In today’s society, not only has texting caused a tremendous decrease in communication skills, but also has impacted the lives of many behind the wheel. Texting and driving has become a worldwide phenomenon that people don’t seem to feel directly affects them until it becomes too late. This Alamy Stock photo of a person who is driving while on their cellphone enforces the fact that one cannot look at their phone and pay attention to the road simultaneously. Through the use of angles and focusing, this Alamy Stock photo evokes fear amongst viewers, while correspondingly awakening and reinforcing the idea that a text is not worth anyone’s life. 

When one looks at this Alamy Stock photo for the first time, their eyes are drawn towards the focal point of the photo, which is a cellphone. The cellphone is positioned in the center of the photo, and is the only element in the Alamy Stock photo that displays vibrant colors, making it stand out. The elements surrounding the cellphone, such as the interior of the car, are dark navy and grey, which does not spark much attraction. Additionally, everything in this photo besides the cellphone and the driver’s hand is blurred and unclear. The substantially sharp focus towards the cellphone, as well as the leftmost angle of the photograph, gives the viewer the idea that this photographer purposely aligned this photo with the intention of allowing the viewer to capture the exact perspective of the driver at this designated moment. If this photo was taken from a different angle, or provided a less-zoomed perspective, the viewer may have not been able to receive the same effect that this Alamy Stock photo portrays. Allowing the viewer to replicate the driver’s sight concludes the fact that the driver in this Alamy Stock photo was not paying any attention to the road. 

Knowing that the driver in this Alamy Stock photo is more focused on their phone than they are on the road, the viewer develops a concern for the driver’s safety. The extremely blurred background of the road ahead of the driver in this photo makes it appear as if this driver is speeding, increasing his or her risk of an accident. Furthermore, the dashboard of the car is angled away from road, towards the blurred trees, making the viewer curious as to what may have occurred a few seconds following when this photo was shot. Not only does this Alamy Stock photo create alarming distress amongst the wellbeing of the driver, but also reaches out to viewers who may have been personally affected by texting and driving, whether it was them or someone they care about. According to Huffington Post, one in four motor vehicle accidents involve a cellphone (Shumaker). This statistic justifies the seriousness regarding this Alamy Stock photo, while also awakening the fact that most viewers will receive some sort of personal effect when analyzing this photograph.

Being that the number of accidents caused by cellphone usage while driving is so high, this Alamy Stock photo is advertised to enforce fear amongst all drivers, and acknowledge viewers to second-guess whether or not they are victims. In addition to the message this photo entails of how multitasking when driving is never safe, it also brings upon the significance of how cellphones are currently taking over society. Studies show that most teenagers spend one third of their walking lives on their cellphones (Gregoire). Rarely will you find any young adult walking the streets, waiting in lines, or even sitting with their friends without being on their cellphones. This widespread addiction to cellphones has caused people to willingly risk their life as well as others lives while driving to get the latest update on social media. As a direct result of cellphone addiction causing fetal distractions while operating a vehicle, laws have passed in 46 states in America, making texting while driving illegal for every driver, regardless of age (Schumaker). Although many have been fined when caught as victims of this crime interpreted in this Alamy Stock photo, most people still do not respect the law and continue to browse through their devices while in control of the wheel. This may be due to the optimistic bias we all believe: “It won’t happen to me”. No one who has ever gotten in an accident from texting and driving ever thought it would actually happen to them. When this Alamy Stock photo was taken, the driver was under this optimistic biased mindset that he or she will not get in an accident as a result of being on their phone. As viewers, it is almost impossible to believe that the driver in this photo does not think he or she is loosing concentration of the road while on their phone, since we can conclude that the phone is the only element of the photo the driver is fully aware of. 

Accidents happen in a blink of an eye. Although it may seem as if just a photo of a phone in the hands of a driver, the angle and focusing of this driver’s perspective in this Alamy Stock photo is a direct representation of many drivers same perspective only seconds before getting in a serious accident. The striking fear that is produced when analyzing this image is a vision we must all consider when getting behind the wheel. No matter how important or urgent, there is no message or post that is worth risking a life for. 
