We think that the past will repeat itself in the future, which can lure us into a false sense of security. The National Law Review is a free to use, no-log in database of legal and business articles. Some states have laws and ethical rules regarding solicitation and advertisement practices by attorneys and/or other professionals. According to a AAA poll, 94 percent of teen drivers acknowledge the dangers of texting and driving, but 35 percent admitted to doing it anyway. Due to my research, I have found many surprising things about being on your phone while driving. Plan ahead and know where youre going relying on GPS while driving can be a distraction. Some states have banned texting and driving, but now we have to consider whether penalties should be as strict as those for drinking and driving. Though texting and driving is banned in most states, the law still typically treats it as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine. If you know you'll be driving, give those with whom you normally communicate a heads up. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hes heading up a multimillion-dollar grant, one of the largest ever funded by the federal government, to figure out the best ways to use technology to help drivers put down their phones. Additionally, it is estimated that another 424,000 people were injured in accidents involving distracted drivers.1In addition to texting while driving, other types of distracted driving include talking on cell phones, eating, using in-dash electronics, and any other activity that takes a driver's attention away from the road.2, In response to the problems presented by texting and driving, 46 states and the District of Columbia have instituted laws forbidding the action, criminalizing texting and driving as at least an infraction.3At the same time, other forms of distracted driving, including using social media applications such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, SnapChat and recently, Pokemon Go, have emerged as major problems in their own right.4In a study recently completed by Liberty Mutual Insurance, a survey of 2,500 teenagers revealed that almost 70 percent admitted to using social media apps while they drive.5In another survey completed by the National Safety Council of 2,409 drivers of all ages, 74 percent of those who were surveyed indicated that they would use Facebook while they drove.6, A 2006 study looked at the impairment levels of people who were using cell phones versus people who were intoxicated while driving. Distraction.gov, What is Distracted Driving?, http://www.distraction.gov/stats-research-laws/facts-and-statistics.html (last visited Aug. 2, 2016). In light of the ever-increasing data linking driver injury and death to this type of distraction, the lack of concrete laws is rather shocking.. The Other Side: Treat texting and driving like drunken driving and Connor Betts, who decided to kill his biological sister, as well as eight other bystanders with a pistol with a rapid fire rate, for shaking up the country and instilling a new level of fear in US citizens. According to a research study by the. Distracted driving causes thousands of car crashes each year. Harsh penalties can apply to even first-time offenders. Why or why not? A felony conviction can result in up to 3 years in jail along with a fine of up to $5,000.16. Compare over 50 top car insurance quotes and save. But its these several milliseconds that could change someones life forever, or worse, your own lifeor worse, death. Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? See infra note 141. Some of that data is coming from an app developed by TruMotion and being used by Progressive Insurance to capture all kinds of driving information like hard breaking, speed, acceleration and distance traveled. Startled, the young woman looked up from her smartphone. Russo had put her head down to respond to a text on her cell phone. By visiting our site, you agree to our privacy policy regarding cookies, tracking statistics, etc. How's that for sobering? Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? Alaska Stat. Yet here in California, according to the CHP, the number of citations issued declined slightly in recent years from a peak of 460,000 in 2011. Distracted Driving vs. DUI: The Legal Consequences La Justicia Europea Confirma Que El Logotipo Del Murcilago de Batman Latest UK Minimum Wage Naming and Shaming List Released, EPA Proposes SNURs for Flame Retardants in Support of Risk Evaluations. When we move to the role of driving with teens, its figuring out how to keep them safe with that technology.. Texting while driving you are looking down the entire time, you dont know if youre about to hit an old woman with a carriage.. Im busy like everyone else, and taking a few minor steps to counteract those urges to use the phone helps. As NYTimes describes, there are thousands of car crashes that occur from cell phone use every year. For now, the best education against texting while driving are the real tragedies thatif only for a short whileremind drivers that no message is as important as the lives it puts at risk. "The numbers and studies are in. However, some states are pushing to treat texting while driving as a more serious offense, on par with drunken driving. The Wharton Global Youth Program online community encourages open dialogue from our followers, readers and learners, through commenting on our Global Youth website articles and podcast transcripts and on our various social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. 