1. Teens are particularly at risk; they are four times more likely than older drivers to get into these accidents. These are primary enforcement laws, meaning a police office may cite a driver for using a hand-held phone even when no other traffic violation has occurred. Text messaging increases the risk of crash or near-crash by 23 times. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 read or send text or email messages while in traffic. Your response should include a clear stance on the issue with supporting evidence as to why you feel the way you do. The dilemma of human nature is that we learn more from putting our hand on the stove than being lectured about the dangers of burning ourselves. They need to be using all opportunities to take in information about the road, McDonald says. Even when we get burned, our learning may be temporary. The driver of the car that fateful night would see their friends disappear and forever receive only hateful glances from every direction. Distraction.gov, What is Distracted Driving?, http://www.distraction.gov/stats-research-laws/facts-and-statistics.html (last visited Aug. 2, 2016). Tackling Texting While Driving: 'The Decision to Reach for That Phone However, the risk of glamorizing danger is real. Yet, averaging more than a shooting a day since the start to 2019 is enough for the masses to be scared.. Essay As much as majority of American individuals and the rest of the world may agree that texting while driving is not only distracting but also dangerous, there are a few individuals who may argue that texting while driving should be made legal. 1. STEP 2: Post your reply (in at least 250 words) in the discussion forum. Heres how he should have crafted it, Editorial: L.A. city attorneys attempt to weaken public records law is harmful and wrong, Letters to the Editor: Why solar energy vs. Mojave Desert wildlife is a false choice. Announces Fulfillment of EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Requirements. Blurred Lines for Todays Workplace: Employer Liability for Employee Keep Your Paws Off My Positive Arbitrage With the Same Power Comes Energy & Sustainability Washington Update July 2023. This generation of drivers has grown up with the cellphone. If a person does not injure another while texting and driving, he or she may still be convicted of a class A misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment in a county jail of. The compartment would then send a GPA location directly to the police, and within minutes, they would arrive to help you in your time of need. So why aren't texters in Missouri subject to similar points, fines, license suspensions, and potential jail time as drunk drivers? Some states have banned texting and driving, but now we have to consider whether penalties should be as strict as those for drinking and driving. What do you think? Its like you have to come out lucky to have had the ability to reflect and change your ways but everyone doesnt get those chances. Our legal deterrents arent helping. Find all our Student Opinion questions here. 14. Insurify - ID Drivers Can Save Up to 70%. Delgado says millennials typically people between 25 and 34 are the most distracted drivers of any age group. These shows instructed us further in the faith we were already beginning to hold: that victims are contemptible, no matter how much people pretend otherwise, that it is more fun to be inside than outside, to be arrogant than to be kind, to be with a crowd than to be alone.. Get car insurance rates as low as $/mo in. If a person does not injure another while texting and driving, he or she may still be convicted of a class A misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment in a county jail of up to one year.14If a person is injured in an accident caused by someone who was texting while driving in Alaska, the driver may be convicted of a class C felony, and if a person is killed, the driver may be convicted of a class A felony, making the felony sentencing range anywhere from 5 years for a class C conviction up to 20 years for a class A conviction and a fine of up to $50,000 for a class C conviction and up to $250,000 for a class A conviction. Mainly I keep my phone on silent due to attending classes 5 days a week on top of working. The penalties for texting while driving could include any of the following: Is sending that text worth the financial burden? In his riveting memoir This Boys Life, Tobias Wolff speaks to the risk of glamorizing harmful behavior. As more people are driving, car accident rates are also increasing, so this is a major issue that needs to be addressed quickly. 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Red Asphalt, for instance, had been put together from footage of real accidents. estimates that cell phone use alone accounted for 27 percent of 2015 car crashes. How Will AI and Hybrid Work Change Your Job? Now consider the results of driving experiments conducted by Car and Driver magazine: Sober drivers who were texting or reading email took significantly longer to react to an alert than drivers with a blood alcohol content of .08, a common legal standard for intoxication. