Revision of part one a: Problem exists
Introduction
Increasing cellphone usage in our roads, today, is a major problem. It increases the risk of accidents and has led to the loss of lives. Cellphones are an important means of communication which will remain in use for a long time. A solution must then be sought to curb mobile phone usage while driving. The following thesis proposes a solution for curbing cellphone usage while driving.
Discussion
In part one, a problem exists cellphone use while driving is under discussion. The Professor and classmates agree that cellphone use while driving is a major problem as it may result to fatal accidents and loss of lives. Cellphone use while driving is compared to drunken driving as both have similar effects (McCartt, Hellinga & Bratiman, 2006). Drunken driving distracts the mind of the driver from driving and disorients him the same way driving when using the cellphone disorients and makes a person lose focus. Drivers who use cellphones while driving are a threat to other people using the road and to themselves too. Cellphone use is a growing norm as it is an efficient and effective way of communication. The number of cellphones in America exceeds the population.
An increasing use of cellphones means an increase in the use of cellphones while driving especially in states where there is no law to prevent cellphone use while driving (McCartt, Hellinga & Bratiman, 2006). Research shows that only about ten states prohibit the use of cellphones when driving. Some states prohibit texting while driving, but people can still receive calls while on the road. Furthermore, the law against cellphone use in different states varies. For example in Washington, cellphone use while driving is a secondary offense. Cellphone use by itself won’t lead you into trouble but if connected to another offense it will. In the District of Columbia, operating a cellphone while driving is a primary offense (Strayer & Johnstone, 2011). Despite there being a law prohibiting the use of cellphone while driving, the consequences for being caught in the act are not tough enough to prohibit it (Strayer & Johnstone, 2011). Statistics indicates that in the United States about 20 accidents annually are caused by cell phone use while driving. If a solution for the problem is not established soon the accidents will increase, and people will lose their loved ones in circumstances that can be avoided.
Many drivers, classmates and even professors admit to having used a cellphone while driving at least once (Rochester, 2009). Some people even claim to have mastered the art so much that they can brag about how good they are at multitasking through their texting while driving habits. Making the situation worse some people control the steering wheel using their elbows when attempting to text while driving. Driving with hands off the steering wheel poses a great risk to pedestrians and other motorists. Drivers using cellphones are at a risk of running red lights that can lead to fatal accidents. A report by the National Highway Traffic Administration showed that in 2002 cellphone use while driving led to 240000 accidents and 955 fatalities (Rochester, 2009).
A report indicates that it is a conversation that makes driving unsafe and not the use of a hand-held phone, hence the use of hands-free phones does not mean that the safety will increase. It is a conversation and not the device that is distracting. Trading hand-held devices for hands-free ones won’t provide a solution to the problem. Passenger driver conversations are not harmful like hands-free conversations using communication devices due to the increased awareness of the passenger and the driver. Conversations of the passenger and driver usually tend to decrease in areas with a lot of traffic. The law enacted banning use of cellphones while driving is also not that efficient as they only prevent the vice shortly after being enacted and later it begins again. Use of cellphones when driving causes the driver to take his eyes off the road, hands off the steering wheel and deviates the drivers mind from driving. Such distractions lead to difficulty in keeping at one’s lane, car following, speed regulation and longer reaction time. Distraction of cognitive function is usually the last form of distraction, and, hence, studies suggest that the use of hand-free phones doesn’t necessary reduce the risk of accidents happening. Use of hand-free phones still causes cognitive impairment. People who use their cellphones while driving are 4 times more likely to be involved in an accident than drivers who don’t. Texting while driving is more dangerous than being involved in a conversation while driving. It is estimated to be 23 times more likely to cause a crash (Burns, Lecuyer & Chouinard, 2008).
“In vehicle” systems of communication are rapidly being introduced and this will only make the problem of distraction of drivers worse. Cellphone use while driving is expected to continue increasing. The use of cellphones while driving is more prevalent among the young people. Studies show that teens are 26 more times likely to use cellphones when driving than their parents expect,
Solution to problem and advantages.
The solution to ending cellphone usage while driving is likely to be technological rather than educational or legislative (Robinson, 2013). Lots of countries have attempted to come up with a law which prevents the usage of cellphones while on the road but laws banning cellphone use while driving are not effective in ending the habit (Burns, Lecuyer & Chouinard, 2008). Education through campaigns and media may help some people stop the habit, but a large number of people would still continue. It is also difficult to use education since some people only learn from experience, and this is exactly what we are trying to prevent.
