Distractions, such as talking or texting on a cell phone, can cause drivers to take their eyes off the road for a few seconds, long enough to have difficulty responding to hazards and staying in their lane. These seemingly innocuous acts also can affect their mental focus. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that cell phone use behind the wheel actually reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent ("A dangerous distraction," 2013). A report from the University of Utah (search) says when motorists between 18 and 25 talk on cell phones, they drive like elderly people — moving and reacting more slowly and increasing their risk of accidents ("Study: Teens on," 2005). It doesn't matter whether the phone is hand-held or hands-free. Any activity requiring a driver to "actively be part of a conversation" likely will impair driving abilities ("Study: Teens on," 2005). A 1997 Canadian study published in The New England Journal of Medicine used phone records to evaluate cell phone use patterns. Crash risk was found to be four times greater when drivers were using a cell phone, whether hand-held or hands-free. A more recent study using simulators published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology reported similar findings ("A dangerous distraction," 2013).…
People may urge that they are responsible enough to operate a cell phone and drive at the same time but if this were the case why is it that many injuries and deaths have been involved inquiring these two? We are completely distracted when using our phone. Their not only being used for talking, but sending texts, playing games, and simply not concentrating on the road. When your not focusing specifically on the road you are at risk. Not only putting yourself in danger but passengers, other vehicle, and bystanders as well.…
Using a cell phone while driving can cause the driver to take their eye off the road and cause them to think about what’s going on with their cell phone. When a phone call comes through on the driver’s cell phone, this distracts them from paying attention to the road. This is a major cause of accidents and deaths on the road. This also is putting drivers life in danger. While drivers may think they can handle talking on the phone they tend to miss visual and audio clues to avoid crashes. For example, there could be a crash on the highway. Drivers pick up their cell phone to call spouse or a friend to inform them of the trouble car crash. In the split second you looked down to dial the number you didn’t see the sign that said “right lane closed.” You then look up and realize that you are now in the right lane were the accident occurred. Before you could slow down or even stop you run into the back of a car that was just in an accident. Now because you picked up your cell phone instead of consternating on the road you put yourself in a situation you did not have to be in. This is just a few reasons why concentration on the road is so critical to prevent accidents.…
The use of cellular devices while driving is now illegal in some states. This is due to the fact that when drivers behind the wheel of a car their only priority should be to drive. While driving and on a phone at the same time a driver is going to be distracted, and when drivers are distracted they are more likely to cause or be involved in an accident. Although it may seem entertaining and fun, driving while using a cellular device can lead to major problems. For example, driving while on a handheld device will lead to distracted driving. It has been scientifically proven that humans are not good at multitasking. We tend to put most of our focus into one thing at a time, while leaving the other task setting in the background. Because of this…
summarized the effects of having distractions while driving. The main topics researched included the legislation already set in place regarding cell phone use whilst driving, what kind of phone was used (hand-held, or hands-free), and the level of strain during the conversation. Researching all of these factors contributes to the overall conclusion of drivers being distracted by mobile devices. One of the most interesting conclusions drawn from this study is that Collet et al. were able to conclusively summarize that it is in fact the distraction caused by the conversation itself that was the main distractor. Methodologies that were included in the study and proved evidence for the previous conclusion were the comparison of people being distracted by conversation in the car or on the phone (collet, 2008). In each case, the conditions were changed to assure that independent variables were not yielding skewed results; the driving conditions were changed as well as hands-free versus hand-held devices versus in person conversations. Independent variable analysis showed that not only did the distractions such as driving conditions, or traffic; affected ones driving, it also affected the conversation that was taking…
Cell phones are an amazing advance in technology but it is illegal for teenagers to use them while driving. Using a cell phone while driving is very dangerous because it takes away the main sense of focus that is needed to drive. Cell phones are a biomechanical distraction due to the need of grabbing it and to tap and swipe to navigate the screen. Cell phones are also a visual distraction because people need to look at the phone to navigate through the phone. Cell phones can become an auditory distraction through music that teens might play or if they make a phone…
