Talking on the Cell Phone While Driving, Essay Example

This research paper is discussing about talking on a cell phone while driving and why it should be legislated. It attempts to answer a question should we legislate talking on a cell phone while driving. As a researcher I believe that the answer to that question is yes, we should legislate. This answer was derived after intense research from various scholars concerning the issue. Answering this research question is important because legislation will help to save thousands of lives every year (Jennifer, 2). Talking on cell phone while driving is even more dangerous that driving when drunk since driving requires keen attention which talking on a cell phone seems to limit and thus the reason I believe it should be legislated (Recarte & Nunes, 132).

Meanwhile, as scientists from different countries do the research on how a using cell phone affects driving, as does the Farmers Insurance Group. Through the survey they found that 87% of those polled said that cell phones affect a driver’s ability, and 40% reported having close calls with drivers distracted by phones (Angela Daly, “A Call to Action”). Many scientists suggest that using cell phones while on the road is dangerous, but they can not prove that the cell phones were the only reason or the major reason that caused the accidents.

Studies show that talking on a cell phone while driving increases the risks of crashing. Other research by Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, demonstrates that cell phone use while driving is as risky as drunk driving. Their study was based on almost 700 drivers and how they used their cell phones. (Angela Daly, “A Call to Action…”).  A research done by Harvard risk analysis center shows that cell phone talking while driving contributes to over 6% of crashes. This translates to over 12,000 serious injuries or 636,000 crashes each year (Augustine, 16). Thus, legislating cell phone talking while driving will save many lives as well as cut cost that is inquired in treating the injuries and repairing the vehicles.

There are a lot of debates about whether cell phone usage while driving should be legislated (William, 01). The situation is not clear and the answer is not obvious because there are also scientists, like researchers from Harvard Center for Risks Analysis, who say that the risk of using cell phone while driving is small compared with other driving risks (Paul Levi, “Cell phones in…”).  However the impact of the accidents caused due to driving while talking on cell phones should not be ignore when deliberating on this matter (Gilbert C. and Kristi, 01).

Of course, cell phone use might not be a major reason of getting in car accident. There are many other things that distract drivers, such as passengers, radio, GPS, weather conditions, etc. Driving itself is very dangerous and all of those things are distractive and make driving even more dangerous. We live in a free country and each of us has a choice how to live their life, whether to drive after a bottle of whiskey, or whether to argue with wife on the phone while driving on the highway 75 mph (Tom, 01).  Yes, you might think that you are very experienced driver and it is no problem to talk on the phone or texting and holding the wheel with your knee, but think about somebody else, not so experienced doing the same thing, going your direction and suddenly crashing into your car (Sarah, 02).

What if it would happen to your mom or dad, your pregnant wife or your only child? The price of this question is extremely high – it is somebody’s life (Richard, 236). Is life more precious than freedom of using cell phone? Somebody may say that this problem needs to be studied more, but while they study it somebody will die (University of Michigan, 48). Since there is no way the federal government can use to determine who can effectively use cell phone while driving and not risk the lives of others and who can risky, its better if as a state a common ground is agreed on of legislating on driving while talking on cell phone just the same was driving when drunk is legislated.  On my behalf, it is not a question. I prefer to give up my freedom if it would save a life. It is a call to action for us. We should legislate, not even a debate.

Most people claim that cell phone talking while driving should not be legislated since it at times helps in delivering emergency information (Redelmeier, and Tibshirani, 457). Other people who are opposed to its legislation claim that people are busy and talking while driving helps reduce the work load or keep in touch with those who they love. I however view this as a unjust excuse. Other people claim that using hand held device can be legislated but using hand free device be made legal an opinion I don’t consider to be right. While talking in cell phone whether hand held or hands free, the driver is distracted and this creates a hazard to the driver and other people on the road. Some police reports indicate that while talking on a cell phone a drive is more likely to weave and thus increasing the likely hood of causing accidents.