14. There is an ongoing debate about whether or not texting and driving should be illegal in every state and if it should have the same consequences that drinking and driving has. But thats time they could be using to assess whats coming next changes in cross-traffic patterns, a ball rolling into the street, a stalled car, and so on. Teens make up the largest portion of people involved in distracted driving accidentscertain apps can help to combat this by: For more helpful suggestions on speaking to your teen about driving distractions, head over to our Parents & Distracted Driving guide. It can be hard to grasp the dangers of texting and driving, but once you know the facts, this hazardous habit starts to become a reality. Argumentative Essay On Drinking And Driving - 795 Words | Cram Be sure to invite your friends and family to take the pledge to end distracted driving. Mainly I keep my phone on silent due to attending classes 5 days a week on top of working. Texting while driving is a horrific yet common act that many still do every day on their commute. As a student Frankie Craine puts it, I think potentially it [texting while driving] could be more dangerous (than drunk driving) because if someone gets in a long conversation. He has been described as a "pit bull with a huge heart" and takes pride in helping You are responsible for reading, understanding and agreeing to the National Law Review's (NLRs) and the National Law Forum LLC's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy before using the National Law Review website. I was furious. First Challenges to Floridas 2023 Public-Sector Union Law Fizzle as New New Jersey Labor Department Says Temporary Worker Bill of Rights Applies Outside Tax Credits for Electric Vehicle Batteries Under the Inflation Reduction Act: Free CAUTIONARY CONTINUANCE: Enforcement of Californias CPRA Regulations Takes a Pause U.S. Forty-two states allow law enforcement to confiscate a drivers license if he/she fails a chemical test. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Image-Based Prompts. So in some situations, device-distracted driving is more dangerous than DUI. For the past 20 years, he chaired the plaintiff personal injury practice at Fennemore Craig, P.C., and spearheaded the firms Stop Distracted Drivers campaign. asked attorney Dan Goldstein, President of Personalinjury.com. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Wharton Global Youth Program has created a comprehensive video glossary of hundreds of business-related terms. Young scholars from all over the world are coming up with new innovative ways to make the world a much better place everyday, and with the current technology that we possess, creating new things is no longer a burden. Had I been older and less mobile, pushing a baby stroller, or preoccupied with a cellphone myself (another growing problem), her negligence might have been fatal. by Diana Drake Share Article: Google Classroom: You already know that you're not supposed to text and drive. Hardly pocket change, but far below the penalties for first-time adult DUI offenders, which include fines up to $1,000, plus a minimum four-month license suspension and up to six months in jail. On the other hand, studies from the NCBI have found that noise induction will most likely make a person respond accordingly to their surroundings, as the human race has evolved in humanity from nature, so humans will generally react to a sound to perceive danger. Pick your playlist ahead of time. 2. You are so right that this is a big problem. Your life can be taken away from you at any second without you knowing and texting while driving in a vehicle that doesnt have 100% protection rate is a risk it may only be 9% now but that can add up the more its not changed. Distracted driving has been around for a long time, but. If a person does not injure another while texting and driving, he or she may still be convicted of a class A misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $10,000 and imprisonment in a county jail of. The researchers looked at results using the simulator involving 49 adult participants who ranged in age from 22 to 45. But even that didn't save me at a corner near my West Hollywood home. As Catherine McDonald explained when she stated, Whats important to remember about driving is that youre making decisions not just about yourself, but about other cars that youre not controlling, driving is a privilege given to us that requires a large amount of responsibility and control. 1. According to the texting and driving statistics, there is no data available about how many fatal accidents are specifically texting-related. Maybe a clue to this gap lies in how drivers education teaches danger. The Other Side: Treat texting and driving like drunken driving By Kelvin Wade A friend of mine and her child were rear-ended last week by a driver going 60 in a 40 mph zone. More specifically, drivers on their phones. Work with your loved ones on strategies to decrease the chances of texting while driving. In fact, texting and driving is really just as serious and drinking and driving. It helps keep me honest, Delgado says. If you MUST respond, let the passenger help! They can respond to a text if its absolutely necessary to let you have both hands on the wheel. A district judge instructed Russo to educate others about the epidemic of texting while driving and added, I would bet that everyone in this courtroom has looked away from the road while driving. He sentenced the defendant to 40 hours of community service with Minnesotans for Safe Driving, two years of supervised probation, a $3,080 fine, and four days of jail time. This might mean that we need to spread more awareness and have stricter laws if making Americans aware of the issue isnt enough. In California, a first offense is punishable by a fine of $20, and subsequent convictions are punishable by fines of $50.13. The University of Utah researchers used a driving simulator and compared study participants who were talking on their cell phones versus those who were legally intoxicated. Call them back as soon as youve reached your destination. Shes working on the grant with Delgado and, like him, is motivated by her own experiences as a nurse treating young people injured in car crashes. Text messaging increases the risk of crash or near-crash by 23 times. And thats not easy. Texting While Driving Deserves the Same Treatment as Drunk Driving or Music is one of the biggest distractions for teens, so set up your tunes before you start the vehicle. 