Cause And Effects Of Distracted Driving

We all are probably aware that texting and talking on the phone is a distraction to all drivers and can be very dangerous. Also, we all know there are many other distractions besides texting and driving, and any type of technology can cause a driver to be distracted. Forty-one percent of all drivers use their hands to text in the car while driving, according to Greg Gardner (52). It can cause people to forget about pedestrians or their surrounding areas. People who are distracted often aren’t focused and don’t have both hands on the wheel. According to Bryan Wilson, people may say that cell phones are easy to be pointed out as a problem, but statistics show the damage cell phones can do to a person while they are driving (6). According to Simon Usborne, time spent not looking at the road while talking on the phone is 15% of the time (68). Also, while texting and driving the time spent not looking at the road is 30% of the time (Usborne 69). As technology improves more and more people may feel the need to use their cell phones while driving. According to Melissa Healy, cell phone use can be as dangerous as drunk driving (42). Tests should be done to compare the various ways of sober people under the influence driving also to compare the impact of texting and driving. This would give us a better understanding of just how dangerous driving and being on our phone really is.

“Distracted driving refers to any nondriving activity that takes motorists ' attention away from the safe operation of their vehicles” (Leone). Every time a driver gets in a vehicle and decides to use a cell phone to have a conversation, either talking or texting, they put themselves and others lives in danger. The convenience a cell phone and the capabilities they offer have made them a substantial distraction and a cause of significant source of vehicle accidents and fatalities. There are three different types of distractions: visual, manual and cognitive. Cell phone use is the most dangerous distraction because it involves all three different types of distraction and plays a part in the increasing issue of distracted driving. Even

It has been proven that driving and using phones at the same time is the same as being drunk and driving. Accidents occur daily because of this case. The distraction like looking for a number, trying to text while driving also checking our social media and trying to find your phone in your purse can cause accidents. We try to organize our calendar checking emails try to multitask all at one and don’t realize that we are putting our lives or someone’s else’s life in danger while being on your phone

Most teens, and even adults, use their cellphones while they drive. They think a quick text or call won’t hurt while they are at a red light. They call it multitasking, and think that since they have a hand on the wheel they are fine. In the articles “How The Brain Reacts” by Marcel Just and Tim Keller, and “The Science Behind Distracted Driving” by KUTV, Austin they describe how the mind is working in the cellphone situation.

Distracted driving is becoming the one of the highest causes of fatal accidents in youth. People are becoming more and more dependent on their mobile phones due to the economic and social benefits they provide. With advancement of technology and the more widespread use of smartphones distracted driving is become more dangerous than driving impaired. Driving itself needs full focus and attention with new technologies more focused on making mobile phones more easily compatible with cars it has become increasingly difficult to eliminate the problem cell phones and mobile phones cause when linked to each other. Studies show those using mobile devices while driving are 4-6 times more likely to get into a accident, With the risk so high many cell phone use while driving has been banned in many different countries around the world(fatal distractions). The second alternative is hands-free devices allowing drivers to accept calls, compile and send text messages with ought the use of hands, but using a mobile phone whether it be hands-free or not still hinders performance and deviates the focus of the driver. Car companies have recently countered this issue by implementing new technology in vehicles. For instance, cars now come equipped with built in blue tooth and exceptional pairing applications. This technology leads to inconclusive results of using a hand-held device.

A distracted driver is anyone who diverts their attention from driving by either talking or texting, talking or performing any other multitasking activity on a mobile device while driving. on a mobile device eitherRegardless if the device is a hand-held hands on or hand-freeoff or multitasking while driving. All distractions are dangerous, but text messaging is the most hazardous because it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention from the driver (Distraction.govDistracted Driving, 2013). Regardless of the ageage, sex, or expertise of a driver; a distracted driver is a danger to society. When we drive distractedFor the distracted driver, the result is the same, and it is just an accident waiting to happen. The fact is that, and the growing number of life changing accidents is inis on the rise. This practice does not only affect the driver but “all distractions endanger driver, passenger, and bystander safety” (Distracted Driving, 2013).

This suggests the conversation itself, the mental distraction, not the physical one, matters most. Common sense dictates that texting providers an even bigger distraction. Not only does the driver have to carry on a conversation (or several, it’s not uncommon for an individual to be holding multiple conversations simultaneously, especially among teenagers,) but they also must move their visual focus from the road, and type into their phone. Any activity requiring the visual, cognitive, and physical attention of someone controlling a steel cage that is hurtling down the freeway at 65 miles per hour should be avoided.

