By Olabisi Olaleye  bisiolaleye@gmail.

com 
Is your teen insisting for a mobile phone for his birthday? Or are you considering of giving a
mobile phone to your teen for security purposes? That’s a sound decision, but have you ever
thought about the adverse effects of mobile phones on teenagers and young people? If no,
then please read our post on what effect does cell phone use have on teenagers carefully.
Seeing teens standing together, but totally ignoring each other is a common sight these
days. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 78% teens aged
between 12 and 17 have mobile phones. And they are not just using it to call their parents.
One in four teens have access to the internet, far more than adults. So is cell phone really a
good thing for teens? What are the negative effects of cell phones on teenagers? Read on to
find the answer.
There is no doubt that the mobile phone is a very useful tool and today, mobile phones are a
major part of society. . It eases communication with colleagues, friends and relatives. But
every technology that provides such benefits comes with a consequent price. The impact of
mobile phones on youth and society is astronomical. It is this area that requires attention,
when you are giving your teen a cell phone. Here’s how cell phones affect teenagers.
 
Teen Tendonitis (TTT):
What is the impact of mobile phones on young people’s social life? Teenagers are totally
addicted to texting. Excess messaging can lead to Teen Tendonitis (TTT). It can cause pain
in the hands, back and neck due to poor posture. It can also lead to impaired vision and
even arthritis down the line.
 
Stress:
Having a cell phone will tempt your teen to spend all day talking or texting, instead of doing
anything productive. Studies have proven that teens who spend too much of their time with
their cell phones are more prone to stress and fatigue. It can also lead to psychological
disorders in some cases.

Sleep Loss:
Most of the teens keep their cell phones nearby while sleeping to respond to texts and calls.
They feel pressurized to remain reachable around the clock. It leads to sleep interruption
and disruption. Teens also become irritable when they are sleep deprived.
 
Accidents:
Teens are more likely to respond to calls, text while driving, and riding than adults. They talk
and text on the phone without realizing that it can cost their lives. Even the U.S. Government
Website for Distracted Driving has proven that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death
in teens.
 
Increases anxiety:
Relying on texting as a primary mode of communication can increase anxiety in teens.
Texting is instantly gratifying, but it also produces anxiety. The instant reply by the friend can
bring joy and elation. But in case of delayed response or no response, this same pleasure
turns into disappointment.
 

Risk of cancer:
Research shows that electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones get absorbed in
the tissues when we hold the phone for longer times. The nervous systems of teens are still
developing and have a greater risk of developing brain cancer from cell phones than adults.
 

Cyber bullying:
According to a poll conducted by Fight Crime Invest in Kids, nearly one-third of the teens are
victims of cyber bullying. And almost half of the victims do not know the identity of the
perpetrators.
 Teen Texting Tendonitis

When I was in 7th grade, one of my friends told me that she had Teen Texting Tendonitis,
and that is why she had to wear a brace on her wrist.  She was one of those friends who sort
of lied about everything, so I was never sure whether or not to believe her-so I just went with
it, and now seems like the perfect opportunity to dig deeper into this “condition”.

An article was posted on Livestrong.com that cleared up at lot of the questions that I had
about TTT.  It mentions that repetitive stress is what causes tendonitis in general.  That is,
the repeated motion, whether it be difficult or not can cause stress in the tendons of those
muscles.  So, TTT is from the related movement of the muscles in the thumbs.  The reason
that it is so prevalent in teens is that 78% of teens who have cell phones are texting almost
constantly throughout the day.  Just based on that percentage alone, it makes sense that
many teens would have this condition.  The article also mentions some of the long term risks
if the tendonitis goes untreated for too long.  Since teens are still growing, it can cause joint
injures, and it might even have a link to ousteo-arthritis later in life.  So be safe and smart
when you are texting!!
 Please do not text and drive!
While there’s no data to prove how many traffic accidents are caused by drivers
looking at their phone screens, we all know the mobile phone is a dangerous physical
and visual distraction.

 The Star Malaysia

 27 Jan 2017

 @KlangRed Brian Martin

Foolhardy: Errant, reckless drivers who text while driving are committing a traffic
offence and endangering lives.
UNLESS and until technology advances to an extent that all our cars are equipped with
heads-up or projection capability, the mobile phone will be the death of us.
Scientists have already warned us about health risks associated with prolonged usage of cell
phones, but there is a clear and present danger when the ubiquitous handphone becomes
an unnecessary distraction when driving.

If you think I’m exaggerating, on your next commute, try counting the number of drivers you
see on the road who are holding, talking or looking at their phones. I’m willing to bet that this
number will be in double digits in the space of five to 10 minutes.
Mobile phone usage while driving has long been reported as dangerous. Studies in Britain
and the United States have shown that mobile phone usage causes as many as one in four
car accidents. That’s 25% of all accidents involving improper use of a mobile phone in some
way.

I’ll hold my hand up and say that I’ve been guilty of texting while driving, too. Yes, my phone
automatically connects to the car’s Bluetooth, but even though I’m able to answer calls
without touching my phone, the temptation to text or WhatsApp is still strong.
All that has changed because of an incident that happened about two weeks ago. My close
friend was involved in a nasty car crash. The accident totalled her car but she was lucky to
escape without any serious injury.

