Argumentative Essay On Texting And Driving
Fran Texeira Lading English 108 “Argumentative Essay RD” NWSU – Dr. Heard 14 September 2010 Texting and Driving Should Be Banned in Every State. Should the laws for texting while driving be the same in every State? In today’s society, the vast majority of people rely on a cell phone of their choice to talk, text, or e-mail. The most popular and dangerous is texting while driving. In most state texting while driving is ban for everyone and in other states there is an age limit for texting and driving. The laws should be the same for all states, which would ban texting while driving for anyone that gets in the driver seat. Recent studies show that texting while driving distracts the driver, it affects their driving skills; it causes injury and can claims lives, destroys families and increases insurance rates due to accidents. Distractions are the leading cause of motor vehicle crashes and the number one distraction is cell phones. The Wireless
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Association reports there more then 270 million-cell phone subscribers; this is up dramatically from 100 million subscribers in 2000. An estimated 110 billion text messages were sent monthly in 2008. Public opinion poll showed 81 percent of the public admitted to talking on a cell phone while driving. Drivers who talk on their cell phones are four times more likely to be involved in a crash and texting while driving is 8 times likely to be involved in a crash. Texting and driving is the equivalent to four alcoholic drinks. So why would someone want to take the risk to text and drive? Studies show texting while driving affects the skills of the driver. It slows the reaction time of the driver, a recent simulator study compared drivers using cell phones and drivers impaired by alcohol. The cell phone users had a slower reaction times then drivers with .08 BAC and slower reaction to vehicles braking in front of them. It affects their increase stopping time. An unimpaired drive takes .54 seconds to brake; legally drunk ads 4 feet to brake, and sending a text add 70 feet to brake. It distracts drivers and takes their attention from the road. Drivers who sent or read text messages were more prone to drift out of their lane, maintaining a safe speed and keeping consistent distance from cars ahead. These drivers fail to detect road hazards and drives 91% poorer than that of drivers devoting their full concentration to the road. Texting while driving, Destroys families through injury and the loss of innocent lives. September 22, 2006, began like any other day for Jackie Furfaro. She kissed her husband, Jim, goodbye as he left to pick up his colleague, Keith O'Dell, for work. A few hours later, Jackie arrived at work, where police were waiting for her. They told her Jim had been in an accident. "I saw Jim's license in the hands of one of the police officers, and I realized that he was dead," she says. "They told me that a 19-year-old who was driving a white Tahoe had crossed the center line and clipped my husband," she says. "He ended up in the oncoming traffic line and was broadsided by the vehicle behind the 19-year-old, and he was killed instantly, along with Keith." An investigator at the crash site suspected texting was involved when he saw the 19-year-old, Reggie Shaw, texting on the way to a mandatory drug and alcohol screening. No drugs or alcohol were found in his system, but cell phone records confirmed Reggie had been texting from the time he got into his car up until the moment of the crash. This is just one of many stories found on the Internet about texting while driving. On the Oprah show she reported that, “Nearly 500,000 people are injured and 6,000 killed each year because drivers are talking, texting, or e-mailing behind the wheel.” In 2008, 5,870 people died and more than a half million were hurt in crashes involving distracted, in attentive drivers (national highway traffic safety administration).
www.oprah.com/oprahshow/end-distracted-driving. There has been a new study that shows that accidents victims due to the distracted drivers may see their insurance rates skyrocket. “Engaging in distracting behavior like texting while driving, which takes the driver’s hands off the steering wheel, and their eyes off the road is extremely risky and can increase the likelihood of accidents. Even minor accidents can cause injuries and steep insurance rate hikes,” said Sam Belden, the website’s vice president of us insurance online. Accidents caused by cell phone use have been led to increases in insurance rates of anywhere from 10 to 50
percents. The laws should be the same in every state. There is a law that was passed in Missouri, on Aug 28, 2009 by Gov. Nixon, the portion banning texting while driving for drivers 21 and under, the law is classifies a violation as an infraction, punishable by fine or up to $200.00 and a moving violation, punishable by an assessment of point on the driver’s license. Then in some other states like Indian and Maine the age is 18 and under. Where as Alaska, California and Colorado, the law stats all drivers are banned from texting and driving. The way the law various from state to state it would be easier if they would all be the same. To ban texting and driving for anyone that gets in the drivers seat. Studies have shown that this New Epidemic that is rapidly grown in Our Country is the leading cause for the drivers distraction, along with the fact that it affects the skills of the driver causing injury or claiming of lives, that would destroy families, and their insurance rates increases due to these accidents.
