Thomas Euriga
Professor Jennifer Panza
English Comp 113
4 December, 2014
Don’t Phone and Drive
When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert, we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered. When we are on the road, however, irresponsible cell phone users are more than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk. Many of us have witnessed drivers so distracted by dialing and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks. A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come to push for their passage. Regulation is needed because drivers using phones are seriously impaired and because laws on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to punish offenders.
Statistics show that from 2003 to 2008 the number of accidents that were caused by drivers using a cell phone increased from 636,000 to an astounding 1.6 million (CBSNews). This is a growing trend that shows the use of cells phones while driving is an extremely dangerous activity which has had severe consequences for many individuals, and therefore should be prohibited to help ensure the safety on our roads. There are too many things that can go wrong when driving a car without any distractions. Taking your attention away from the road for any reason is not only a detriment to yourself but to others as well. While most people realize that driving a vehicle is a privilege and responsibility that should be taken very seriously, there are some people that believe that the convenience factor outweighs the risks.
According to K. Lissy, J. Cohen, M. Park, and J. Graham in their report Cellular Phone Use While Driving: Risks and Benefits, some of the benefits that people find in using cell phones when driving are both personal and communal. Being able to use a cell phone while driving helps people reduce unnecessary...