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1 RUNNING HEAD: PERSUASIVE PAPER PART 2: SOLUTIONS AND ADVANTAGES

 

PERSUASIVE PAPRT PART 2: SOLUTIONS AND ADVANTAGES 2

Should regulations regarding the use of cell phones while driving be standardized?

Introduction

Mobile phones have a vital role in our daily lives, but we need to limit the use for the

safety of life and property of drivers, passengers, and the other people who use road. It is

essential to create a law that covers the standards to create habits for the population because the

accident’s rate due to the using of cell phone while driving is increasing every year. Each state

has different regulations to use the phone while driving, so when traveling across the state, there

may be confusion in the law. Standardized regulations that discourage use of cell phones while

driving are effective in reducing road carnages.

History, status of issue, and overview

Cellphone uses is growing up every year, cellular service in the USA has grown

significantly over the few years from 4.01 billion in 2013 to 4.77 billion in 2017 (Pew Research

Center, 2018). The use of cellular phones in the automobile segment is one of the big trends

related to technology adoption, which may divert attention from driving. Some states have taken

legal action that prohibits the use of mobile phones while driving to limit and prevent accidents.

However, with the limitations and lack of information currently available to enforce standards

for not using cell phones while driving, passing the law is not enough, by itself, it will have a

significant impact on the driver's use of the mobile phone. This may cause accidents to

themselves and others. In fact, the use of phones on the car is important as well. The driver uses

a mobile phone to report the accident and informs the police and firefighter of any issues that

need fixing. However, cell phone usage while driving is an increased risk of car accident that

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could lead to serious injury or death. Numerous road accident causalities stem from the usage of

cell phones while driving (Statista, 2017).

For example, according to The National Safety Council (2015) said 75 percent of

Americans admit to using cell phones, and 30 percent is texting while driving and they also

report that cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes each year. In 2013, more

than 3,000 died in distraction-related crashes and about 400,000 people injured in collisions

involving a distracted driver (NSC, 2015). Therefore, comprehensive action must be taken on a

national level to curb this reckless, potentially deadly behavior. Driving while using a cell phone

incurs a higher risk of crashing, as same as to driving while drunk and should have the proper

punishment.

Problems

The law is not yet comprehensive and not yet rigorous. Speaking on a cell phone or

texting while driving has become commonplace for many drivers. However, many states are

cracking down. In response to safety concerns, some states have laws but some not and there are

many different regulations. For example, there are 15 states that have Hand-held Cell Phone Use

law: D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using

hand-held cell phones while driving (GHSA, n.d.). So, all are primary enforcement laws, an

officer may cite a driver for using a hand-held cell phone without any other traffic offense taking

place. Some states have Text Messaging ban such as 47 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the

U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers (GHSA, n.d.).

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From the above it can be seen that each state has different regulations, the regulations are

complex and the rules are not strong enough to make people obey the law. Many people still do

not understand the rules, so they are ignoring and still use the phone while driving. Each state

should make laws as standard. It should be enforceable throughout the country and has definitive

sanctions, it will make people obey the rules.

Many people are addicted to the cellphones whether it's texting message or using social

media. The United States is considered to have high access rates to social networks in the world

while the average global rate is 37 percent in 2017, the online use of social networking in North

America is about 66 percent but in the United States is 81 percent of the population has social

media profiles (Kemp, 2017). This means that there are about 207 million social network users in

the country in the year. The figures show that the US has the third-largest user base in the world,

behind China and India but in the future, the number of social network users in the USA is

expected to increase by 217 million (Statista, 2017).

Someone is using the phone, not in the right place and not in the right time like while

driving. Using the phone while driving is a distraction, it can result in consequences such as the

cause of the accident itself and may be linked to others as well. According to National Highway

Traffic Safety annual injury and fatality report, report injury facts found that the use of cell

phones causes 26% of the nation's car accidents, only 5% of cellphone-related crashes occur

(NHTSA, 2017). The reason is that the driver is texting and talking on handheld or hands-free

cellphones.