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? The risks of driving these days are much higher than they used to be. As a form of distracted driving, texting while driving significantly . Puzzled by the concept of ". If we just tried to put down our phones while driving we could reduce the amount of deaths and injuries every day caused by distracted driving. After years of tough drunk-driving penalties and numerous public awareness campaigns, DUI-related deaths in the U.S. have declined by about a third, yet still number about 10,000 a year. McDonalds claim that risky behaviors like distracted driving will decrease when we internalize the danger behind those behaviors seems to make sense. Texting while driving is a horrific yet common act that many still do every day on their commute. Because being distracted refers to any aspect of not focusing on the road, a sensor on the glasses can detect a movement that is unnatural to driving, such as looking down below the dashboard and not onto the road or mirrors. Your email address will not be published. How has their music changed? It helps keep me honest, Delgado says. We encourage all Tennesseans to set an example for those around you, particularly your children. Nearly all Americans say sending a text message while driving should be illegal, and about half say texting while behind the wheel should be punished at least as harshly as drunken . The National Safety Council estimates that more than 20 percent of all traffic crashes in 2011 - more than 1 million accidents &# That could change under Senate Bill 1030, introduced in February by state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Orange County), which would make it a one-point DMV violation that could cost drivers dearly when they renew their coverage. Will an organization as influential as Mothers Against Drunk Driving emerge to confront and stigmatize driving while intexticated? Texting while driving is like drunk driving | Roman & Roman 300 Questions and Images to Inspire Argument Writing and Connor Betts, who decided to kill his biological sister, as well as eight other bystanders with a pistol with a rapid fire rate, for shaking up the country and instilling a new level of fear in US citizens. So is there really any method that can prevent texting while driving for sure? In Michigan, in 2019, there were 14 fatal crashes involving cell . Mary Fetzer is a professional freelance writer and editor. They hope their work leads to the development of more smartphone programs that can nudge drivers into the correct behavior, like apps that automatically switch on to prevent incoming notifications while in the car. As of right now, there really isnt. A bump in the road or a patch of ice on a bridge would send the vehicle flipping through the air or spinning out of control. Listen to inspiring youth voices! White Noise, Brown Noise, Pink Noise, and More, AP African American Studies Causes Contreversy. ORLANDO, FL, March 23, 2015-- PersonalInjury.com, the definitive source to find personal injury news stories and to find experienced injury attorneys, today called for texting behind the wheel to be treated like drunk driving. Drivers tend to drive more aggressively, follow other cars more closely, and have slower reaction times braking or adjusting to other vehicles on the road when under the influence. 1 in 20 drivers use their cell phone while driving which is horribly dangerous! Forty-two states allow law enforcement to confiscate a drivers license if he/she fails a chemical test. While the act is banned in 46 states, some jurisdictions, such as California, make texting and driving only an infraction. If you text message people on your phone while driving, you're making a huge mistake. But even that didnt save me at a corner near my West Hollywood home. Not to mention countless injuries. Theres no doubt that weve all heard the phrase, Dont text while driving! numerous times in the past. When driving, it is your responsibility to keep yourself safe and to not do anything rash that would risk the safety of the fellow drivers. Distracted driving means anything that takes your attention away from the road, whether its that Starbucks frappuccino youre trying to sip, or arguing with your best friend about your Spotify play list. Should texting while driving have the same consequences as drunk When the lights came off, our heads would perk up, and wed all spend the next half hour with our eyes glued on the screen. Certainly, not everyone is driven to dangerous behavior in the way that Wolff was. While this is not the only distraction a driver faces, it is one of the major causes of distracted driving. In California, a first offense is punishable by a fine of $20, and subsequent convictions are punishable by fines of $50.13. describes, there are thousands of car crashes that occur from cell phone use every year. In light of the ever-increasing data linking driver injury and death to this type of distraction, the lack of concrete laws is rather shocking.. It is every driver's responsibility to always be careful and attentive, ensuring everyone can safely get from Point A to Point B. San Francisco, CA: Innovation and Startup Culture, Cambridge, UK: Strategy and International Management, FNCE 0001: Introduction to Financial Markets and the Global Economy, FNCE 0002: Essentials of Personal Finance, STAT 0001: Introduction to Statistics and Data Science, STAT 0002: Introduction to Statistics and Data Science, HCMG 0001: Introduction