12. David L. Strayer et al.,Fatal Distraction? Now consider the results of driving experiments conducted by Car and Driver magazine: Sober drivers who were texting or reading email took significantly longer to react to an alert than drivers with a blood alcohol content of .08, a common legal standard for intoxication. Therefore, I propose a new solution to reduce the amount of distracted driving: tracking sensors on frame glasses or prescription glasses of the driver, which the driver would either wear when they get into the car or in their daily lives. She braked and I rolled gingerly off her hood before she sped away. National Law Review, Volume VI, Number 216, Public Services, Infrastructure, Transportation. The National Safety Council estimates that more than 20 percent of all traffic crashes in 2011 - more than 1 million accidents &# Should Texting Drivers be Treated Like Drunk Drivers? - St. Louis Car Hear the story of safe-driving advocate Liz Marks, who was 17 when she crashed her car while trying to read a text from her mom. So I understand the misconceived notionthat taking your eyes off the road for a second or less is a relatively innocuous action. I think we can make a big difference if we can solve for it the right way.. Though texting and driving is banned in most states, the law still typically treats it as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine. Sources on the effectiveness of Red Asphalt: She suffered a traumatic brain injury and facial injuries, and lost her sight in one eye and sense of smell. In one famous example, the DARE program may have encouraged drug use through its aggressive scare tactics. In every state, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher is a crime, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association website. They need to be using all opportunities to take in information about the road, McDonald says. He sees it all the time in patients who come into his ER, like the college student who was heading down the highway to pick up his girlfriend when he heard his phone ding. Conversations, eating, drinking, texting, checking emails and social media notifications, using navigation and music apps, even putting on lipstick all contribute to distracted driving. Drinking and Driving, Distracted driving crashes are under-reported, and the. Not to mention countless injuries. As an attorney, I can't help but notice how many people are talking on their phones while driving. The phone would then be released from the constraints of the compartment, and you could go on to do whatever you needed to do safely. Texting while driving is like drunk driving. For starters, Delgado says, texting while driving is an antiquated term for talking about the problem. But, it turns out that impairments while texting or talking on the phone are similar to drunk drivers. During my commute, I literally see so many drivers looking down at their phones. Texting while driving you are looking down the entire time, you dont know if youre about to hit an old woman with a carriage., Taylor Swift and Ice Spice Unite: A Cross-Genre Collaboration Taking the Music World by Storm. But the professors say that the lack of driving experience makes distractions most dangerous for teens. Should we punish "driving while texting" like we punish DUIs? Treat Texting While Driving Like Drunken Driving - Hartford Courant If they see their parents driving distracted, they are more likely to do the same thing. She also believes individualized approaches are needed, including assistive technologies. Knowing that "more than 4 in 10 teens say they have texted while driving" ("Study: Teens Who Text and Drive Take Even More Risks") and that "49 percent of adults say they have done it also" (Copel). Statement in compliance with Texas Rules of Professional Conduct. A Competitive Debater and Big Talker Finds Her Place in PR, Strategic Marketing: Brands Consider the Power of Purpose. Designate a passenger to handle your phone so that you dont have to. However, there is an argument by the NSC that distracted driving is severely underreported and the death toll caused by distracted driving may be higher. Green Level Drivers Ed is something that you or your friends have probably taken with excitement for the near possibility of being on the road! Is Distracted Driving More Dangerous Than Drunk Driving? Essay As much as majority of American individuals and the rest of the world may agree that texting while driving is not only distracting but also dangerous, there are a few individuals who may argue that texting while driving should be made legal. