Cells phones are the one thing in today's world that people can't live without. The use of cell phones has become an integral part of our daily lives (Harrison, 1516). Many cell phone users probably cannot go a day without the use of their cell phones, because it is just the way it is in today's world. Texting is something that has become a big deal in the U.S. In 2007, well over 362 billion text messages were sent in the U.S., which equals 690,000 texts sent per minute (Harrison, 1516). Over time technology is something that has advanced as far as cell phones. In today's society many people use cell phones on a daily basis. The use of cell phones while driving is something that many people do as well. There was a study of 91 college students from the U.S. to see how much they text and drive. The study revealed that 91% of participants reported having used text messaging while driving. Many reports said they were texting and driving with children in their vehicles (Harrison, 1516). Texting is not a bad thing but texting and driving could be fatal. Distracted driving, which includes a wide range of activities while driving such as talking on the phone, texting, watching videos and regulating the GPS navigator, is recognized as a growing road safety issue (Benedetto, 31). 

Whether you feel this is becoming a problem or not, many people who text and drive have been in accidents and, due to those accidents, many people have died from texting and driving. The studies showed that 16,000 drivers were killed by the use of cell phones between 2001 and 2007. That's over six people dying every day from cell phone related accidents (Wood, 1). Many people who use their phones while driving may say they have an important call or text message that they cannot wait. While you are reading that text that come flashing through on your phone and trying to understand the joke, your brain is not overly conscious of the fact that the car in front of you has had to come to a complete stop (Wood,1). By the time you look up and react to the stopped car it is too late. You have hit that car. Taking this risk is something many people do far too often. Driving drunk is a 400 percent increase in crash risk. Texting has been shown to be possibly a 2,300 percent increase in crash risk (Koch, 2). The use of your phone while driving is more deadly than drunk driving, but no matter what the numbers say people still continue to use their phones while driving. According to Penny M. Hagerman, texting and driving increases the risk of accident 23.2 times over unimpaired driving. 

People who still continue to use their phones while driving when they know the possible outcome of the situation are choosing to do so on their own will. There are many variables that go into figuring out why some people choose to text and drive when this could lead to death.  Heidi E. Nemme and Katherine M. White have come up with ideas to figure out why this is still occurring. One variable that they came up with was a person's intentions to text and drive. They ask college students and they said, "I plan to send SMS messages while driving in the next week"., These college students know they will do it in the next week. To know why the thoughts goes on in these college students head is something that can't be determined. Technology has completely changed the way many people think in today's world. Even though they know, Texting while driving increases the risk of accident 23.2 times over unimpaired driving (Hagerman, 1) they still choose to use their phones while they are driving. Hagerman states that texting and driving results in longer response times than even drunken driving. While an unimpaired driver can respond quickly to changes in traffic and begin braking within half a second, a legally drunk driver needs four additional feet to begin braking and a driver who's texting needs 70 (Hagerman, 1).

Knowing the main reason why people make these decisions is something that cannot be fully understood. People will always have the right to do as they please. We can only make laws to try to prevent this from happening. More than 50 countries have adopted laws prohibiting the use of cellular phones while driving (Benedetto, 31). Although the majority of countries have made the use of the cell phone while driving illegal its use while driving is still common both for calling and texting (Benedetto, 30). Even though some countries have made an attempt to try to stop the use of cell phones while driving, many people still choose to do so. The creation of these laws could be a good or bad thing. It is a good thing because there is an attempt to try to stop this problem. However, these laws will only work if they are enforced.  If the law is not enforced, then many people who use their phones while driving are likely to continue to do so. 

Dave Muslovski was a victim to someone that was using their phone while they were driving. Muslovski was walking along a highway in Youngstown, Ohio, when he was hit by a 19 year old driver, Whitney Yaeger. Dave Muslovski later died in the hospital. Dave Muslovski family did not know the cause of death at first, then later they found out it was due to Yaeger texting and driving. Yaeger said she had not seen Muslovski walking in his reflective gear that morning because she took her eyes off the road to look at her cell phone for a full ten seconds. In these ten seconds, she took her eyes off the road, she took the life of a civilian just walking. If she had not taken the time to look down at her phone this accident would have never occured. At the time, texting and driving was not illegal in the state of Ohio. Therefore, Yaeger was charged with misdemeanor vehicular homicide. She was sentenced to just 45 days in jail (Koch, 2).     Events that happen like this one is something that should make people realize how dangerous this can be. Car manufactures should put a device in automobiles to block cell phone reception but still give them the capability to call 911. This was an idea stated by an anonymous person who also reviewed this article. Whether or not you agree with this idea, this is just something to look into to try to avoid many more deaths due to the use of phones while driving. 

This world has become a technology driven world and technology continues to grow each day. With technology being on the rise, no matter what laws are being created people will still use their phones while driving. The only way to completely eliminate this problem is to stop selling cell phones. This is something that could not happen. Because of the importance that cell phones have in today's world. Adults that have children that drive are telling them no to text and driving but they do it themselves. Adults cannot expect anyone to listen to what they say when they are doing the same thing younger kids are doing. We live in a world where the majority of people use their phones while they drive and it's something that should be taken serious. If people continue to use their phones while they drive there will be more deaths due to this. Drinking and driving is something that is enforced in the U.S. but using your phone and driving can be more distracting then drinking and driving and this is something that the government doesn't take serious. There will be never one solution that we can turn to too try in stop people from doing this, we can only live and learn by our mistakes, but the wrong decision could led to someone's death or it could led to your death.  If you agree or not with the idea to banned the use of phones while driving, you should be aware of how deadly this could be.