to Health Economics, BEPP 0001: Business Economics and Public Policy, The Launch Project Connects Women to a Future of Fearless Leadership. She also believes individualized approaches are needed, including assistive technologies. And thats not easy. Everyone could drive safely, and they could rest assured knowing that something as rash as texting while driving wouldnt be the cause of injury or fatality. The Wharton Global Youth Program online community encourages open dialogue from our followers, readers and learners, through commenting on our Global Youth website articles and podcast transcripts and on our various social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. FTC Finalizes Updates to Endorsement Guides, Reflecting Increased Nevada Passes Law Prohibiting Insurers from Issuing Burning Limits Insurance & Reinsurance Coverage at Wilson Elser, CDPH Updates Definition of COVID-19 Outbreak. By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc. Perhaps the thought of thatll never happen to me because Ill be careful deceives us, but the severity of the situation cannot be taken lightly. Thats a really simple conversation for a parent and a teen to have, McDonald says. Claim Your Quotes Today and Save All Year Long. You talk to any teenager in the country, and theyve been beaten over the head that texting while driving is dangerous, Delgado says. I hope that my usage of this platform can help spark discussion and ultimately lead to change. In Arizona, there really arent any direct state laws that prohibit texting and driving or talking on the cell phone and driving, says Lamber. "Studies have found that texting while driving is far more dangerous than driving while intoxicated. While some experts argue that those horror films have lost their effectiveness due to the widespread violence in video games and movies, many drivers education instructors believe that the gorier films are more effective. As NYTimes describes, there are thousands of car crashes that occur from cell phone use every year. The app prevents you from receiving notifications while driving and sends auto-responses to calls or texts. For many years, state lawmakers failed to recognize and spread awareness about the risks of texting while driving. Compare Quotes From Our Pool of 70+ Insurance Companies and Pick the Best Deal! Paramore is back after 5 years. Though texting and driving is banned in most states, the law still typically treats it as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine. No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers. Texting While Driving Argumentative Essay - 773 Words | Bartleby See infra note 141. Each month Wharton Global Youth interviews a high school student innovator from around the world, discussing strategies and concepts that touch on every area of business and finance and explore the world economy. Manual distraction: using one or both hands to type out a text message. Victims of drivers who text currently turn to America's plaintiff lawyers to get justice. Granderson: What to Black Americans is the Fourth of July. adds a whole new danger. Texting while driving, also called texting and driving, is the act of composing, sending, or reading text messages on a mobile phone while operating a motor vehicle.Texting while driving is considered extremely dangerous by many people, including authorities, and in some places has either been outlawed or restricted. The research team includes experts from the fields of medicine, behavioral economics, psychology, insurance and technology. Nationally, in 2019, there were 387 fatal car accidents involving drivers' use of a cell phone while driving - up 9% from 356 in 2018. Matthew Chambers et al., UNITEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATION, BUREAUOFTRANSPORTATIONSTATISTICS, DRUNKDRIVINGBYTHENUMBERS(2016),available athttp://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/index.html. Texting While Driving Should Be Illegal - 839 Words - IvyPanda However, it seems that after that supervision, we think that those films cant be us, and return to bad habits. So its not just about the laws, its about making sure theyre enforced. Save an Extra 25% or More When You Bundle Auto & Home in Idaho. Just check out New Delhi after Diwali, The Fourth of July is all about Americas first principle the right of revolution. Harsh penalties can apply to even first-time offenders. Texting & Driving - For the most part you get a ticket, because it's hard to prove anything else, and if you live in Indiana, you know the texting while driving laws are NEVER enforced. Wharton Global Youth is excited to offer high school educators access to a unique business simulation created by Wharton Interactive. Of course, some people choose to drive drunk, and maybe cars can flip that many times in the air. Maybe next time someone could say, "Please do not text and drive." Hardly pocket change, but far below the penalties for first-time adult DUI offenders, which include fines up to $1,000, plus a minimum four-month license suspension and up to six months in jail. Student Question | Should Distracted Driving Be Punished Like Drinking If they see you acting responsibly, they are likely to mimic that behavior as well as putting peer pressure on their friends to drive safer. It can be hard to grasp the dangers of