The Concept of Distracted Driving - Research Paper Example

? Distracted Driving in the United s by 12 Dec Distracted Driving in the United s Distracted driving affects our lives many ways. Many a times it results in fatal accidents where precious lives are lost. There are numerous factors which cause distraction while driving. Few of these distractions include eating, texting, talking on mobile phones, talking to other passengers in the vehicle, watching videos, handling music players and looking at other objects while driving. Survey and reports have proved that texting is more dangerous than any other form of distraction. Various laws and legislations have been implemented in different states of US but this still remains an uphill task for the states. Various new recommendations and options are coming up in the shape of laws. Slowly and gradually this problem will be overcome by introducing safety measures and educating the youngsters. There have been incidents of mobile usage that resulted in loss of lives. There was a high school girl Alex Brown who lost her life to texting while driving. So her parents are eager to create awareness of texting while driving after losing their daughter. Her parents have made a website for educating people on distractions caused by texting while driving (“Remember Alex Brown foundation”). Chirping mobile phones are less expected to make flying dangerous. It endangers the lives of other onboard passengers. Comparatively danger is more on ground and these electronic devices have killed people on the roads. As per the department of transportation, chatting drivers are exposed four times to a crash. If we compare the reaction of an alcohol drunk driver with a driver using mobile phone then the distraction from a cell phone using driver slows and equals to a legally drunk individual (Carlson). Texting while driving is more dangerous than texting while driving. Looking down on any object or receiving and sending messages during driving is foolish. According to research carried out at Virginia Tech Institute, a driver takes his eyes off the road for approximately 5 seconds while sending or reading a text message. In this time, driver covers about length of a football field at 55 mph (Carlson). If we observe handling of mobile phone while driving then it is clear that it attracts total attention of drier. While reading text it catches visual attraction. Physical distraction is there when one is holding the phone in hand and mental distraction when concentrating on the material it shows on screen. So, it takes complete attention of the driver (Simon). Today the number one reason of auto accidents is distracted driving. The percentage has touched the alarming stage in recent past. Distracted driving has become the number one safety concern of road driving. Transportation secretary named distracted driving as “epidemic”. Now Toyota motors is spending about 50 million US dollars on research on issues associated with distracted driving. They named it as “growing cause of accidents.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released some facts and figures at the end of conference which shows that more than 5800 people died and about 515000 were injured last year due to distracted driving. Other studies show that technological advancement has proven to be a major factor in traffic accidents (O’ Donnell). Statistics also show that texting has become the most accurate and very famous form of communication. People send or receive about 110 billion text messages per month. According to a survey, about 11 percent of teens have admitted the habit of texting during driving. Other reason for popularity of texting is that it is very short. That is why drivers believe it is the quickest form of communication from behind the wheels. Studies do not confirm this mind set rather it is proved that how exposed one is to accident while texting during driving. Even at slower speed the risk of accident is high (O’ Donnell). The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) has gathered data regarding fatal accidents occurred on the roads of US from 1999 to 2008. In this reporting system various trends regarding distracting driving fatalities have been analyzed. The rate of fatalities declined from 1995 to 2005 but an increase of 28 percent was observed thereafter. Number of fatalities was increased from 4572 to 5870 in 2008. Majority of accidents took place in urban areas where mostly male drivers were driving lonely. The crashes occurred by hitting the obstructions placed on the roads. Now the most deadly is texting while driving, about 16000 additional deaths occurred during the period of 2001 to 2007. Therefore it is evident that popularity of texts became the reason of rising rate of fatalities in US in first decade of the century. Rate of road fatalities increased after 2005 and same was the case with messages. In 2010, measures were taken to ban texting while driving as it had already resulted in fatal accidents in US (Wilson 2214). The fast spreading popularity of mobile devices has challenged the road safety measures in US. Now awareness is coming in people regarding distractions involved in driving due to mobile phone usage. Mobile usage is resulting into injuries and deaths in US. