Hiteshri Patel
Professor Mohd Muzhafar Idrus
Writing Gold A-2
27 April 2010
Dangers of Cell Phones
Our country faces a big question as technology is advancing day by day. Whether it is okay to be using cell phones while driving, in recent years cell phones are not only used for making phone calls instead now people use it to check emails, surf the web, and text message. There are many states who have decided to step their foot down and enforce a law against the use of cell phones while driving. Though in a lot of cases these laws do not completely solve the problem but help reduce the incidence of cell phone use while driving. Cell phone use should be band while driving because it could be hazardous.
One of the most important reasons why I feel cell phones should be band is because it is one of the biggest distractions while driving. It makes the driver’s mind diverted from road to other things. Cell phone use while driving has been one of the major reasons of car accidents, “in 2002 study done by the Harvard Center for risk analysis had estimated 2,600 deaths annually”(Britt, 2005). Though this number does not seem so large it has been expected to increase over the years.
The consequence of accidents caused by cell phone use is only paid by the person doing the act but also by innocent people who might be doing the right things and still be injured because of someone else’s mistakes. The distraction as stated above causes 2,600 deaths a year but in addition caused over 330,000 injuries annually in the United States according to the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. The type of conversation the driver is having over the phone also could affect the way he/she is driving. It is natural if one is having an argument over the phone their driving abilities will highly be affected as their mind is overwhelmed with their problems. Another big distraction is texting; you can’t have your eyes on the road while you are typing a text message this could lead to many careless accidents.
It has also been seen that the reaction time of a driver on a cell phone is slower than one who is only driving. According to the article written by Robert Roy Britts, drivers talking on cell phone react 18 percent slower to brake lights in comparison to someone not using a cell phone. They also take 17 percent longer to regain speed which would frustrate the traffic and may cause unnecessary traffic. The one positive thing about the driver on cell phone is they tend to keep more distance from the car in front of them as a precaution.
It has been the risk of getting into an accident while being on a cell phone is four times greater in comparison to someone who is just driving. Though I feel that it is better that the driver avoid distractions as much as possible sometimes it might be important for him/her to be using the phone. In that case the law as allow hands free cell phone use which will reduce the degree of danger but not completely void out the possibility of becoming a hazard for people. Like in many states such as New Jersey and New York where hands free cell phone is being enforced it should be considered in our state of West Virginia.
Work Sited
Britt, R.R. “Drivers on Cell Phones Kill Thousands, Snarl Traffic” Live Science Article,
1 February 2005. Web. 27 April 2010