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Forty-six states include at least one category for distraction on police crash report forms. Get thought-provoking perspectives with our weekly newsletter. Through the difference between greater-than-life reality TV and my experiences in the world outside my window, the world on the screen seems slightly foreign. Nearly all Americans say sending a text message while driving should be illegal, and about half say texting while behind the wheel should be punished at least as harshly as drunken . U.S. Supreme Court Confirms that Foreign Companies Can Use a Powerful OSTP Announces New Action Plan to Bolster, Expand, and Diversify the End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System CY 2024 Rule Update. Can the writers strike get executives to pay accordingly? In 2015, the most recent year for which there are U.S. Department of Transportation statistics, distracted driving crashes caused 3,500 fatalities and close to 400,000 injuries. As of right now, there really isnt. The most provocative idea, from lawmakers in New York, is to give police officers a new device that is the digital equivalent of the Breathalyzer a roadside test called the Textalyzer. Blurred Lines for Todays Workplace: Employer Liability for Employee Keep Your Paws Off My Positive Arbitrage With the Same Power Comes Energy & Sustainability Washington Update July 2023. The information will help the researchers figure out how to best use smartphones to help drivers of all ages. We know its one of the leading contributors to fatal crashes in that group, Delgado notes. (AT&T) In 2015, 391,000 people were injured due to distracted driving (NHTSA) Show that you can think critically on the topic by integrating your own thoughts, analysis, or . When driving, it is your responsibility to keep yourself safe and to not do anything rash that would risk the safety of the fellow drivers. In fact, we are all living that story, every day. Tina Dongara is a Senior. States should review the research and consider bringing parity between their DUI statutes and penalties with their statutes criminalizing texting and driving. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. No attorney-client or confidential relationship is formed by the transmission of information between you and the National Law Review website or any of the law firms, attorneys or other professionals or organizations who include content on the National Law Review website. Text messaging increases the risk of crash or near-crash by 23 times. Even though if you were to step out of the situation, you would say you shouldnt be doing this., The Imperfection of Human Decision-making. Native American Mascots: Theyre Just Wrong, First 10 picks of NFL Draft | Picks Graded, What Are Sonic Hues? https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-21-me-wheel21-story.html. Required fields are marked *. To me, this stat shows how many potential accidents there could be on any given day. Texting and driving occur much more often and have the same dangerous consequences, so now we have to consider the fact that texting while driving should be seen and treated the same as drinking and driving is. Here are some ways we encourage educators to use our content to inform students about the latest business and finance trends, and to spark curiosity, conversation and innovative thinking. What my research group is trying to focus on is how can we design around the imperfection of human decision-making, Delgado says. Editor-in-Chief Milla Grabowski has worked with everything from writing to photography, and enjoys cooking and hanging out with friends in her spare time. Should Teen Girls Be Allowed to Carry Pepper Spray? Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? If you compare the number of people killed in alcohol related accidents in 2016 (10,497) with the number of people killed by distracted driving in 2016 (3,450), it seems that drunk driving is sadly claiming more lives than distracted driving. Should Texting and Driving be Treated the Same as Drinking and Driving "There is no excuse to tolerate distracted drivers on America's roads.". Letters to the Editor: Is affirmative action a fair way to address racism in America? If we just tried to put down our phones while driving we could reduce the amount of deaths and injuries every day caused by distracted driving. Texting and driving occur much more often and have the same dangerous consequences, so now we have to consider the fact that texting while driving should be seen and treated the same as drinking and driving is. 17. About 1 in 5 of the people who died in crashes involving a distracted driver in 2019 were not in vehiclesthey were walking, riding their bikes, or otherwise outside a vehicle. Then, once you've reached your destination, let them know you're free to text and talk as usual. She has 10 years of experience writing articles, blog posts, and press releases for online publications and has covered an enormous range of topics ranging from personal finance and international trade to pregnancy and senior living. For example, smoking, drunken driving and not wearing seat belts are all risky behaviors that have been reduced as people have internalized the message that they are dangerous. Its a way that can end our lives at any moment. We live our lives through trial and error and it is a dangerous way to live. Distracted driving is potentially just as or more dangerous than driving while under the influence of alcohol. It may sound like a no-brainer, but to best protect yourself, drive sober and put your phone down! Texting while driving causes 280,000 accidents per year, according to the National Safety Council. States are mandated by federal law to adopt open container and repeat offender laws or lose their transportation funding. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook. Matthew Chambers et al., UNITEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFTRANSPORTATION, BUREAUOFTRANSPORTATIONSTATISTICS, DRUNKDRIVINGBYTHENUMBERS(2016),available athttp://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/publications/by_the_numbers/drunk_driving/index.html. For over two decades Steven has been litigating a wide range of civil claims. These shows instructed us further in the faith we were already beginning to hold: that victims are contemptible, no matter how much people pretend otherwise, that it is more fun to be inside than outside, to be arrogant than to be kind, to be with a crowd than to be alone.. Give them the factsthey're putting your life in danger, not to mention the lives of everyone else on the road just for the chance to send a text message. Moreover, texting while driving can put you at a higher risk for an accident than drinking and driving. helps show how through recent years, states have passed more regulations about texting and driving. In Decision that Vacates a $96 Million Award, SCOTUS Limits United Rhode Island Affirms The Principle That Sureties Must be Provided Tax Credits for Electric Vehicle Batteries Under the Inflation CAUTIONARY CONTINUANCE: Enforcement of Californias CPRA Regulations U.S. If you'd never drive drunk, then you'd NEVER text and drivedriving with a BAC of just 0.01% increases your chances of causing a car crash by 46%, according to a 2014 study. While still having wild fun in the car, what was about to happen next would ruin their lives forever. Meanwhile, the array of penalties for drunk driving includes jail, fines up to $500, points on a driver's record, and a mandatory license suspension. According to a research study by the University of Utah: Drivers who talked on either handheld or hands-free cell phones drove slightly slower, were nine percent slower to hit the brakes, displayed 24 percent more variation in following distance as their attention switched between driving and conversing, were 19 percent slower to resume normal speed after braking, and were more likely to crash.. Texting While Driving Argumentative Essay - 773 Words | Bartleby One reason, according to safe driving experts: Young people, whove watched their parents and other adults routinely fiddle with various devices as they drive, downplay the risk. If you need legal advice you should consult a licensed attorney in your area. The Student News Site of Green Level High School. The professors, guided by their research, were asked to give their best advice for teen drivers, and heres what they suggest: The professors practice what they preach. The Results Are In for Round 1 of the 2023 Comment & Win Contest! Compare Quotes From Our Pool of 70+ Insurance Companies and Pick the Best Deal! Earn Special Discounts for New Customers, Safety Features, Good Drivers, Multiple Policies, and More. Reflecting on the article about texting and driving, I found it hard to concentrate on the issue that was presented. Because being distracted refers to any aspect of not focusing on the road, a sensor on the glasses can detect a movement that is unnatural to driving, such as looking down below the dashboard and not onto the road or mirrors. Although this is true, we havent completely gotten there yet and still have a long way to go. Know the laws in your state. Remember, every time you get behind the wheel, you're entering a shared experience with mothers, fathers, friends, and children. 300 Questions and Images to Inspire Argument Writing Teens are particularly at risk; they are four times more likely than older drivers to get into these accidents. Yet in California, a driver who kills another person because of texting or talking on a handheld phone faces no more than a vehicular manslaughter charge up to a year in jail, and possibly no jail time at all. However, as the article acknowledges, we already know that we shouldnt take a call, eat, or daydream while driving, yet we still do it. If you would ike to contact us via email please click here. Certainly, not everyone is driven to dangerous behavior in the way that Wolff was. Distracted Driving vs Drunk Driving: Punishment Is Unequal Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving? The NLR does not wish, nor does it intend, to solicit the business of anyone or to refer anyone to an attorney or other professional. However, the risk of glamorizing danger is real. Now it's time for the rest of the country to catch up," says Personalinjury.com. Texting & Driving - For the most part you get a ticket, because it's hard to prove anything else, and if you live in Indiana, you know the texting while driving laws are NEVER enforced. In states like California, which make texting while driving only a traffic infraction carrying very minimal fines, it is interesting to note the disparity between it and a DUI conviction in the same state. Your response should include a clear stance on the issue with supporting evidence as to why you feel the way you do. To deter dangerous cell phone use, legislatures should treat texting while driving similar to drunk driving. Manual distraction: using one or both hands to type out a text message. 28.35.161, 12.55.035, 12.55.135, 12.55.125. The World War II dramas he watched are hauntingly similar to the scare films of today, always with a somber narrator to remind us that this wasnt make-believe but actual history, that what we were seeing had really happened and could happen again. While Wolff acknowledges that the depiction of the Nazis downfall produced glimpses of humiliation and loss, they only lasted a few minutes.

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