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released report of 2010. According to report, 18 percent of the fatal crashes happened due to distracted driving. This 18 percent includes killing of 3092 people and injuries to about 416000 individuals. According to a survey about 40 percent American teens have confirmed mobile usage by drivers which has really put the lives of road users in danger. Virginia tech transportation institute reported that distraction caused by texting during driving is approximately 23 times more as compared to driving without any distractions. It is a fact that teens are the major users of mobile in US. They become almost 11 percent of the total road users in US who faced accidents due to distractions. Either they were receiving or sending texts when they crashed (Genachowski). Now there is another factor which needs due attention and that is eating while driving. People love to eat while driving. People are not reluctant to avoid fiddling with the CD players and playing with their kids and pets while driving. Talking to other passengers has become nature of drivers while driving. Looking at other passengers while driving is equally dangerous as texting itself is because if one takes his eyes off while driving for 2 seconds, then it may turn into a crash. Laws regarding other distractions are also need of the time to reduce the number of crashes on the roads (Copeland). Mostly males and females do not have any idea that they are being distracted while driving and it is very dangerous for their lives. For example, if someone gets into his or her car for going to office, there is no intention to take risk while driving. One tries to drive safely but it is not noticed that in few minutes one has checked makeup in the mirror, tuned car radio by completely taking eyes off from the road. You have adjusted your GPS according to requirement, you have called somebody from your mobile and at the same time you have sent and received messages. One may not realize all this but it is really distracted driving (Johnson 28). Road users normally do not realize the speed at which they are travelling and even distraction of a micro seconds puts how much danger to lives of road users. Even if a driver takes his eyes off the road for split of second, he is putting his and lives of other road users in extreme danger. Distracted driving resulted into loss of 5500 precious lives and injuring 450000 road users in 2009 in the country. All the crashes are not properly documented due to various reasons otherwise the figure may rise to more alarming stage. The real situation is worse then what is mostly shown in surveys and reports (Johnson 28). Road traffic crashes are becoming a rising concern for the complete world. Various sorts of distractions are resulting into approximately 1.3 million deaths annually in the world. Common factors of accidents are over speeding, alcohol addiction and violation of traffic rules and nonuse of helmets. Health style survey carried out survey in 2011 on distracted driving in various countries including Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States. In this survey data regarding reading or sending texts during driving was calculated. Now the frequency of text messages in a month in different countries shows that among drivers ages 18 to 64 was 21 percent in UK and 69 percent in US. The drivers who sent or received emails and messages in Spain are 15 percent and 21 percent in Portugal and US. Many issues are of the nature which can be easily addressed. The other risky driving behavior comprises of not fastening seat belts and driving being drunk. People can be educated on these issues to minimize the risk factor. Mobile usage while driving again needs educating people regarding the severe outcome of such activities. Modern technologies can be analyzed for their effectiveness to overcome the trouble of distracted driving (Naumann, et al). Various rules and legislations have been passed to control the mobile usage by road users. Governor Jerry Brown of state of California signed a bill as a law for road users. Voice operated technology has been legalized in California for road users to encourage hands free texting and sending emails. This bill is going to be a huge victory for road users. Now drivers will be able to communicate safely and with responsibility while using the roads in US. About 15 different types of bills were passed concerning insurance and driver’s safety. According to bill people will not be allowed to operate electronic wireless operated devices unless they have the technology of hands free and voice operated in the device (Coldewey). USDOT has convinced the authorities and introduced new ways to tackle the problem of mobile usage from behind the wheels. Secretary LaHood very confidently uttered that we are endeavoring to overcome distracted driving by amending laws, introducing technologically advanced devices and carrying out research. The department warned the drivers of huge commercial trucks who text while driving. The department announced that such violators will face civil and criminal penalties and legal action will be taken against such individuals. The department took another step by announcing that bus drivers and illegal usage of electronic devices while driving is strictly prohibited. School bus drivers if found texting while driving will be deprived off their commercial licenses (Leone 1). Congress passed a bill in which authority is given to police for stopping drivers from texting during driving. Congress also released funds for this purpose. It is pertinent to mention that it was the first bill in which funding was offered and many states applied for funding to curb the tendency of distracted driving in US. Rules for banning texting already existed in many states. But fewer states only controlled the texting from mobile phones and other devices were still operative. That is why such states were deprived of funding till complete banning of texting (Copeland). Police has become very active to enforce distracted driving laws. Such