texting and driving, but once you know the facts, this hazardous habit starts to become a reality. in the name of proving texting while driving allegations. In Washington state, for example, drivers can legally text when stopped at a red light because the law only prohibits texting in a moving vehicle. The Results Are In for Round 1 of the 2023 Comment & Win Contest! For starters, Delgado says, texting while driving is an antiquated term for talking about the problem. The source of the problem would be the phones, right? In the car, there could be a compartment installed, and that compartment would be there for one purpose: to hold your phone. More so, is it worth the emotional damage a car accident causes to everyone involved? According to a AAA poll, 94 percent of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving, but 35 percent admitted to doing it anyway. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. While distracted driving is a serious issue, and while I could fill pages with my thoughts on it, I couldnt help but think about another issue many teens (and people in general) have faced that is more or less out of their control. He picked it up, dropped it on the floorboard, reached down to get it and crashed into the guardrail. For the past 20 years, he chaired the plaintiff personal injury practice at Fennemore Craig, P.C., and spearheaded the firms Stop Distracted Drivers campaign. Whether you're reading this on your own OR because you're concerned about someone who's likely to text and drive, know that there are ways to break this habit. If you'd never drive drunk, then you'd NEVER text and drivedriving with a BAC of just 0.01% increases your chances of causing a car crash by 46%, according to a 2014 study. She lives with her two daughters in Central Pennsylvania. Teachers and parents would come on the screen and talk about the bright future the unfortunate victims once had. NATIONALCENTERFORSTATISTICSANDANALYSIS, NATIONALHIGHWAYTRAFFICSAFETYADMINISTRATION, [hereinafter NHTSA 2013 report]available at http://www.distraction.gov/downloads/pdfs/Distracted_Driving_2013_Research_note.pdf. Fourteen states prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held cell phone while driving. We encourage all Tennesseans to set an example for those around you, particularly your children. At times, it can even be enticing. Its a part of their very fabric, and the technology that we think of often is their smartphones that are with them all the time, says McDonald, who also works at the Childrens Hospital of Pennsylvania Center for Injury Research and Prevention. Subscribe to our News and Updates to stay in the loop and on the road! McDonald uses Apple Auto, and Delgado has a phone mount and a Do Not Disturb app. Those with a deeper appreciation of the risks of texting or talking on the phone - people who understand, for instance, that texting while driving 55 m.p.h. Texting & Driving Statistics in 2023 | The Zebra Talking on the phone, dialing and, even worse, text messaging are distractions that lead to motor vehicle accidents. The World War II dramas he watched are hauntingly similar to the scare films of today, always with a somber narrator to remind us that this wasnt make-believe but actual history, that what we were seeing had really happened and could happen again. While Wolff acknowledges that the depiction of the Nazis downfall produced glimpses of humiliation and loss, they only lasted a few minutes. The punishments for distracted driving vs drunk driving in Michigan are vastly different. Drunk driving, at least you see somewhat. As a teen I see lots of people risking there lives and mine in cars where texting and driving is normal. Its not easy, but there are a few things you can do that help more than willpower, which almost never works.. https://medium.com/@martinjsmith/the-cinematic-genius-of-the-red-asphalt-road-splatter-series-5289d382ffa3 Some researchers say texting is more dangerous than talking on the phone because drivers are distracted on multiple levels; manually (holding the phone and pressing buttons), visually (looking at the phone), and cognitively (thinking about other things than driving). David L. Strayer et al.,Fatal Distraction? She has 10 years of experience writing articles, blog posts, and press releases for online publications and has covered an enormous range of topics ranging from personal finance and international trade to pregnancy and senior living. Is texting while driving more dangerous than drinking and driving? Victims of drivers who text currently turn to America's plaintiff lawyers to get justice. The researchers looked at results using the simulator involving 49 adult participants who ranged in age from 22 to 45. Therefore, we can use this ideology to direct our eyes to only focus on the road. A district judge instructed Russo to educate others about the epidemic of texting while driving and added, I would bet that everyone in this courtroom has looked away from the road while driving. He sentenced the defendant to 40 hours of community service with Minnesotans for Safe Driving, two years of supervised probation, a $3,080 fine, and four days of jail time. First Challenges to Floridas 2023 Public-Sector Union Law Fizzle as New New Jersey Labor Department Says Temporary Worker Bill of Rights Applies Outside Tax Credits for Electric Vehicle Batteries Under the Inflation Reduction Act: Free CAUTIONARY CONTINUANCE: Enforcement of Californias CPRA Regulations Takes a Pause U.S. For over two decades Steven has been litigating a wide range of civil claims. Green Level Drivers Ed is something that you or your friends have probably taken with excitement for the near possibility of being on the road! