Cell Phones Usage While Driving

Technology has brought about massive changes in our society. People are using cell phones for communication regardless of where they are around the globe. However, many people have developed a habit of using phones while driving without even considering the risks associated with it. For instance, more and more people are using cell phones to talk or to text while driving cars, motorcycles, bicycles or even scooters (Snyder and Associates). This essay will take the position that driving while making a phone call may cause accidents and therefore the public policy should dictate special rules on all forms of multitasking and the rule should be enacted at the federal level.

Making phone calls or writing messages while driving has resulted to several car accidents which have led to deaths and injuries over the past few decades. Interview and statistic results show that a large percentage of the road accidents recorded annually result from drivers' distractions as a result of cell phone usage.

In order to stop/ avoid this, laws and regulations governing such multitasking should be endorsed so as to ensure that such practices are avoided. Harsh penalties should be used to discipline drivers who will violate these laws.

So as to ensure that these laws are effective and are widely used, they should be enacted at the federal level. This will not only encourage safe driving but will also ensure uniformity in law keeping.

In conclusion, driving while using phones is becoming alarming and rules should be enacted so as to regulate this. This is because, lack of concentration while driving leads to road accidents, thus resulting to deaths and injuries. The federal government should therefore enact rules that will be used across all the states in US.

1.0 Introduction

The emergent of technology, particularly cell phones, has brought about significant changes in the society we are living in today. However, their use has raised lots of concerns especially when they are used while the user is simultaneously performing other tasks. For instance, more and more people are using cell phones to talk or to text while driving cars, motorcycles, bicycles or even scooters. The consequences for such action are worse and costly than imagined (Snyder and Associates). The question of concern here is; should public policy dictate special rules on some or all of these forms of multitasking? If so, should these rules be enacted at the federal, state or local level? This essay will take the position that driving while making a phone call may cause accidents and therefore the public policy should dictate special rules on all forms of multitasking and the rule should be enacted at the federal level.

2.0 Risks Involved

While the popularity of hand phones has grown extremely particularly in the past few decades, making phone calls or text messaging while driving cars, riding motorcycles, scooters or bicycles has been a common trend. However, this results to distraction and lack of attention by the driver thus resulting to car accidents. From the interview that I undertook for my research, my interviewee, Mr. Lawrence, confirmed to me that he was involved in a car accident in 2008, because; "the tax driver was text messaging his girlfriend while driving". Mean while, statistics from the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis show that virtually 25% of car mishaps result from driving while talking on phone. Motorists on phones while driving are four times at risks of crashes. Over 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries are recorded annually (Snyder and Associates).

To ensure that this does not worsen and result to more accidents and deaths in future, special public policies should be enacted so as to ensure that such kind of multitasking is stopped and phone usage is not abused. In my opinion, laws should include tough penalties or even imprisonment for all the drivers that will be violating such policies. This will not only ensure safety driving, but will "put controls on those less responsible idiots" who are a danger to other drivers (Snyder and Associates).  That way, every driver becomes keen since some innocent drivers are involved in car collision facilitated by other careless drivers. Even though there are hands-free devices that can be used while driving, usage of such devices should only be allowed in case of indisputable emergency. Otherwise, other refutable reasons should be penalized.

4.0 Enaction of Rules at Federal Level

The endorsement of these laws should be done at the federal level so as to ensure that same penalties are laid across all the states. This will avoid violation of one state's laws by citizens from other states. For instance, a foreign citizen may drive while making a phone call in another state with the claim that s/he is not aware of the laws and regulations of that state. Thus uniformity of policies will ensure that individuals do not violate laws intentionally using false claims.

Making phone calls and drafting text messages has become very popular with the emergent of phones. Such multitasking has proved to be causing massive car crashes which lead to deaths and injuries every year, due to drivers' inattention. Following this, the federal government should introduce laws and regulations that will govern/ limit the use of phones while driving. Endorsement of these laws at federal level will not only reduce the number of accidents and deaths but will also ensure same rules are used in all the sates across the United States.