efforts include enforcement of law as standard for all. Distracted driving awareness month is also organized once in year to create awareness ("States Boosting Efforts against Distracted Driving: Report" 1). There are multiple ways to eliminate phone usage from the vehicles. One is to install no texting applications on phone. The moment vehicle moves, applications available send calls to voice mail and silence texts. Certain applications allow parents to stop teen cellphone service when they are driving. Such applications are easily available at software stores and these are also available in new mobile sets (“New Approaches to End Texting While Driving”). Glass, Gary G. Howell, a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, thinks that Google glasses usage during driving causes distraction and it should be banned. He is introducing a bill for banning usage of glasses during driving. He said that usage of glass is as dangerous during driving as texting itself is (Newman). HB 546 recommends prohibition of cellphone usage while driving. The bill was forwarded in 2011 during a legislative session. This will help to keep mobile users away from their phones while driving. Fine of 100 US$ will be charged from person violating the law in US. Initially, when a call is attended, speed gets slower, but if call continues then speed also starts increasing which is quite alarming (Newman). Distracted driving is being fixed by different laws. Violating drivers have to face criminal penalties in Utah. States are banning texting while driving but Wilson and Stimpson believe that it is an uphill task. Car manufacturers are making the cars more sophisticated by using the technology to overcome the distracted driving. Navigational aids and blue tooth are being installed to help drivers. Voice devices are a step in this direction. Simple precautionary measures which everybody can follow will definitely help to overcome distraction. If you are in a car you must focus on the road and should not look at your electronic devices. Even if messages are there on the mobile device, one can see them on reaching at destination (Sparks 5). Mobile usage during driving has become very risky for people travelling in a vehicle. Reading and sending texts is more dangerous than talking to someone while driving. Distraction caused by texting is immense than any other distraction. Millions of lives have been lost and injuries are even more. US have taken some stern actions to cut this rising trouble. Numerous laws and legislations have been passed to control the usage of cellphone while driving. States have been successful to some extent to educate people to avoid usage of mobile in a vehicle. If we have to save lives of our citizen than definitely we have to educate teens and have to encourage them for safe driving. Safety measures taken time to time will help to reduce distraction substantially in future. Works Cited "States Boosting Efforts against Distracted Driving: Report." U.S. News & World Report 17 July 2013: 1. ProQuest. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. “New Approaches to End Texting While Driving.” Professional Safety 58.9 (2013): 16. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov 2013. “Remember Alex Brown foundation.’ Remember Alex brown Foundation. N.p .n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. < http://www.rememberalexbrownfoundation.org>. Carlson, Margaret. “Must be Heard, Even If It Kills Us.” Cincinnati Enquirer. 30 June 2013: 4. SIRS Issues Researcher Web. 03 Nov. 2013. Coldewey, David. "California Legalizes Hands Free Use." Online posting. NBC News. N.p., 13 July 1012. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. Copeland, Larry. “Other Forms Of Distracted Driving Receive Little Attention.” USA Today n.d.: Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Copeland, Larry. “Distracted-Driving Grants Pass Some States By.” USA Today. 11 Sep 2013: A.4. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. Genachowski, Julius. "The Dangers of Texting While Driving." Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Home Page. 4 Nov. 2009. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. .  Johnson, Teddi D. "Distracted Driving: Stay Focused when on the Road." The Nation's Health 42.1 (2012): 28. ProQuest.Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Leone, Kelly. “Taking On Distracted Driving.” Public Roads 74.2 (2010): 1. Academic Search Premier. 4 Nov. 2013. Naumann, Rebecca B., MSPH, and Ann M. Dellinger, PhD. "Mobile Device Use While Driving United States and Seven European Countries, 2011." Center for Disease Control. N.p., 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 31 Oct. 2103. Newman, Lily. "Bill Would Ban Wearing Google Glass While Driving in West Virginia." Gizmodo. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Oct 2013. O’Donnell, Jayne. “Is focus On Distracted Driving Overdone?.” USA Today n.d.: Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. Simon, Harvey B. Distracted Driving - Fast Lane to Disaster. Norwalk: Belvoir Media Group, LLC, 2012. ProQuest. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. Smith, Allen, JD. "Employers Pay Millions in Distracted Driving Cases.” HR Magazine 57.7 (2012): 11. ProQuest. Web. 04 Nov 2013. Sparks, Sarah D. “Research Highlight Patterns of Distracted Teenage Driving” Education Week 31.30 (2012): 5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov 2013. Wilson, Fernando A., Stimpson, Jim. “Trends in Fatalities from Distracted Driving in the United States, 1999 To 2008.” American Journal of Public Health 100.11 (2010): 2213-2219. Academic Research Premier. Web 03 Nov 2013. Read More