Texting And Driving Should Be Banned Essay

512 Words3 Pages

Cell phones have become such an integral part of our day-to-day lives; some would argue that they are essential. They have opened up our options to stay connected with anyone around the globe at any time. Having the entire world in our hands may come at a cost though. Some people simply cannot put their phones down, even when they are behind the wheel. This has led to an influx of texting and driving related accidents. No text message is worth risking the lives of yourself or others on the road. Texting and driving should be illegal, considering that it is the cause of many fatal car accidents. Unlike driving while under the influence, this epidemic spawns all ages. An example of this would be a horrific incident in which a teen driver ignored her friends’ pleas to stop texting and driving. While distracted …show more content…

Some argue that before texting and driving became illegal, motorists didn’t have to hide the activity. Since it is now illegal, people keep their phones hidden, which makes them take their eyes off of the road completely to send a text. This logic is faulty though. They are basically saying that it shouldn’t be illegal because people will still do it; however, if there were a severe enough punishment to go along with the crime then people would be much less inclined to do it. Strict laws banning cellular use whilst driving have already helped prevent distracted driving related car accidents. In Alaska, anyone caught texting and driving can face up to a $10,000 fine and one year in prison, this resulted in a decrease of accidents. Meanwhile, in Virginia there is only a $20 fine associated with texting and driving and eight out of ten traffic accidents are related to distracted driving. A Harvard study stated that primarily enforced laws banning all drivers from texting were significantly associated with a 3% reduction in traffic fatalities in all age

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