According to a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, when sending a text while driving the average person took their eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds over a 6 second period. At 55 mph a vehicle will have traveled a whole football field during this period with the driver never looking at the road. This is an accident waiting to happen. We need something to intervene with these deadly habits we have created with our cell phones.
Nine states have banned cell phone use completely while driving, while others have banned certain aspects of cell phone use(e.g. texting, non hands-free devices). The State of Louisiana passed Act No. 665, which prohibits text messaging by all drivers and limits the use of cell phones by novice drivers. This is a step in the right direction, but more should be done to stop cell phone use when driving.
If we can send a missile, with pin-point accuracy, to the other side of the world; then why can't we create some technology that will jam anything other than hands-free cell phone usage in a vehicle. There needs to be something that will stop anyone from using their cell phone while behind the wheel. The government needs to get more involved, because this is becoming an epidemic.
According to authorities in the September 2008 train wreck involving a Metrolink train that crashed head-on with another train, texting could be to blame. Twenty five lives were lost in this accident, because the conductor failed to see a red light. He received a text just one minute before the train collided with another. It is possible that he was texting and missed the light. Now twenty five people are dead over a seemingly worthless message.
The government needs to get on the ball with a mandate for some kind of technology that will help stop these uncalled for accidents. Until then, you do not have to add to the statistics. So, next time you are thinking about answering that one text, think to yourself; is this worth dying over?
I think you make a valid point in this article. We could certainly equip cars with a jamming frequency and force people to comply with common sense rules. However, would this violate people's freedom? Their privacy?
ReplyDeleteIf the consequences that go along with texting and driving would only be felt by the driver doing it, then I would not have a problem. In my opinion, a persons' freedom and privacy becomes irrelevant whenever they begin to put other peoples' lives in danger.
ReplyDeleteTexting while driving has become one of the biggest issues in the United States. I recently discovered that many companies are thinking about making vehicles that completely ban the use of cell phones while operating. Once the driver reaches a certain speed, all cell phone signals would be completely blocked. If these types of cars were created, the number of deaths would decrease tremendously.
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