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Grayden Larson

Professor Richard Blake

English 2010

31 March, 2020

On distracted driving

I’ll admit it: I have been guilty of driving distracted and I’m not proud of it. There are

many forms of distractions in the car but the most prevalent is the use of cellphones and other

technology. While technology is improving and tech companies are trying to increase safety,

they won’t be able to eliminate the danger involved with using cellphones while driving. As we

continue to experience technological advances and technology continues to play a bigger role in

our society, we will see a rise in the amount of crashes and casualties caused by distracted

driving.

Distracted driving comes in many forms. Whether it’s eating fast food, talking on the

phone, or reading a text, driving distracted is dangerous. The National Highway Safety Traffic

Administration defines distracted driving as “anything that takes your attention away from the

task of safe driving” (Curring). KBB, an esteemed

automotive research company, did a poll and found

that the highest safety concern among drivers was

the presence of distracted drivers. The results of the

poll are shown in the graph on the left. If distracted

driving is the number one concern, it means that it

is a common, serious problem. But just how

serious? According to the NHTSA, distracted

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driving was accountable for about 400,000 injuries in the United States in 2018 alone. That’s an

extremely large number! Distracted driving is a risk to everyone on the roads.

The most common and destructive form of distracted driving is the use of cell phones.

This is a growing concern among experts

because technology is permeating our society

and people are becoming more and more

dependent on it. If you look at the graph on the

right, you’ll see that the amount of crashes

increased by 50 percent between the years of

2010 and 2015! This shows the upward trend

in the use of technology and this is likely to

continue. According to

Cambridge Mobile

Telematics, “it takes the

average sober driver .54

seconds to hit the brake. For a

driver who’s been drinking,

add four feet to their reaction

time, but add 70 feet for

someone who has been texting” (CMT). This means that distracted driving is more risky than

drunk driving!

Even after seeing staggering statistics like the ones above, many people will not make a

change in their behavior. “Research shows teens are fully aware of the consequences of
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distracted driving, but some text and talk on the phone while driving anyway” (Law). This

attitude combined with elevated usage of cell phones will ensure that as time goes on, more and

more people will drive distracted and we will see a rise in the number of casualties as a result.

In conclusion, technology is permeating into society and becoming a higher risk for

drivers. Driving distracted is extremely dangerous and should be avoided or at least limited. As

we continue to rely on technology and put ourselves in a position to become distracted while

driving, we must find solutions to this problem.

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Works Cited

CMT. “Distracted Driving vs Drunk Driving: Fear and Solutions.” Cambridge Mobile

Telematics, 14 Feb. 2018, www.cmtelematics.com/blog/distracted-driving-vs-drunk-

driving-fear-solutions/.

Currin, Andrew. “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” NHTSA, 6 Mar. 2020, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-

driving/distracted-driving.

KBB. "Largest Safety Concerns While Driving a Vehicle, According to U.S. Respondents in

January 2016." Statista, Statista Inc., 10 Mar 2016, https://www-statista-

com.libprox1.slcc.edu/statistics/669018/us-respondents-largest-safety-concerns-while-

driving-a-vehicle/

Law, Bruce. “The Role of Technology in DISTRACTED DRIVING.” Professional Safety, vol.

64, no. 6, June 2019, pp. 62–63. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=buh&AN=136797044&site=eds-live.

NHTSA, Statistic. “Distracted Driving Statisitics.” Childrens Institute for Pediatric Trauma,

saveinjuredkids.org/blog/distracted-driving-causes-thousands-car-accidents-every-

year/distracted-driving-graph/.

Richter, Felix. "Cell Phones Cause 70,000 Crashes a Year on U.S. Roads." Statista, Statista Inc.,

20 Apr 2017, https://www-statista-com.libprox1.slcc.edu/chart/9041/crashes-involving-

cell-phone-use/