The proposed solution for ending cellphone use while driving for this thesis involves establishing a software that has a default factory setting which prevents texting while driving (Robinson, 2013). A suitable design for the software is in such a way that it can send text messages to inform anyone who attempts to call the driver that he is driving. When someone attempts to call a person who is driving, the software could screen voice prompts that inform the caller that the recipient is driving for example “Sorry the person you are calling is driving. If not urgent, please leave a message.” These will enable callers to know when a person is driving and hence call later. They software will also reduce the frequency with which people pick calls. There are applications that have been developed to this effect. The following table shows a list of applications that can be used to regulate the use of cellphones while driving (Kantra, 2011).
(Kantra, 2011)
Key2SafeDriving and T-Mobile’s DriveSmart Plus through GPS measure the speed of the vehicle and when a certain speed is reached they disable the some of the phones functionality (Kantra, 2011). The applications have a passenger usage exceptions, and some provide web-based monitoring (Kantra, 2011). The passenger can ask for permission from the administrator to use their phone, the administrator then disables the use of the app on their phone. Other apps require the attachment of a hardware device on the car that when is triggered to disable the driver’s phone when the car is being driven. Other applications that can be used to prevent texting and receiving calls while driving are; iZUP, tXtblocker, CellSafety, textecution and otter (Robinson, 2013).
One of the advantages of using software to reduce the problem of cellphone usage while driving is that the police don’t have to keep on peeping inside peoples car windows to see if they are using their cell phones or not. It makes the work of the police much easier (Kantra, 2011). These applications could be advanced in such a way that they are connected to the police department and if a person texts while driving, makes or receives a call the police will be notified with the location of the car indicated.
Use of applications to regulate cellphone usage while driving is also an effective way of managing the usage of cellphones of teenagers when they are driving (Robinson, 2013). Teens are very fond of using their phones while driving. Reports show that young adults comprise the largest population of people who text or call as they drive (Ginsburgh et al., 2008). 80% of young adults think that cellphone usage while driving doesn’t influence their performance and 68% of young adults are likely to reply a text or answer a phone call when driving. In addition to these, teens are 26 times more likely to use their phone while driving than their parents think (Robinson, 2013). 11% of accidents reported involving young adults showed that the driver was distracted at the time off the accident (Ginsburgh et al., 2008).
The third advantage of using technology as a means of reducing use of phones while driving is that it’s a cheap and effective method (Robinson, 2013). Use of applications does not require a lot of money. Applications are less expensive, and they require little maintenance. Applications are also quite effective as they are not subject to human error. They also do not suffer fatigue and their judgment cannot be impaired unless if tis caused by a technical problem. Use of software makes the stop of phone usage while driving easy and fast. If every phone came with this applications or everyone was required to have one the use of phones would decrease without much effort from the police.
The fourth and last advantage of the use of applications to curb mobile phone usage while driving is the sole purpose for stopping phone usage. It reduces the number of accidents caused by using the phone while driving (Robinson, 2013). Use of applications will deter people from texting, receiving and making calls while driving (Kantra, 2011). Their concentration on driving will increase. Drivers will be able to react fast, stay on their lane and regulate their speed. Parents are also likely to be comfortable with the idea of their teens driving since the problem of unfocused attention caused by operating phones has been eliminated.
Conclusion
While much has been said on the use of cellphones while driving and its dangers, curbing it has become a milestone. Use of technology to stop it is an effective approach, much more effective than the other approaches which had earlier been taken such as legislation, campaigns and education. Road accidents cause the loss of lives of loved ones causing pain in families thus the need for doing all that we can to prevent them. Technology brought about the problem; it might as well make it stop.
References
Burns, P., Lecuyer, J. F., & Chouinard, A. (2008). Observed driver phone use rates in Canada.
Ottawa: Transport Canada.
Ginsburg, K. R., et al. (2008). National young-driver survey: teen perspective and experience
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Kantra, S. (2011). Apps that prevent your teen from texting while driving: These solutions
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McCartt, A.T., Hellinga, L.A., & Bratiman K.A. (2006) Cell phones and driving: Review of
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Robinson, M. (2013). The Technology Exists To End Texting While Driving. Distracted Driving
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Rochester, K. (2009). Large majority of drivers who own cell phones use them while driving
even though they know this is dangerous. New York: Harris Interactive.
Strayer, D. L., & Johnston, W. A. (2001). Driven to distraction: dual-task studies of simulated
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