Research Paper

Haley Yuhasz
Ms. Latevola
English 9
17 May 2013
Texting While Driving Researchers have shown that texting while driving makes an accident 23-times more likely to happen. Who is texting while driving and what needs to be done to prevent it? Texting while driving is unsafe and most teens are not admitting that they are texting behind the wheel. Only 34 percent of teenagers have admitted to texting while driving and 54 percent of teenagers have admitted to texting while driving. Teens who text while driving increases the risks of accidents by distracting themselves behind the wheel. The consequences of laws are not working on drivers who use their phones while driving, and raising awareness will stop teens from texting while driving. More car accidents are occurring because texting while driving is distracting teens behind the wheel. Accidents are occurring because cell phones are taking teens minds off the road. Teens are more focused on their cell phones than thinking about everyone else around them. Texting behind the wheel is putting the driver, the passengers, the pedestrians, and the other drivers on the road at risk of harm. Teens are putting everyone at risk of harm when they take their eyes of the road to look for their phones or look at their messages. Cell phones may be distracting teens while driving, but enforcing laws do not stop people from texting behind the wheel. What are the laws and how are they being enforced? Federal laws have banned texting while driving, but most laws depend on the state or the local government. Laws state that you cannot send or write messages while driving. There are violations against reckless driving and and you can be fined. Current fines are $20 for a first time offense and $50 for a second time offense. As passed, the bill increased those fines to $250 and $500. Laws are being enforced only if a police cites a driver using cellphones while driving.
Some states have banned texting while driving, but people still do not follow the law. “Many law enforcement officers say the law is difficult to enforce”(Andria Simmons). The problem with enforcing the law is that teens are not on their phones when law enforcement is around. Most of the time police can not tell if a teen is actually on their cell phones while driving. Teens are texting while driving because not all the countries are strict about texting while driving, while other places are strict about enforcing the law. Some states are only banning texting while driving, but not reading the messages on your phone. “ Unless a motorist is blatantly typing away at eye level, a car would need to be moving slowly enough for an officer to see inside, focus on the phone, and observe the driver manipulating the buttons. Which is to say the car would probably need to be stopped — at which point it ceases to be a safety hazard”(Radley Balko).
Teens are not follow laws when it comes to texting while driving. Teens are paying more attention to looking out for cops than actually paying attention to the road. Safety does not come to mind when teens are driving. Marie Hartwell-Walker, the author of Teens, Texting and Driving: Disaster in the Making says, “Teens are great at denial.” Teens deny the fact that getting in car accident will not happen to them. They do not think about getting hurt or putting other people at risk of an accident. Some teens do not think there is anything wrong with texting while driving because their parents are also texting while driving. Law enforcement is not stopping teens from texting while driving, but raising awareness will stop teens from texting behind the wheel. Public awareness will stop people from texting while driving. Teens listen to real life experiences because they are more interesting than listening to people tell them about the laws. Teens need to be aware of their actions while driving. Teens who do not follow the laws of texting while driving, need to look into safety groups. Safety groups will prevent teens to stop texting while driving and other distracting habits while driving. Texting while driving is causing injuries and loss of lives. Public awareness stops injuries from occurring. Learning the dangers of texting while driving is what stopped Sam Page from texting behind the wheel. Sam Page’s sister was killed because she was texting while driving. Sam was immediately in tears and she heard the news that she never wanted to hear from anyone. Sam texted her sister around the time that her car accident happened. Sam says, “She 's not going to survive. She 's brain dead, ' he said. 'I 'm afraid there 's no hope.” Sam and her friends never thought anything of texting while driving and thought it was no big deal. She never thought it would happen to her or her friends. Sam and her friends realized that they needed to change their actions while driving. Sam’s reaction to texting while driving has changed completely, and she say, “It only takes a split second while you take your eyes of the road for tragedy to occur, and sending a text is just not worth it.” An accident can occur anytime within two-three seconds with the use of a cell phone while drivi. Enforcing laws of texting while driving is not working, but raising public awareness stops teens from texting while driving. Teens that do not stop texting while are increasing car accidents. In able to prevent texting while driving people should plan and know where they are going at all times before going anywhere. Try turning off cell phones when driving and put it out of arm 's reach or sight.

Works Cited
Nordqvist, Christian. "Texting While Driving Common Among Teenagers." Medical News Today. Medical News, 6 May 2013. Web. 17 May 2013. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/260121.php>.

"The dangers of texting while driving." Federal Communications Commission. Federal Communication Commission, 17 May 2013. Web. 17 May 2013. <http://www.fcc.gov/guides/ texting-while-driving>.

Cited: Nordqvist, Christian. "Texting While Driving Common Among Teenagers." Medical News Today. Medical News, 6 May 2013. Web. 17 May 2013. &lt;http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/260121.php&gt;. "The dangers of texting while driving." Federal Communications Commission. Federal Communication Commission, 17 May 2013. Web. 17 May 2013. &lt;http://www.fcc.gov/guides/ texting-while-driving&gt;.