Why+texting+while+driving+is+dangerous

Kay Kirk English Comp II Sonja Mack

Why texting while driving is dangerous

Texting while driving is a distraction which can cause accidents and is more dangerous than someone driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In one study, distracted drivers by texting or just reaching for their phones were 91 percent more likely to drift out of their lanes as compared to the 35 percent under the influence. Distracted driving has caused 24,000 injuries and 1000 deaths in 2009. Another study done by Virginia Tech Transportation Institute says an estimated 1.4 million crashes each year are caused by using a cell phone and a minimum of 200,000 additional crashes each year are caused by drivers who are texting and driving at the same time.

According to the Milwaukee police department there was a car accident caused by a driver texting on her phone. The 26 year old driver hit a minivan containing the driver and two young passengers. Both children were injured, but only one needed surgery because of facial injuries. There was a child injured in the car that crossed the center line after striking a bank and rolling over. The driver sustained minor injuries after being removed from her vehicle. She received a citation for texting while driving, a second citation for not having auto insurance. Then the woman received a third citation for driving with a suspended license. Her license had been suspended because she failed to pay several parking tickets.

Not only is driving while texting dangerous but driving while using drugs or alcohol is also a public health concern; it puts the driver, passengers and others at risk who share the road. One driving under the influence of the cell phone, drugs or even alcohol could impair their motor skills, reaction time, and judgment. There are limitations in technology for determining drug levels and therefore the laws for driving under the influence of drugs are way behind the alcohol-related driving laws. However, the District of Columbia and 44 States have implemented programs designed to train police officers to detect if a person is under the influence of drugs. If someone is suspected to be under the influence of drugs then they would have to submit a blood or urine sample to be tested. It has also been reported that an estimated seven percent of all crashes and 44 percent fatal crashes were alcohol related. For first-time DUI offenders, punishment is determined upon what the state and county laws are at the time of the arrest.

Offenders of texting or using drugs and alcohol while driving could spend some time in jail, get their driver’s license suspended or taken away; vehicles could get impounded or receive heavy fines; and that person could be placed in an alcoholics program or a probation program where they would have to do community service. Punishment is usually given at time of sentencing. Criminal charges for property damages and bodily injury on another person could also be imposed under civil law.

Another reason not to text while driving is it can lead to higher insurance, as well as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If a person is seen texting while they are driving, the law enforcement officials are able to stop them and issue them a ticket. This type and any other type of citation involving being under the influence of texting, drugs or alcohol will result in a higher insurance premium. They will not only cost the insurance agency’s more money, but will also cost the rest of us taxpayers more money.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to pay higher car insurance you take into consideration these safety tips for driving and texting. For example there are applications that can be used for iPhones and Droids. If this application determines that your vehicle is moving your texts will not be delivered until you stop your vehicle. There are also voice applications that can text for you, but in the long run the cheapest and the most effective thing to do is just turn your cell phone off while you are driving or put it in the trunk. Just like drinking and using drugs, if you are going to use any of these influences, please don’t drive. Not just for yourself, but for everyone else who could be involved in the accidents that you cause should you abuse drugs, alcohol or texting while driving.

I don’t have any experiences of driving and texting at the same time, but I have talked on the phone while driving and I am not always comfortable in doing so. When I need to be on the phone for more than a few minutes, I would pull off the road. After seeing this picture below, I would rather not use the phone at all while I am driving.

However, there are some drivers that cannot say no to the temptations of a ringing cell phone. There are consequences to texting while driving. According to the transportation laws the driver involved in an accident while texting is at fault, and could end up in jail or even worse. They could kill as well as seriously injuring themselves and innocent people for the rest of their lives. There are no text messages worth any of the risks that are taken when driving and texting at the same time.