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The use of different types of accessories that allow the rider to use the phone without the

need to touch the phone, such as the use of Bluetooth to connect the phone to the car stereo. It

can reduce the risk of accidents due to physical factors and visual factors. However, using an

optional accessory will keep the driver distracted and slow down the response to traffic signs,

and have a higher risk of accidents than those who concentrate on driving. There is a risk of

serious accidents as accessory users have a higher chance of the accident than normal driving

four times, and those who do not use the device have a higher chance of the accident than normal

driving five times (CFSGB, 2017). It can see that the use of accessories that help the driver does

not have to use the phone while driving can reduce the risk of physical factors, but the risk of

accidents from distraction is still high.

Summary

Most people want to use the phone, whether it's texting or social media. If it is used both

place and time properly, it will not cause any problems. In response to security concerns, some

states and other countries have banned the use of certain types of mobile phones while driving,

but many states have not had any restrictions. However, using the phone while driving is not

good even using the Bluetooth, using the phone while driving increases the risk of accident than

normal 2-4 times because the driver distracted, and slow response brake pedal decision. The

controlling of the steering wheel when an emergency is slower than normal 0.5 seconds and

affects the visibility of the sign, the traffic signs, even see the label but cannot remember the

details (Summala, n.d.). There are also many drivers who ignore the rules, and it is still

potentially dangerous for drivers who are distracted and other people. Therefore, government

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officials must act in a clear direction and do not allow the use of mobile phones and text

messaging while on the way. This regulation will not only be a way to build a nation of safe

roads, and it will be an essential means to save thousands of lives. Enforcing mobile phone use

while driving across the country will reduce the number of families suffering from negligence.

Detailed and viable solution

Governments should make every state a law to use the phone while driving to standards,

by requiring every state prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving and

texting prohibited as a standard. Because of people addict to use the social media, the

government should issue support for applications on cell phone that can reduce phone usage

while driving, such as SafeDrive. This application can help people reduce their interest in

catching the phone, which is enabled by the app during the drive (Jolly, 2016). The message can

be sent back to the person who would like to contact you and it can also send an auto message

back that you are driving.

Advantages of the Proposed Solution

Drivers’ Behaviors

There are numerous evidences that suggest that all-driver bans on hand-held phone

devices and conversations can have large and long-lasting effects on drivers’ behaviors. In states

where these rules have been implemented, there has been a remarkable reduction of drivers who

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talk on hand-held phones. In areas such as Connecticut, District of Columbia, and New York, the

utilization of cellphones has reduced significantly from 24 to 76 percent within the last seven

years since implementation (​McCartt, Kidd & Teoh, 2014). ​In all these jurisdictions, the

probability that the violators would receive citations is low, and there are no cases of sustained

enforcement campaigns (​McCartt, Kidd & Teoh, 2014). ​This is especially true when

high-visibility enforcements are introduced, since they increase the rates of compliance with

traffic regulations and policies.

After programs of publicized high-intensity enforcement of all-driver cellphones and

texting bans are implemented, the rates of observed hand-held phone conversations have reduced

in some jurisdictions by as high as 57 percent in Hartford and Connecticut. Therefore,

standardizing these laws by making the application of these recommendations across the whole

country can help to reduce possible driving accidents by increasing compliance. The states that

have implemented these legislations have also recorded that law enforcers are challenged by the

prohibitions that apply only to teenage drivers. Usually, secondary enforcement rules that require

police to have some other reasons to stop a vehicle before citing the driver for violating the

cellphone law, coupled with the challenge of discerning whether a motorist is involved in an

illegal act such as texting.

Reduced Crash Outcomes

In jurisdictions where ban on use of cellphones while driving have been implemented,

numerous studies indicate a dramatic reduction in road carnages and accidents. In states such as

California, Louisiana, and Minnesota, the collision claim rates significantly reduced following

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implementation of these policies (​McCartt, Kidd & Teoh, 2014). ​As the number of drivers

utilizing cell phones while driving increases, the interest in associating cell phone use while

driving and road safety, continues to increase (​McCartt, Kidd & Teoh, 2014). ​As more

technologies, such as cameras, music, text messaging and internet browsing become an

important part of mobile devices, they pose an even greater cause of driver distraction (​Nikolaev,

Robbins & Jacobson, 2010). ​Towards the beginning of 2009, more than 200 bills that sought to

prohibit or restrict the utilization of cellphones while driving are still pending in almost 42 state

assemblies, in spite of disagreements on the dangers pose and the efficacy of enforcements

(​Nikolaev, Robbins & Jacobson, 2010). ​There is need to develop a standardized law that

discourages the use of cell phones while driving. Banning the use of cell phones while driving,

minimizes fatal automobile accident rates. In New York, the number of fatal accidents reduced

by 46 percent.

