The act of driving is an issue of life and death, both of which have an equal chance of happening. However, since none wishes to die, it suffices to declare anything that might result to death out of bounds.
Communicating over the phone comes in as an experience that all people, both young and old, enjoy. Although all have the right to utilize the technology to the maximum, the situation or the environment that one is in significantly determines whether he/she has the right to use it. Drivers of automobiles for instance have every reason to use cellular phones.
However, restrictions are equally important when put in place to check their use and to ensure that they use it appropriately. Many of the accidents and road carnages reported over the world result from reckless driving brought about by cellular phone use by drives when driving. The technology, which seeks to quicken and enhance the communication process, has deprived many innocent people of their lives.
It is all about cellular phones. Whether drivers should use cellular phones or not still rages with majority suggesting the prohibition of their use of the phones while driving. Based on the working evidence that the paper tables, I too strongly support the prohibition of using cellular phones by the automobiles drivers.
Use of cellular among drivers has been cited as one of the leading causes of accidents and highway carnages. Many drivers and commuters have succumbed to their lives because of cellular phones misuse by drivers.
For instance, a schoolwork conducted by the University of South Carolina on the effects of chatting and listening on cell phones showing how it interferes with the visual tasks like driving provides a good insight to understanding the dangers that drivers risk when they drive and use cellular phones simultaneously. Dr. Amit, the researcher, found out that speaking and planning to speak requires some concentration and therefore demands more brains resources to listen (University of South Carolina Para.3).
These experiments clearly suggest that the driver may be distracted and even lose control of the vehicle since the brain, and hence the eyes, will not be concentrating on the act of driving. Reports of the national highway traffic and safety administration also indicate that around 25 per cent of the accidents caused on the roads are because of distractions. This statistics clearly speak for itself.
Use of cellular phones is one of the causes of distractions that have contributed to these accidents. Most of the people, drivers included, have access to cellular phones due to their affordability. However, while using them is not a problem, the circumstance that a driver finds him/her when his/her phone rings should largely determine whether to respond or not, if at all the issue of road accidents has to be dealt with to the latter.
Drivers also concern the US Departments of transportation about the ever-increasing usage of phones. The practice on the other hand exposes the passengers to much fear based on what can happen if the call carries away the minds of the driver. The Departments consider this act as one of the contributors in the increases in rates of accidents since it causes distractions on the passengers.
Therefore, the department also is worried of the trend putting in mind that many people have access to mobile phones. It is no doubt that this scenario presents an unquestionable issue in the fraternity of transportation. In order for drivers to use the phone, they are required to use their hands and eyes to do this.
This makes drivers lose concentration, as the control of vehicles may become a problem. Furthermore, the driver may be engrossed in the conversation based on its nature affecting his/her emotions leading to a loss of focus and control. For instance, drivers who engage in communication while driving may be angered or may receive sad information from the person they are communicating with which may anger or frustrate or excite them.
With such moods, the driver may lose his/her focus and concentration leading to an accident. Therefore, it is imperative that drivers be prohibited to use their cellular phones while driving. It should not be a matter of compromise but rather a practice worth avoiding if their safety as well as that of the passengers and other road users is to be achieved.
Furthermore, results from a study on drivers conducted in Perth, Australia in July 2005 by Insurance institute for highway safety indicated that use of cellular phones increases the chances of the occurrence of an accident by four times.
It further notes that use of hands free phones, or devices of such manner, does not improve the safety of driving (Young, and Schreiner 190). This assertion clearly demonstrates the dangers of driving while using cellular phones and therefore the need for its prohibition. There is no convincing reason that a driver who uses his/her cellular phone while driving is safe as it destructs attention.
These researches should be taken seriously if the rate of accidents and mischievous on our roads is to become outdated. People have continued to lose their lives due to the mistakes committed by drivers who are not concerned about other road users. The numbers of cellular phones are increasing in their use and as a remedy it is important for precautionary measures to be put in place to ensure that road accidents, caused by cellular phone distractions are contained.
In an argument for the prohibition of driver’s use of cellular, I do concur with the study conducted by the government of the US during June 2005, which showed that the use of these cellular phones was more likely to contribute or result in accidents as opposed to any other forms of distraction (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 8).
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Virginia tech transportation institute trailed 100 cars within duration of one year with their findings showing that those drivers using handsets and hand free car kits brought or caused more crashes as opposed to other forms of distractions.
This passes for an evidence of the consequences of what cellular phones can bring on the users of roads. It is therefore imperative that strict measures be improvised to ensure that there is no use of cellular phones among drivers of the automobiles.
Even though various researches have proved the distractions the use of cellular phones can have on the drivers and other road users, several parallel studies have been conducted with some refuting the positions. It may not be true per se, that the use of cellular phones causes the accidents. Various governments and legislations have not been put in place by various countries because they do not see this as a key cause of road carnages.
A study conducted by AAA Foundation for Traffic safety 2003 negated the previous researches by claiming that those drivers that use cellular phones while driving are more likely to reach their destinations safe as those who are distracted by other distractions were likely to cause accidents (Wilson, and Stimpson 2220). However, the report is so passive, as it does not see the need for prohibition of drivers’ use of cellular phones while driving.
They believe that cellular phones do not destruct the attention of drivers on their driving when compared to other distractions. This is a position that has also received support from those drivers or people or parties that are opposed to legislations which are intended to prohibit use of cellular phones while driving. However, as Collet points out, based on the results on the grounds, it appears null and void (23).
In conclusion, it is evident that the use of cellular phones among drivers of automobiles poses a danger not only to the driver, but also to the passengers as well as other road users. Though there are those who are opposed to this observation, the bottom line reveals most of the accidents as resulting form of the distraction subjected to drivers when conversing over the phone.
The debate has also resulted to the formulation of legislations concerning safety driving by prohibiting the use of cellular phones. Many governments have recognized it and always ensure that drivers do not risk by using their mobile telephones. To ensure that there is less distractions, states for instance Illinois have banned the use of text messages by drivers while driving, one example of the measures that have been taken to curb instances of accidents.
I also strongly second the prohibition of the use of phones by automobile drivers based on the tabled repercussions that have arisen as a result ranging from early deaths of innocent people as well as massive destruction of other people’s property. If all these result from phone misuse by drivers, why then allow them to use the phones while driving? Does it cost any thing to explain to your callers the risk they expose you to when they call you when driving?
Works Cited
Collet, Guillo. Phoning while driving II: A review of driving conditions influence. Ergonomics 53.5 (2010): 602-616.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. An Investigation of the Safety Implications of Wireless Communications in Vehicles. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000.
University of South Carolina. Talking Distractions: Why Cell Phones and Driving Don’t Mix, 2008. Web.
Wilson, Fernando, and Stimpson, Jim. Trends in Fatalities from Distracted Driving in the United States, 1999 to 200.American Journal of Public Health 100 .11 (2010): 2213-2219.
Young, Richard, and Schreiner, Christopher. Real-World Personal Conversations Using a Hands-Free Embedded Wireless Device While Driving Effect on Airbag-Deployment Crash Rates. Risk Analysis: An International Journal, 29.2, (2009): 187-204.