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Some say it should be treated like drunk driving. While texting and driving may cause greater driver impairment and potentially serious injuries or deaths, it is treated as a much less serious offense. Your parents have lectured you endlessly about it, you've been taught the horror stories about it in driver's ed class, and you probably live in one of the 49 states where it's illegal for teens to text behind the wheel. Posted January 08, 2021 In Design & Manufacturing Defects , Drunk Driving Accidents 0 The risks of driving these days are much higher than they used to be. Letters to the Editor: Is affirmative action a fair way to address racism in America? To be fair, teens arent the worst offenders. Its a way that can end our lives at any moment. Even preventions such as turning on Do Not Disturb might not work in some cases. Online Video Games: Does more need to be done to make online . Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Distracted Driving, Take the Pledge to End Distracted Driving, https://medium.com/@martinjsmith/the-cinematic-genius-of-the-red-asphalt-road-splatter-series-5289d382ffa3, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-21-me-wheel21-story.html, Great Leaders Recognize and Value the Power of Emotions. The Entrepreneurship Game is a complete entrepreneurship educational experience that is impactful, engaging and easy to run. There is an ongoing debate about whether or not texting and driving should be illegal in every state and if it should have the same consequences that drinking and driving has. So I understand the misconceived notionthat taking your eyes off the road for a second or less is a relatively innocuous action. If they see their parents driving distracted, they are more likely to do the same thing. Whats important to remember about driving is that youre making decisions not just about yourself, but about other cars that youre not controlling.. All Rights Reserved. Of course. John Morgan Wilson is a veteran journalist and award-winning fiction writer. National Law Review, Volume VI, Number 216, Public Services, Infrastructure, Transportation. Texting while driving causes 280,000 accidents per year, according to the National Safety Council. Should the punishment for killing someone while texting be just as serious as it is killing someone while driving intoxicated? I dont know his name, but I do know where he works the Santa Monica Police Department. The Hoffmann Law Firm L.L.C. There are some instances where you can be charged for vehicular manslaughter or homicide, but there are no separate escalated charges relating solely to the . To me, this stat shows how many potential accidents there could be on any given day. Updated January 31, 2023 Key insights + statistics Cell phone usage reduces a driver's attention by as much as 37%. She pleaded guilty to both charges and, as part of her plea deal, had the misuse charge dropped. Driving is a privilege because of the inherent risk and responsibility we all need to assume out on the road. Your parents have lectured you endlessly about it, youve been taught the horror stories about it in drivers ed class, and you probably live in one of the 49 states where its illegal for teens to text behind the wheel. If you know you'll be driving, give those with whom you normally communicate a heads up. The University of Utah researchers used a driving simulator and compared study participants who were talking on their cell phones versus those who were legally intoxicated. Wenzell English 100 21 September 2016 Essay #1 Texting while driving It's time to stop texting while driving. Patrick W. Crusius, who decided to take the issue of illegal immigration into his own hands and target Mexicans in his mission. -DeMarcus Kilgo kwhs wshs NC. Driver distraction is responsible for more than 58 percent of teen crashes. We can thank. While the solution of setting ones phone on the side seems viable, it is a natural instinct for people nowadays to pick up and check their phones. So, what are the dangers of texting drivers vs. drunk drivers? Read original article here; Find all our Student Opinion questions here. Is it worth risking your freedom? Should we punish driving while texting like we punish DUIs? There's no shame in making the roads a safer and distraction-free environment. Hey DeMarcus! Steven was born in 1970 and grew up in Florida. 11. If turning it off isnt an option, set your phone to silent so you dont hear the chime or ding and feel tempted to read the message or to respond. A New York Times/CBS News poll conducted in 2009 showed that nearly all Americans polled believe texting while driving should be illegal, and half believe the punishment should be as harsh as laws for drunken driving. The information will help the researchers figure out how to best use smartphones to help drivers of all ages.

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