Driving requires fast reflexes and reactions. However, when talking on a cell phone the speed to reflex or react is reduced. A certain research compares talking on cell phone while driving reaction to be as slow as that of over 70 year old person driving which most young people consider an hazard in the roads (Consumer Affairs.com). Other than reducing reflexes and reaction times, due to the distraction caused during the conversation, most drivers are likely to miss turns, drive off road or even run red lights and hence not only making driving while talking dangerous for other drivers but also endangering the lives of other passengers and pedestrians.

Research conducted by various universities such as University of Illinois showed that while talking on a cell phone a drive was over 6% likely to cause accident, 18 percent slow to respond to brake light and 17 percent slow in regaining speed after barking (US census bureau table 1067). This slowed response increases the chances of rear ending the front car to twice those of a non distracted driver. In addition the slowed responses increases traffic flow and lengths the stopping distance between cars since the driver while talking will opt to maintain a bigger distant from the front car to avoid rear end accidents.

Over 45% of cell phone drivers from research conducted have agreed of having been hit or nearly hit another driver while talking on a cell phone. In California where cell phone talking while driving is legislated its reported that road accidents reduced by 12.5% after the ban. While hand held devices increases the chances of having road accidents due to slowed response, hand free devices also pose almost equally dangerous risks since it even makes the driver to be less keen while driving and talking. Other studies show that continuous use of cell phones causes the brain to release a short spurt hormone like adrenaline. This creates an addiction which makes drivers even tempted to use cell phones in roads which pose a great threat of accident arising and hence contributing in causing accidents.

Driving while talking on a cell phone put not just the drivers’ life at risk but also risks the lives of other people suing the road either as drivers or pedestrians. Hence talking on a cell phone reduces the safety of other road users directly giving the driver the right to hold the other people’s life into their own hands an unfair and unjust way (Ethan, 01).

Most people who are against its legislation claim that talking in a cell phone is almost similar as the driver engaging in a conversation with passengers while driving. I however do not consider the two forms of communication comparable. When making a conversation with passengers, it directly engages the passengers in the driving process and thus can easily warn incase you need to respond fast to avoid an accident (Live science staff. 02). In addition, as a passenger engages a driver in discussion they can clearly understand that you have another responsibility and hence can regulate the conversation based on how much concentration you need while driving (Governors highway safety association, 01). This is not the case with cell phone talking since the second person you are talking to is not aware of the road situation or even if you are driving and thus will require the drivers full attention.

Talking while driving makes a driver develop a narrow focus and hence making them completely unaware of the many things happening on the road. This increases the chances of a driver knocking a pedestrian crossing the zebra-crossing which mainly could not have happened if the driver’s attention was focused on the road (Strayer, Drews, & Johnston, 26). Despite how emergent a call is, I believe none of the calls are emergent that they can wait one to pull from the road. Another reason that makes me believe cell phone talking should be legislated is due to the financial toll caused by cell phone related accidents. As the number of accidents occurring due to talking on a cell phone increases so is the annual increase of the financial toll. Legislation of cell phone talking while driving while help cut down this financial toll to the benefit of the states economy. Research shows that over $43 billion is spend on expenses arising due to accidents caused while talking on cell phone.

As much as other forms of driver’s distraction should be legislated, I believe legislating on the use of cell phone while driving will help lower the frequency of avoidable accidents (Fred, 02). Legislation of cell phone talking while driving is not a totalitarian legislation but only contrary it ensures that the rights of other people are protected and respected. It increases the safety of other passengers and pedestrians.

Conclusion

From the research data obtained during this research study it’s clearly evident that talking on a cell phone while driving if not legislated will affect the world’s productivity and development. While I anticipate critics on my stand, it’s important that we consider the risks talking on a cell phone poses in our life and those of the people around us (Simon, and Hugh, 153). Talking to cell phone while driving can not be compared to talking to a passenger since while the other person on the other side of the call is unaware of what is happening on the road, the passenger gives the driver extra eyes and hence increases his alertness (Laberge-Nadeau, 1-3). Legislating use of cell phone while driving will help lower the number of accidents that occur due to careless driving and lower the financial toll such accidents pose to individual and to the government. Anyone who does not want to be involved in an accident or the cause of road accident should therefore advocate for talking on a cell phone while driving legislation (NY Times, 02).

Works cited

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