In 2001, New York became the first state to regulate cell phone utilization while driving.

While New York prohibits handheld cell phone devices, it still allows drivers to engage in cell

phone conversations so long as they utilize hands-free devices (​Noder, 2009). ​New York’s law

also includes a provision that allows drivers to utilize their cell phones to call relevant authorities

during emergencies (​Noder, 2009). ​ States that enact the same legislations have the authority

used by New York’s law as a model for their legislation and essentially to incorporate the same

exceptions during emergencies. The proposed solution helps to ensure that states that faced

problems related to slow implementation of policies can still enact the legislations through a

standardized approach that includes all the states nationally (​Noder, 2009). ​This is because

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although some states successfully passed laws that address cell phone utilization while driving,

other states still find it difficult to pass these laws that restrict cell phone use.

Benefits of Applications that Reduce Phone Use

One of the provisions of this policy is the use of applications that discourage picking of

phone calls while driving. This software allows drivers to keep their hands on their wheels and

their eyes on the road by converting their messages into audio. The app reads the messages and

then informs them to the driver (Jolly, 2016). This enables him to hear all the messages. While

traditional blocking is often effective, it is often better to understand what other people want to

say to the driver. Sometimes, it could be an important message (Jolly, 2016). This system also

automatically identifies the name of the individual seeking to contact the driver a message. In the

process, the system lets the message senders a notification that the receiver is driving and cannot

attend to the message right away (Jolly, 2016). Currently, this app is also undergoing

modifications to have the capability of notifying the parents who seek to know how their

children are driving. However, it can also be utilized by anybody for blocking incoming calls,

emails, and texts while driving. The most attractive and efficacious feature of the app is that one

can never forget to turn it on, since it will utilize the GPS feature of the cell phone to determine

if one is driving.

Summary

Road crashes are some of the leading causes of deaths for both adults and teenagers in the

United States. Deaths and injuries arising from road carnages are partly brought by widespread

use of cell phones while driving. In this respect, people who make phone calls or send text

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messages while driving. Standardizing legislations and policies aimed at discouraging the use of

cell phones while driving has various benefits. First, these rules have been effective in reducing

road carnages in areas where they have been enforced. Therefore, it would be beneficial to apply

them across the country. In addition, these legislations help to reduce the cellphone-using

behavior, thus minimizing road accidents.

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References

The National Safety Council (2015). ​Cell phones are involved in an estimated 27 percent of all

car crashes, says National Safety Council. Retrieved from

http://www.nsc.org/Connect/NSCNewsReleases/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=9

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (2017). USDOT Releases 2016 Fatal Traffic

Crash Data. Retrieved from https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/usdot-releases-2016-

fatal-traffic-crash-data

Governors Highway Safety Association (n.d.). Distracted Driving. Retrieved from

https://www.ghsa.org/state-laws/issues/Distracted-Driving

Statista (2017). Social media usage in the United States - Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from

https://www.statista.com/topics/3196/social-media-usage-in-the-united-states/

Pew Research Center (2018). Mobile Fact Sheet. Retrieved from

http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/mobile/

Jolly, J. (2016). The best tech to prevent distracted driving. ​USA Today. McCartt, A. T., Kidd, D. G., & Teoh, E. R. (2014). Driver cellphone and texting bans in the

United States: evidence of effectiveness. ​Annals of Advances in Automotive Medicine​, ​58​,

99.

Nikolaev, A. G., Robbins, M. J., & Jacobson, S. H. (2010). Evaluating the impact of legislation

prohibiting hand-held cell phone use while driving. ​Transportation research part A:

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policy and practice​, ​44​(3), 182-193.

Noder, S. L. (2009). Talking and texting while driving: A look at regulating cell phone use

behind the wheel. ​Val. UL Rev.​, ​44​, 237.

Heikki Summala (n.d.). Brake Reaction Times and Driver Behavior Analysis. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233039156_Brake_Reaction_Times_and_Drive

r_Behavior_Analysis

Disadvantage such as emergency call, not be able catch the people who talk or text on the phone.

Answer- restate your claim

Visual – by the time people less use cellphone while driving.