Youguessed it, the cause of the accident was because she was using her smartphone and
didn’t see the lorry ahead of her before it was too late.

Her close shave was the hot topic of discussion among our group of friends, and the
consensus was that it could have happened to any one of us. I’ve since purchased a phone
holder for my car that allows me to position my phone in front of me without having to hold it.
But this phone holder, while allowing me to keep my eyes on the road, has not stopped me
from texting and driving. I’ve reduced this dangerous habit but have not completely
eliminated it.

Therefore, I think it’s wrong to assume that using a hands-free car kit, where you can talk on
the phone without actually touching your mobile phone, is safe. Some studies do show that
it’s safer than placing your phone to your ear. However, this does not take into account the
sheer number of times we reach for our phones to retrieve a text or to send a message.
The reality is, the mobile phone is a physical and visual distraction – physical because you
use your hands on the phone, and this increases the risk of accidents when you’re driving.
And it is also a visual distraction because even if you take your eyes off the road for a split
second, that act puts you and your fellow motorists in danger.
The police are empowered to fine motorists for use of mobile devices while driving – to the
tune of RM300. Personally, I do not believe this is a sufficient deterrent. Speeding will get
you fined a similar amount but arguably usage of the phone while driving poses a greater
risk compared to speeding.

What bugs me now is the sheer number of people I see on our roads who are risking their
lives and others’ by using their handphones while driving. There are no statistics to indicate
handphone-related accidents on Malaysian roads, but then these types of accidents usually
go unreported.

What we do know is that on an average, 20 people die on Malaysian roads daily! Last year,
7,152 people died in road accidents in Malaysia, up by about 450 deaths compared to 2015.
But how many of these deaths are linked to mobile phone usage is anyone’s guess.
Today’s the eve of Chinese New Year and tens of thousands of motorists will flood our
highways and roads in the balik kampung rush. With an estimated 1.6 million vehicles using
these highways during the festive period, the authorities are already bracing for an increased
number of road accidents. While the highway concessionaires have been quick to send out
helpful advisories such as do’s and don’ts when driving in the rain or following staggered
driving hours, it’s disappointing to note that none of them has issued warnings on mobile
phone usage.

To me, the biggest potential cause of accidents are the express bus drivers who use their
handphones, oblivious to the fact that they are putting the lives of their passengers as well
as fellow motorists at risk.

Perhaps the solution is a complete ban of handheld phone use while driving. The US has
already started introducing legislation to this effect – 12 states plus Washington D.C. – have
already implemented this ban.

Can we expect this in Malaysia? Don’t hold your breath because we don’t even have a study
yet on mobile phone usage and its link to road accidents.
The writer would like his boss to know that if his WhatsApp messages go unanswered, it’s
only because he has stopped texting and driving.

Malaysia cracks down on texting and driving problem

By: Madeleine Keck - Posted on: November 20, 2017 | Current Affairs
SHARE: 
Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport is issuing fines among other initiatives to curb the
rising rate of accidents in the country

From just January to September of this year, 5,310 fatalities caused by car accidents were
recorded Photo: M.A. Pushpa Kumara/EPA

Careless mobile-mad drivers caught using their phones will now face a fine of $72 (RM300)
after Malaysia’s Road Transport Department decided rigourous action was necessary to
reduce the mounting number of accidents caused by using handphones on the road.

Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai announced on Sunday that they would be increasing
enforcement personnel and would also be adding to the number of static and mobile
cameras on the street. Those caught breaking the law will also be slapped with an on the
spot fine.

The fines will be the first in a series of initiatives issued by the government as they attempt to
clamp down and grapple with the nation’s texting and driving crisis.

“We prohibit drivers from using their handphones on the road. We have given them a lot of
advice, yet there are many who still do so,” Liow told reporters. “Focus on the road and not
your handphones when you are driving.”

Texting and driving will be one of 20 offences that are set to be integrated into the
Automated Awareness Safety System (Awas), which is a mixture of a demerit point system
and the Automated Enforcement System (AES).

Those who are caught breaking one of the 20 offences face either a suspension or total
withdrawal of their driving license.

Malaysia’s current camera technology fails to detect when a driver is using their mobile
phone and because of this, it is not a strong enough deterrent for drivers to refrain from
using the devices. According to Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi, officers from his
ministry will be working with the Road and Transport Department to implement new camera
equipment.
“[This] is why we need to improve and modernise available enforcement methods, including
the AES cameras to track wrongdoers,” he was quoted as saying in the Malay
Newspaper Utusan. “The ministry will look into improving the AES cameras to track drivers
using handphones while driving.”

In a report published by the Malaysian Ministry of Transport, a total of 7,152 people died in
2016 from road accidents – 80% of which were caused by human error – which is a startling
jump from 6,706 deaths in 2015. And from just January to September of this year, 5,310
fatalities were recorded, including a bus crash in the southern Malay town of Pagoh that
claimed the lives of 14 passengers.

“The accident rates are very high. We want to reduce these figures by 10 per cent every
year and it is really challenging.” Liow said. “If none of us break the rules, the roads will be
safer for everyone.”