Texting and Driving
Chantay Lowe
English 1301
Persuasive Essay
People should be cited for texting while driving because not only are drivers putting themselves in danger but also everyone else around them. Statistics have indicated that over 6,000 deaths and well over half a million injuries have occurred due to drivers using cell phones in 2011 alone. Drivers sending or receiving test messages take their eyes off of the road for at least five seconds which is enough time to cover an entire football field. One could only imagine the tremendous amount of damage that can be done driving across a football field with unopened eyes. “The more cognitive workload capacity that you consume, the less likely it is that you’re going to scan the road” (Romoser, 14). People tend to lose focus on what they are actually supposed to be doing while driving and using cell phones. People as a whole can be pretty selfish and often worry only of themselves. Drivers should be cited for texting while driving to ensure the safety of all drivers on the roads and highways. Citations should be given to drivers who text while driving because in order to view or reply to any text message, their eyes have to be completely off of the road for a given time period. There is absolutely no such thing as the perfect driver, let alone somebody being able drive perfectly while text messaging no matter how advanced the technology may be because it will still be a constant distraction taking your attention away from the road. In 2009 about twenty percent of all automobile accidents were caused by distracted driving. Of that twenty percent, over 900 of those accidents were caused by people who happened to be texting while driving. “Some make the argument that texting while driving actually makes them more dangerous than intoxicated driving” (Kirsten 2). Today the statistics of automobile accidents involving cell phones are dramatically increasing, especially with teenagers and young adults. Drivers
English 1301
Persuasive Essay
People should be cited for texting while driving because not only are drivers putting themselves in danger but also everyone else around them. Statistics have indicated that over 6,000 deaths and well over half a million injuries have occurred due to drivers using cell phones in 2011 alone. Drivers sending or receiving test messages take their eyes off of the road for at least five seconds which is enough time to cover an entire football field. One could only imagine the tremendous amount of damage that can be done driving across a football field with unopened eyes. “The more cognitive workload capacity that you consume, the less likely it is that you’re going to scan the road” (Romoser, 14). People tend to lose focus on what they are actually supposed to be doing while driving and using cell phones. People as a whole can be pretty selfish and often worry only of themselves. Drivers should be cited for texting while driving to ensure the safety of all drivers on the roads and highways. Citations should be given to drivers who text while driving because in order to view or reply to any text message, their eyes have to be completely off of the road for a given time period. There is absolutely no such thing as the perfect driver, let alone somebody being able drive perfectly while text messaging no matter how advanced the technology may be because it will still be a constant distraction taking your attention away from the road. In 2009 about twenty percent of all automobile accidents were caused by distracted driving. Of that twenty percent, over 900 of those accidents were caused by people who happened to be texting while driving. “Some make the argument that texting while driving actually makes them more dangerous than intoxicated driving” (Kirsten 2). Today the statistics of automobile accidents involving cell phones are dramatically increasing, especially with teenagers and young adults. Drivers
Citations: Romoser, Matthew. "Don’t text, of drink, behind the wheel." Front Line. (2008): 2. Print. “Cell Phone Statistics and Texting While Driving.” .N.p., 2007. Web. 8 Dec 2011.