilty of calling family, texting friends, looking up directions, but never really thinking about what danger I am putting myself in. Just recently the state of Illinois has become the 17th state to ban all cell phone usage while driving, and as a person who resides in Illinois I will have to stop my dangerous obsession.
In a study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, results that people who texted while driving were twenty three times more likely to be in a crash than those who refrained from such an act. Another study showed that the average text took the drivers eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds, which is enough time for a car driving at 55 miles an hour to travel the length of a football field.
I know that from my own experience that there have been many times that I have looked up from a text in just enough time to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident, and really, I am one of the lucky ones. Last year, one day before Thanksgiving, a high school senior was driving just a mile away from his house and sending a text when his girlfriend screamed. Patrick Sims had just hit and killed a 63 year old cyclist and changed his life forever. I can only imagine what Sims goes through every day of his life thinking about how he could have maybe resisted sending that text.
I agree with the new laws that are being put into place and that cell phone usage should be banned while people are driving. I feel that people who text while they drive are taking not only the lives of the people in the car with them, but every other driver on the roads’ in their hands. I think that more states should consider the ban on cell phone usage by drivers. Sending a text that is just a couple of words is not worth taking the lives of those around you.
Even though it may be hard for officers to detect whether or not a person is in fact texting, I think these new bans are a good wake up call for those who may not realize how potentially dangerous using your cell phone while driving can be. I read that using your cell phone while driving can make you slower to react in your car than someone who is legally drunk with a .08 blood alcohol level.
I think that if you absolutely have to use your phone while you are in your car you should pull over to the side of the road and not risk getting in an accident.
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I completely agree with you. In the past I was very guilty of texting and driving but now I try to pull over to the side of the road and text or call someone. I always feel a little weird about it and wonder if people are looking at me wondering if something is wrong or why I am parked in front of their house, but it's worth it to protect myself, my family and others. I will admit that I am guilty of looking at my phone if I get a text but I will wait to read it or pull over to read it. I am curious and a little paranoid how officers will enforce the new cell phone laws but change in laws is difficult and often goes through several processes before we find effective and respectful enforcement.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with this post. Cell phones are a major distraction while operating a vehicle. I believe that people need to be more careful about the things that they are doing that could cause harm to others or themselves. People should focus while driving and it's impossible if you are multi-tasking.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter recently had an accident while driving and talking on the cell phone. She said being on the cell phone didn't cause the accident. I said watching traffic and not on cell phone could have prevented the accident. She knew i was right, but hated to admit it. I don't understand why people leave right out of their homes, get in the car, and reach for the cell phone. Why not use the phone before leaving home?
ReplyDeleteTennessee has banned texting and driving but not calls. Personally I pick and choose the times I text in the car, like at a red light on a side street or if no car are around me. But if you listen to the radio in your car I feel that is the same as having a conversation, I can talk and drive all day long and be just as alert maybe because I took driver's ed and defense driving courses or maybe just because I am an experianced driver. I can honestly say I have never almost caused or been in an accident because of talking or texting. I have only been in one car accident and I was not on the phone or texting now I cannot speak for the other driver who hit me but from my experience its all about the driver a first time teen driver vs a 10 year driver which one would you think would have an accident first with cell phones not even being a factor.
ReplyDeleteYou could honestly be the best driver in the world but there's people out there that aren't, and for that split second that you look down at your phone, some other car could come straight into you and you could die. I'm not saying do not text and drive I am just saying try to avoid it at all costs because a couple of words are definitely not worth your life.
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