Brooke Moore 2A

March 23, 2014

Texting and Driving

Brakes screech, metal clashes, sending a hush through the air, bringing people and
ambulances from all around to see the commotion. Imagine a teenage driver running the red
light hits an innocent bystander crossing the street. Why- the teen was texting and driving. If
that teen driver had just waited five more minutes to respond to that text, the innocent
bystander could be back at home with family, and not in the hospital. Each day someone is
killed as a result of texting and driving whether its the victim or the suspect. Hearts broken,
unsuspecting families torn apart, and innocent lives taken away. One text message can spur an
ensuing chain reaction of events to occur. Although texting and driving is one of many issues, it
is also impacting teen driving the most; however, this epidemic be solved with legislations from
congress, getting simple applications for smart phones to prohibit texting, turning a phone off,
or even having a friend text for you.

Too many people all around, seemingly harmless and care free, with a lingering stigma
that texting is driving is not a big issue in our society, have admitted to have texted and driven.
According to a report published by the NHTSA, 5,474 people were killed in the United States
due to distracted driving incidents and 448,000 were injured in these accidents, (Texting while
Driving 1) appearing worry free. However, texting and driving is the number 1 killer of teens
today. Although, many people in society, obsessed with the idea that texting and driving is
rare, 60 percent of drivers use cell phones while driving, and 57 percent of those drivers rate
Brooke Moore 2A
March 23, 2014

themselves better than the average driver (Natalie, S.C 1). Using a cell phone while driving
delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of
.08 percent (McClatchy - Tribune Business News, page 1). This just comes to show how the
affect of technology plays a vigorous role in our society.

Texting and driving, affecting not just ourselves but the people around us as well, is in
the process of being illegal across the country. In early 2010, US Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood called for federal bans on cell phones while driving(Netburn, Deborah, page 1). In
September of last year, Jennifer Smiths mother was killed by a driver who ran a red light and
was using a cell phone. When the driver was question, he claimed he, Never even saw the
light. There werent even skid marks at the scene(Hanes, Stehpanie 1). If we take a step back
from technology and realize how much it controls our lives, we would realize how technology is
really in control of the millennium generation. Nearly 40 percent of teens say they have been in
a distracted driving related car accident. As we can see texting and driving is not only affecting
the parties involved, yet all of their friends and family as well.

Do we really need to respond that text message as soon as we get it? If not, why bother
taking your eyes off the road to reply, when your eyes should be on the road ahead. If the text
message really is urgent then there are many solutions to avoid texting and driving. For
starters, if someone is in the car with you have them reply to the text for you, or for iPhone
Brooke Moore 2A
March 23, 2014

users use Siris, speech to text feature. The solutions to texting and driving are endless, it only
takes 1 second of your eyes off the road for a crash to happen.

The best thing to do is to avoid texting and driving as a whole. The solutions above can
save your life. One app to stop texting is DriveMode, a free download from AT&T, which limits
the phone's functionality while you're driving. When DriveMode is activated it will
automatically silence the notification sounds of incoming texts, emails and even your phone
calls. It will also send an automatic reply to the sender or caller that you're driving and can't
respond. You still can receive and make calls for a list of up to five people if you absolutely need
to hear from them. But no texts are allowed(Netburn, Deborah, page 1).

Many people see the problem of texting while driving, however some may see it as
unfair. Most teens are obsessed with their phones, however the NYRA says that it is unfair for
teens because many of those who drive cannot vote for or against the bill that bans texting and
driving ("Texting While Driving," page 1). As they have a point, they also need to remember
teens under a certain age arent allowed to vote for a reason. They arent adults yet, and may
vote against the bill simply because they see it as stupid.

If the issue of texting and driving is not addressed immediately then the lives of many
innocent people may be ruined. Friends, family or strangers, everyone deserves a long happy
Brooke Moore 2A
March 23, 2014

life. Its time to take a stand against texting and driving. Spread the word, even turn off your
phone while you drive, or just offer alternatives: Ill text someone for you, Please stop
texting, or even take their keys until they put their phone away (Jackson, Mann 1). Twenty-
nine states and the District of Columbia have some kind of cell-phone law; help ban texting and
driving in your state now. Texting and driving is a very real and very dangerous epidemic in this
country alone, it can neutralized safely and efficiently.