Technology is becoming more advanced, day by day in modern society. With this constant growth of technology comes new trends such as texting and emailing, and apps like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and other social media that users check on a daily occurrence. The constant, nonstop notifications are only increasing as new apps are being invented, which causes even more distractions to a driver. Although it is convenient to be able to see what is going on by tapping a few buttons on your phone, there is a certain time and place where this is appropriate and while driving a car, this is not the safest place. The art of texting and driving and using social media has taken over the social pipeline over the past decade and is the most recent trend that is constantly troubling society. The problem is people cannot fight the urge to instantly check their phones whenever it rings or vibrates. The urgency to read a text message is a growing issue, that has been going on for years, that needs to come to an end to make sure our society is a safe place to live life in. Drivers, nowadays are starting to lose attention of the road and are more focused on their phones to reply to whatever message that awaits them. It seems anyone who is constantly on their mobile phone, is making it their main priority, rather than paying attention to what is in front of them on the road. There are several different steps that drivers can follow, to take care of this growing problem that is becoming a daily occurrence.

The first step in stopping the constant act of texting and driving is simply recognizing that it is not safe and that it is a major problem. People do not see texting and driving as a crime, rather an efficient way to respond to ever sent them a message. Humans of all ages are seen on their phones, while behind the wheel because they do not feel they are breaking the law. People need to take a step back and realize that they are not only putting their life in jeopardy but also other drivers around them. These tragic incidents, that take people’s lives, destroy families. The lack of recognition of the issue allows it to grow into a seriously dangerous problem that destroys relationships and takes people’s lives from them. I found some interesting facts in the article titled, “Texting and Driving Is an Even Bigger Problem Than We Realized”, that proved to me how many people are actually aware of the issue, but just simply ignore it. A telephone survey of 1,004 U.S. adults was designed by a man named David Greenfield, founder of The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction and also a professor at the University of Connecticut’s School of Medicine. “In a new survey, 98 percent of motorists who own cellphones and text regularly said they were aware of the dangers, yet three-quarters of them admitted to texting while driving, despite laws against it in some states” (Ortutay). The survey discovered that forty-three percent of drivers who text claim that they do it to stay connected to friends, family, and work. Drivers from ages 16 to 65 who drive almost every day, more than likely send at least one text message a day while driving. Younger people, such as teens, are more likely to be using their phone because the world today is all about technology and teens do not know what life is like without a smartphone. People realize they are breaking the law, but they would rather be selfish and put other lives in danger by allowing their phone to take all their attention. “Twenty-eight percent said they are worried about missing out of something important if they don’t check their phones right away” (Ortutay). People feel anxious and think it is a necessity to check their cell phone right away when they receive a message because people have become so addicted to technology in today’s world. This lack of attention causes drivers to possibly miss an important sign on the road or could even cause someone to zoom through a red light, that could result to a serious tragedy. Humans use about 15-20 parts of the brain to drive a vehicle, so when you multitask and try to use your phone, it causes some of those portions of the brain to not be used properly. Greenfield refers to smartphones as “the world’s smallest slot machines” because they affect the human brain in similar ways as gambling and drugs. The dopamine levels in your brain increase as you respond to a message because of the satisfaction and happiness it brings. Since people are so in love with their cell phone, Greenfield believes that education on this issue will not make a difference and people will most likely not put a stop to this behavior (Ortutay). Another source that I came across for this research provided a survey of 904 drivers from people of ages eighteen to thirty-four and also older adults from ages thirty-five to fifty-four (Bowerman). Seventeen percent of the younger group admitted to sending messages or emails, whereas only seven percent of the older group admitted to doing so. Just like the previous article showed us, millennials are more likely to be distracted by their phones while behind the wheel. At the beginning of the article, “Texting while driving kills, but will we stop?”, it delivers the reader a depressing story about a 17-year-old girl, named Sydnee Williams, who was killed in a tragic car crash on an Ohio highway. The cause of her death was texting while she was driving. Her father, Brock Dietrich speaks about his daughter’s death and claims he feels somewhat responsible because he admitted to texting while driving when she was in the car with him, countless times. Dietrich expresses his sorrows and feelings on his daughter’s death, which led him to start working with the Impact Teen Drivers, which is a national advocacy group that helps raise awareness about the negative outcomes of texting and driving. Dietrich says, “If you continue to text and drive, it’s just a matter of time before it catches up to you and the consequences are devastating” (Bowerman). These two surveys in each article provide eye opening statistics that you simply cannot argue with. The articles acknowledge that almost everyone today texts and drives even after all the deaths and injuries that it has caused. Although it is easier said than done, the best way to avoid your cell phone while driving is to turn it off and keep it out of sight. This is a huge problem that people just think they can get away with, but society just needs to learn there is no safe way to text and drive.

