Ban Texting While Driving - Research Paper Example

Many policy makers claim texting on cell phone drifts the attention of the driver from the road since at least one hand or eye must be used to compose the text message, read the message or send a message on cell phone (MacKinnon 295). Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found out that driver inattention is responsible for about 30 percent of road crashes in the State (Pittman 73). Ban on texting while driving should be implemented across all States to control road accidents.

Talking on cell phones (hand-held) is currently banned in 10 states that include Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, Washington, Oregon, New York, Delaware, California, Connecticut and West Virginia, and the District of Columbia (Flynn 156). The use of cell phone by novice drivers is restricted in more than 30 states while text messaging while driving is restricted in 39 states including District of Columbia. School bus drivers are banned from texting while driving in Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi while novice drivers are banned from texting in New Mexico, Missouri and Texas.

The ban on texting is enforced under secondary laws in other states whereby the law enforcement officers will have other reasons for stopping motor vehicles before charging the driver for use of cell phones. Arkansas has a primary law that has banned drivers between the age of 18 years to 21 from using hand-held devices while driving through highways or school zones while Illinois has banned drivers in construction zones or school speed zones from using hand-held devices. However, California has exempted use voice activated and hands-free cell phones while Illinois provides exemptions to drivers who text to communicate an emergency situation to emergency personnel.

“Motorists who use cell phones while driving are four times likely to cause accidents and injuries according to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety” (Flynn