Texting While Driving

“Texting While Driving”

In today’s society, texting is something everyone is talking about. Many people text while driving, even though it is against the law in some states. Most people who text while they drive, think it is no big deal and everything will be okay. However, texting while operating a vehicle is extremely dangerous. There are many studies that say texting while driving is the most dangerous activity to do. It is more likely for a person who is texting while driving to get in a crash than a non-texting driver. In my opinion texting while driving is a very unsafe and not a smart thing to do.
Texting while driving has increased the number of motor vehicle accidents. In my opinion it is not a safe thing to do. Drivers have many other distractions that they have to deal with while driving, and adding texting does not help. There are many who can text while driving and be okay, however, there are others who cannot. When doing this, it makes drivers less likely to respond to sudden dangers on the road.
Texting bans have been issued all over the United States. With these bans being issued, most people would think it would have decreased accidents. “Texting bans haven’t reduced crashes at all,” (quoted in Holbrook). The texting bans have actually, increased the number of accidents. This may be due to the fact that some people love doing what they are not supposed to do. Most people would think that it is mainly young adults and teenagers who text while they are driving; however, that is not the case. Lately, you can find almost everyone texting these days. So, it is not unlikely to see people other than teenagers and young adults texting while they are driving. In the article, “Friends don 't let friends text while driving,” the author states that, even police officers have been found texting prior to being involved in fatal crashes, (Wendling). There are times when everyone needs to text someone back as soon as possible, however texting while driving puts themselves and others in serious danger. When you are driving and receive a text message, the best thing to do would be to pull over if it is necessary to text back, otherwise, wait until you are no longer driving. Most people believe that it will only take a few seconds and nothing could happen, however a lot can happen in a blink of an eye. “Texting while driving is by far the most dangerous behind-the-wheel activity” (“Don’t text, or drink, behind the wheel”). Most individuals believe that driving while intoxicated would have to be the most dangerous thing to do while driving. Being intoxicated while driving has actually decreased more and texting while driving has increased sufficiently. Texting while driving can increase the chance of crashing twenty times more than anything else. "So one could make the argument that texting while driving actually makes you more dangerous than intoxicated driving," (“Don’t text, or drink, behind the wheel”).

Everyone feels the need to be connected to others at all times, even while they are driving. An example of this would be people who are needed to keep in touch with others due to their job at all times. This can give reasoning on why so many individuals choose to text while they are driving. In today’s modern society, people are so pushed for time, and since driving might seem like wasted time, which causes people to feel obligated to get tasks done behind the wheel. With today’s technology, there are many other ways to still send a text message without actually typing it out on your phone. There are many applications on smart phones which can text things for you. However, I believe trying to do things on your phone while driving is a major distraction and can lead to serious danger. Texting while driving can be very costly. Not only can it cost you by getting a ticket that will have to be paid, but it can also cost someone’s life. Texting while driving is a very serious matter that can lead to death. When someone is texting it can cause them not to see something on the road and wreck, which could kill them. It could also cost a lot for someone if they are hurt in an accident and have to pay medical bills. In certain states, people under the age of eighteen are not allowed to even be on their phone while driving. Lawmakers feel that young drivers are less likely to respond quickly to road danger situations. Texting can cause this to be very hazardous to young drivers because they have not had as much driving experience as others. Texting while driving is a very serious situation, there have been many stories about young people getting into accidents due to texting while driving. I heard of a story once where a teenage girl was texting while driving on her way to school. She wrecked and was thrown from her car. She was instantly killed. There are stories like these on the news that you hear about daily. In conclusion, texting while driving is a very dangerous and serious matter. I think it is very unsafe for anyone to text and not just young drivers, because it can affect anyone. Texting while driving is against the law and can have many consequences. It is rare for people to receive messages that could not be postponed until the vehicle is stopped in a safe place. Texting can lead to death which is something people should not try to risk. One message is not worth what the possible outcome of texting while driving can be.

Works Cited
"Don 't text, or drink, behind the wheel." Industrial Engineer May 2010: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.
Holbrook, Emily. "Increase in accidents since ban on texting." Risk Management Dec. 2010: 44.
Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.
Wendling, Patrice. "Friends don 't let friends text while driving." Pediatric News Mar. 2010: 24. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.

Cited: "Don 't text, or drink, behind the wheel." Industrial Engineer May 2010: 14. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Holbrook, Emily. "Increase in accidents since ban on texting." Risk Management Dec. 2010: 44. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. Wendling, Patrice. "Friends don 't let friends text while driving." Pediatric News Mar. 2010: 24. Academic OneFile. Web. 27 Nov. 2011.