Seeing how dangerous texting while driving is, makes you think if it is more hazardous than driving under the influence of alcohol. According to a 2014 Harrison Poll, 45 percent of Americans admitted to reading text, while 37 percent admitted to sending text messages while driving. These numbers are sadly more than drivers who admitted to drinking and driving, coming in at 37 percent. Approximately 660,000 drivers use their cell phone while driving. This shows how big of an issue this has become today in our society and if people do not start to realize that this is a huge problem, it is going to continue to occur. The way texting impairs humans is equivalent to driving after drinking 4 beers. People who text while driving have a 23 percent higher chance of getting a wreck. Texting delays your reaction by 37 percent, while alcohol alters it by just 13 percent (Ramasubbu). Researchers have claimed that teenagers have a better reaction time, compared to adults, but regardless, no one can constantly pull of this stunt over and over again. It may be true that teens have a better reaction times, but it seems more teens admit to texting while driving. These numbers are just reasons why text messages can wait. One message is not worth putting your life in danger or other people around you. Imagine how horrible you would feel if you took someone else’s life over a simple text message, that is something that would stick with you for the rest of your life. Texting and driving seems to be the biggest concern according to the book Cell Phones and Driving, written by Stefan Kiesbye. The book states, “Studies have shown that drivers-especially teenagers- who talk or text while operating a vehicle are as distracted and impaired as drunk drivers. Any use of mobile phones in cars is hazardous, but texting produces an effect equivalent to high blood-alcohol levels” (Kiesbye). There is a greater chance of a driver, who is constantly tapping their phones, to drift into another lane and put other drivers in danger, rather than a drunk driver. In the introduction of the book Cell Phones and Driving, it says “According to a 2008 NHTSA study, more than 800,000 drivers are using handheld devices at any one moment throughout the day. The NHTSA also notes that nearly 6,000 people a year are killed in accidents related to cell phone use while driving” (Kiesbye). This book was published in 2011, which means the number of deaths has most likely increased due to new apps and technology evolving.

Considering the growing concern of the severity of how big of an issue distracted driving truly is, you would think the government would set a strict set of laws around the whole country to regulate the situation. Currently 46 states in America have created some type of penalty to drivers seen on their phones, texting, while operating a vehicle. Most states today, have a total text messaging ban. This means if a police officer thinks a driver is texting, them will pull them over and give them some type of citation. Arizona and Montana are the only states with no ban at all, as of March 2017 (Distracted driving). Texas has a law that drivers under the age of 18 are banned from texting and in Missouri, drivers 21 or younger receive penalties if caught texting (Distracted driving). The issue with this is there are many ways around this ticket considering how difficult it is for police officers to catch a driver in the act of actually texting on their phone, while they are primarily looking for drivers to run red lights or stop signs. A driver could make up several excuses in states where only texting is illegal, such as they were looking through their contacts to call someone. Only 14 states today have a total cell phone ban. Complete ban of cell phone use may be somewhat harsh, but there should certainly be a nationwide law that fines the type of drivers who are constantly on their cell phones, due to fact that it is flat out dangerous to not only the driver on their phone but also the drivers around them. The main issue is that the laws alter from state to state, and in some states it is a simple fine. For example, in New Mexico in 2014, the penalty for a driver’s first offense is a 25 dollar fine and the second offense is a fifty dollar fine (Slone). Drivers could care less about a small fine such as 25 or 50 dollars, they will accept the fine and most likely continue to break the law. Most states in America are taking the right initiative steps to decrease the growing mistake, but the government crucially needs a basic set of standard laws that all states must obey to put a stop to texting and driving. Every state needs to put up signs and billboards to try and attempt to let drivers know the consequences, so this country can be a safer place to live in.

Texting while driving has inspired a huge debate today in our society. If you turn on the television and watch the news, they are painful stories about drivers who may have lost their life or either taken somebody else’s because they decided to take their attention off the road and use their cell phone. There are even commercials that show gruesome events to try prove to drivers and make them aware that it can wait. While some people see it as a necessary action, it has too many downsides and dangers to it. The natural habit of instantly checking a message from a friend or family member is a habit that everyone needs to practice to stop. People these days do not want to wait; they want to quickly get their point across, no matter how dangerous it may be. One little text message is not worth the dangers that it brings upon drivers. Cell phones are unnecessary distraction that can easily be avoided. Texting and driving is not something people should take for granted, a driver’s main priority should be to keep their eyes on the road and reach their destination safely (Pros and Cons of Texting While Driving). People who become attached to their phones make it really hard for them to put it down in certain situations, even when it is completely unsafe. 

Family members that have lost a loved one to this action have to live with the fact that they lost someone they dearly love, all because of a stupid text message that could not wait. Some families have come together to prevent this accident in the future and have created an anti-distracted driving group to let others know how it has impacted their lives and what they have to live with on a daily basis. An emotional video I found on YouTube has a brief video that shows a woman being distracted by her cell phone which leads to her hitting a little girl riding a scooter (Braun). After watching it and seeing the poor innocent little girl’s blood all over the street, it leaves you with a feeling of sadness and depression. The video intends to show the viewers that in a matter of a couple seconds, lives can be changed forever. Although the video is not real, its purpose is to show how it is completely not worth the risk to be on your phone and certainly not safe to not only you, but others around you. Whether you know a person who has been affected by this or not, you cannot watch these videos and not be depressed. The eerie feeling that it brings to you after hearing family members talk about a lost loved one, should prevent you from making the same mistake. These families are no different from anybody else’s, they just had terrible luck and the scariest thing is it could happen to anybody. 

Researching this trending topic has made me realize and rethink how I drive on an everyday basis. It has forced me to think twice when I feel like looking down at my phone and hopefully will teach others to do the same. With all these laws being enforced and more people finally recognizing the true dangers of texting and driving people will hopefully put this problem to a stop. If that is the case, the number of injuries and fatal deaths will start to decrease instead of growing. This is a worldwide issue that can be tamed if people will just use their mind and think before they make the mistake of distracted driving.