Association reports there more then 270 million-cell phone subscribers; this is up dramatically from 100 million subscribers in 2000. An estimated 110 billion text messages were sent monthly in 2008. Public opinion poll showed 81 percent of the public admitted to talking on a cell phone while driving. Drivers who talk on their cell phones are four times more likely to be involved in a crash and texting while driving is 8 times likely to be involved in a crash. Texting and driving is the equivalent to four alcoholic drinks. So why would someone want to take the risk to text and drive? Studies show texting while driving affects the skills of the driver. It slows the reaction time of the driver, a recent simulator study compared drivers using cell phones and drivers impaired by alcohol. The cell phone users had a slower reaction times then drivers with .08 BAC and slower reaction to vehicles braking in front of them. It affects their increase stopping time. An unimpaired drive takes .54 seconds to brake; legally drunk ads 4 feet to brake, and sending a text add 70 feet to brake. It distracts drivers and takes their attention from the road. Drivers who sent or read text messages were more prone to drift out of their lane, maintaining a safe speed and keeping consistent distance from cars ahead. These drivers fail to detect road hazards and drives 91% poorer than that of drivers devoting their full concentration to the road. Texting while driving, Destroys families through injury and the loss of innocent lives. September 22, 2006, began like any other day for Jackie Furfaro. She kissed her husband, Jim, goodbye as he left to pick up his colleague, Keith O'Dell, for work. A few hours later, Jackie arrived at work, where police were waiting for her. They told her Jim had been in an accident. "I saw Jim's license in the hands of one of the police officers, and I realized that he was dead," she says. "They told me that a 19-year-old who was driving a white Tahoe had crossed the center line and clipped my husband," she says. "He ended up in the oncoming traffic line and was broadsided by the vehicle behind the 19-year-old, and he was killed instantly, along with Keith." An investigator at the crash site suspected texting was involved when he saw the 19-year-old, Reggie Shaw, texting on the way to a mandatory drug and alcohol screening. No drugs or alcohol were found in his system, but cell phone records confirmed Reggie had been texting from the time he got into his car up until the moment of the crash. This is just one of many stories found on the Internet about texting while driving. On the Oprah show she reported that, “Nearly 500,000 people are injured and 6,000 killed each year because drivers are talking, texting, or e-mailing behind the wheel.” In 2008, 5,870 people died and more than a half million were hurt in crashes involving distracted, in attentive drivers (national highway traffic safety administration).
www.oprah.com/oprahshow/end-distracted-driving. There has been a new study that shows that accidents victims due to the distracted drivers may see their insurance rates skyrocket. “Engaging in distracting behavior like texting while driving, which takes the driver’s hands off the steering wheel, and their eyes off the road is extremely risky and can increase the likelihood of accidents. Even minor accidents can cause injuries and steep insurance rate hikes,” said Sam Belden, the website’s vice president of us insurance online. Accidents caused by cell phone use have been led to increases in insurance rates of anywhere from 10 to 50
percents. The laws should be the same in every state. There is a law that was passed in Missouri, on Aug 28, 2009 by Gov. Nixon, the portion banning texting while driving for drivers 21 and under, the law is classifies a violation as an infraction, punishable by fine or up to $200.00 and a moving violation, punishable by an assessment of point on the driver’s license. Then in some other states like Indian and Maine the age is 18 and under. Where as Alaska, California and Colorado, the law stats all drivers are banned from texting and driving. The way the law various from state to state it would be easier if they would all be the same. To ban texting and driving for anyone that gets in the drivers seat. Studies have shown that this New Epidemic that is rapidly grown in Our Country is the leading cause for the drivers distraction, along with the fact that it affects the skills of the driver causing injury or claiming of lives, that would destroy families, and their insurance rates increases due to these accidents.