Distracted driving has always been a problem with our country since cars were invented but recently it has become an even bigger issue, now it is the leading cause of teen deaths. In our day and age cars have gotten faster and technology has gotten more advanced. We now have cell phones that can do multiple things and our cars also have their own technology. Cell phones pose the main threat towards distracted driving especially for teens. Since phones have been getting more advanced and being able to do more things on them, teens are especially susceptible to being on their phone while driving.…
In other words, using a cell phone while driving is a total distraction. A cell phone is the number one big distraction in today’s time. Cellular device made an impact on one’s life. While driving, you could use your phone to change the MP3 player/AUX and texting. “In 2011, 52 percent of drivers reported owning a smartphone, and by 2014 that number had grown to 80 percent” ("Facts and Statistics”). Texting while driving is most likely to cause an accident than driving drunk. “1 out of every 4 car accidents in the United States is caused by texting…
According to the New York Times, using a phone while operating a vehicle puts drivers at four times the risk of crashing as other drivers. The likelihood that the crash would happen is the same as someone with a .08 percent blood alcohol level (where drivers are considered to be intoxicated) (Richtel 1). A 2003 Harvard study estimated that 330,000 car accidents occurred in the United States with moderate and severe injuries among the victims as a result of cell phone use. Another 2,600 cell phone related accidents resulted in a death (Richtel 1). The problem is that most drivers over estimate their ability to multi-task. Their consciousness is quickly divided as soon as their attention is focused on things other than the road.…
Teens today have been in many crashes or died because of the carelessness of themselves or others. The main reason for this is because they are not paying attention when driving and not being careful. Cell phones are major distractions when driving. A report from the University of Utah say when motorists talk on cell phones they drive like an elderly person because their reactions are slower. The quarterly journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society said that when they tested teens on a driving stimulator and talked on their cell phone, they are breaking slowly like an elderly person.…
Drivers are also twenty three times more likely to be involved in a car accident if they are texting. Also, “one-in-five drivers have confessed to surfing the web [or utilizing a mobile] device while driving.” (TextingandDrivingsaftey.com) “Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by thirty-seven percent.” (Carnegie, Mellon) This leads to any distracted driver by cellphone to be an extremely high risk when they are on the road. Even though “seventy-seven percent of young adults are... confident that they can safely text while driving,” the increased amounts of car wrecks due to being distracted by a mobile phone has increased exponentially since the inception of the first widespread smartphone in…
The driver is not the only one affected. If the distracted driver hits someone, then the other person is affected as well. According to McFeatters, “The deaths of twenty five people and injuries to 135 others in a 2008 California train crash was attributed to cell-phone use.” This means that thousands of Americans are suffering injuries and deaths due to irresponsible drivers who decide to make phone call or text while driving. The use of cell phones on the road is not worth the risk of someone’s life. For example, about six months ago, I was driving on the highway no more than twenty five miles per hour. While I was driving I received a text message. I looked down for a couple of seconds to answer. When I looked up again, I did not see the truck that was in front of me had totally stopped. The next thing I knew I had crashed my car. Luckily, nothing happened to me, but my car was a total loss. According to Rachtel, “Studies show that motorists who send or receive a text message have a tendency to take their eyes off the road for five seconds to do so. That is enough time for their car to travel more than the length of a football field at highway speeds.” Unfortunately, many young people think that while driving answering a call or text would not make a difference, but what they do not realize is that it only takes couple of seconds for an accident to occur. This involves the lives of innocent…
Using a cell phone while driving is one of the worst decisions any one can make. So many deaths have been caused by being distracted from a cell phone. This is a problem for teenagers because it has caused so many deaths, and injuries! Here are the statistics.…
Cell phone use while driving is very distracting. Driving is something that requires a lot of concentration, cell phones could distract one from their driving. There are many other distractions such as road signs, other drivers, and animals. Roads could be slippery and would require more attention. Distracted drivers can cause wrecks.…
When driving, drivers should wait to use their phones unless there is an emergency if road side service is needed. Also drivers should be paying attention to the road signs and pedestrians instead of their cellphones. Drivers tend to lose attention while engaging cellphones which affords lives to be taken including the driver. “With advancing technology, the distractions to which drivers are exposed continue to increase. Seventy-two percent of individuals 18 years or older in the USA who own a cellphone admitted to using it while driving” (Stavrinos et al).…