In a CNN news article entitled Young Drivers snapping 'Selfies' at the Wheel, author Heather Kelly describes how teens and young adults are using their smartphones to take pictures of themselves or their passengers while they are driving a vehicle. This distraction increases the risk of drivers getting into an accident. The drivers eyes are averted from the road and in an instant they can get into a serious accident. They are putting themselves and everyone on the road in danger. The problem is not just texting while driving anymore, the problem now is any use of the cell phone that distracts the driver from the task of driving.
The Department of Transportation states that distracted driving accounts for about 3,300 deaths every year. This includes texting while driving and snapping pictures while driving. Why do people not understand the danger of using a cell phone while driving? They believe they are good drivers and they can remove their eyes from the road for a second. By doing this people are putting everyone on the road in danger. You are increasing the chances of getting into an accident and possibly killing someone. The text can wait. The 'selfie' can wait until the vehicle is at a complete stop. It is not worth the consequences to get a text in or a picture posted to the latest social media site.
Smartphones can make many things convenient. However, they provide an inconvenience by distracting drivers while they drive a 2000 pound vehicle. Why do people feel it important to text and drive? Why can they not wait to snap that photo until they reach their destination? It is the answer to these questions that could save lives.
I have never been a fan of phones that can do everything for you. It makes you too dependent on them. I feel that texts can wait. If the text is so important that it cannot wait, they will probably call you. This generation seems to think that we have to have everything right here and right now at this very moment. We are way too dependent on technology to get through our lives and it really isn't good.
ReplyDeleteThe texts can wait especially when you are driving a car. I think people just assume that it will never happen to them and continue to do whatever they want until something serious happens which is a sad thing to anticipate. A solution to this problem is that there are settings on some smart phones where you can set the phone in "drive or car mode" where you are unable to receive that text or do anything else. I think all smart phones should have this in order to not tempt the driver to go on their phone. But, it is up to the driver to manually pick this setting which most drivers wouldn't. Maybe suggest new ways to automatically enable this setting could be a solution.
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