Texting or using a cell phone while driving is very hazardous to yourself and the people surrounding you. One reason the majority of people are against this action is because it causes a great amount of car accidents every year. While driving, adults and teenagers cannot resist the urge to pick up their cell phone and send a text or respond to one. When the driver hears this phone vibrating, nothing can stop them from checking the notification on their phone. As soon as the driver’s eyes meet their cellular device, their focus on the road is drawn away. In 2009, 5,474 people died and 448,000 people got injured from car accidents from being distracted while driving. The lives of innocent people are being taken every day due to a simple distraction. Car crashes are four times more common to take place while the driver is on their mobile device over any other causes. Different states have particular views on the laws put into effect about texting while driving. The state of Utah has a law established stating that if a driver is texting while driving and winds up crashing, they will spend fifteen years in jail. Most people don’t seem to realize how careless they can be while driving a car. While talking on the phone, it is easier to still keep focused on the road in front of the driver. When they engage in a text message, it’s not possible to look in both directions at once, therefore all of their focus goes straight to the screen of the cell phone. It’s hard for all drivers, especially teenagers, to put down the cell phone and put their hands on the wheel, which results in many car crashes. Texting while driving puts many driver’s lives in danger daily. Multiple people feel that staying connected to the outside world is more important than focusing on the road ahead, although it isn’t. It can harm others on the road who are doing nothing other than trying to make it to their destination safely. If people would open their eyes to the dangers of texting while driving, less car accidents would take place every year and the roads would be much safer. Distracted drivers need to know the position they put others in as well as themselves. While behind the wheel, drivers should never direct their attention to their cell phone and should always keep their eyes on the road.
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