In this age of multitasking, the use of cell phones is combined with assignments like cooking, driving, babysitting, walking, doing college assignments and even eating. Whereas the use of cell phones while doing some chores might be simply annoying, the consequence of using cell phone with driving can be fatal. Recent polls by the Pew Research Center and other researchers show that about fifty to ninety percent young Americans admit using their cell phone while driving. This includes about thirty six percent who said they texted or typed something whiles driving. (Lopresti-Goodman, Rivera, & Dressel, 2012). The practice of using phone particularly texting while driving has increased the number of distracted driving accidents. When the cell phone records of people involved

“A distracted driver may fail to see up to 50% of the available information in the driving environment. You may look but not actually “see” what is happening. Focus of the driver is not on the road or traffic and it becomes difficult to handle phone and vehicle at one time. Cell phones during driving also reduce the mental capacity of drivers as they fail to concentrate on minor or major activities happening around them. Cell phones distract drivers' attention resulting in comparatively slow response to traffic signals and other related traffic events. Studies have shown the fact that breaking reaction time is also slower while talking on a cell phone during driving. The perception, vision, general awareness, and concentration of the driver are impacted while communicating on a cell phone during driving. Especially during bad weather or driving on slippery roads, drivers engaging in conversation pay less attention to these areas increasing risks of fatal accidents.

Using a cell phone while driving has become the biggest manual distraction while driving.  According to a study, conducted by The University of Utah (2013),

The purpose of this study was to analyze the dangers of both the usage of cell phones and the consumption of alcohol while driving. Researchers wanted to see which one was more dangerous for the driver out of these two distractions. In the study that was conducted in “A Comparison of the Cell Phone Driver and the Drunk Driver” during the 2006 year, took 40 experienced adult drivers (25 men, 15 women) and put them through a three-day lab experiment. Using the PatrolSim high fidelity driving stimulator, participants went through three different driving situations; a baseline, driving with the BAC .08%, and using a cell phone while driving. The same test was used in each one, which allowed researchers to figure out which distraction was more

Today using a cellphone while driving has become the norm. Drivers are now forced to either focus on the conversation or on the road in front of them. Many studies have shown that driving while having a conversation is extremely dangerous. The evidence that supports banning cellphones including hands-free phone is due to signs of visual impairedness and an increase in vehicle accidents. The evidence that suggests cell phones and hands-free phones impose no risk are that there are many distractions when driving and cars have safety features to allow talking on the phone while driving.

Every day, millions of people get into their cars and drive – whether to work, school, etc. Every day, millions of people get into their cars and pick up their cell phones. This is the reason why the work done by David Strayer and William Johnston should be of interest to everyone – not only the people who are studying it intensely. This theoretical issue of being a distracted driver is something that affects everyone. The act of using your cell phone and driving affects individuals who partake in the act and those who are on the road with other people who are doing it. Strayer and Johnston are researchers who have dedicated their time to finding an understanding of how talking on cell phones affects our attention while driving. Specifically, they conducted their research through two separate experiments. Their overarching hypothesis states that the use of a cell phone while driving diverts one’s attention from the road and their ability to drive with their full attention.

In the 21st century, technological advancements have had a profound impact on almost every aspect of people’s lives, especially in regard to the use of mobile phones. A sophisticated understanding of just how the use of cellular devices interfere with our cognitive process is an enduring interest due to its pertinence in modern society. According to research conducted by Redelmeier and Tibshirani, (1997) drivers who talk on their mobile phone are four times more likely to be involved in an accident than those who do not engage in cellular conversation. Statistics have also shown that an estimated 330,000 injuries caused by driving and 2600 fatalities of the annual car accidents can be attributed to the use of cell phones (Cohen & Graham, 2003). In this essay, the impact that mobile phones have on cognitive processes crucial to satisfactory driving capabilities will be explored, and it will be essentially argued that the interference that mobile phones have on the cognitive process necessary for driving effectively is detrimental. The empirical evidence from two studies will be used to support my thesis in which the driving ability of participants are tested in conjunction with mobile phone use. The first is Strayer and Drews’ (2006) study which compares the cell phone using driver to the drunk driver, essentially confirming a direct correlation between the two and thus supporting my thesis. The second study conducted by Kristen E. Beede and Steven J. Kass (2005) examined the

alone every year. The issue of driving while talking on a cell phone has become serious enough that five states have passed laws prohibiting this type of act and making it a primary offense to do so. Not only are drivers talking behind the wheel, but many have admitted to engaging in even more potentially dangerous behavior with their phones such as text messaging and surfing the internet. A distracted driver is a dangerous one. If you are focused on a conversation and your eyes are not on the road, drivers cannot be expected to make a quick and safe decision should the need for one arise. The behavior of a driver while using a cell phone has been compared to that of one driving while under the influence. Studies have shown that those who use a cell phone while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a crash than those who don’t.