texting while driving argumentative essay

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Should Texting While Driving Be Treated Like Drunken Driving?

Distracted driving is dangerous. It’s also very common. Should authorities try to tackle the problem by dealing with offenses more severely?

By Michael Gonchar and Shannon Doyne

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Though texting and driving is banned in most states, the law still typically treats it as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine. However, some states are pushing to treat texting while driving as a more serious offense, on par with drunken driving .

What do you think? Should police arrest people they see texting and driving , like they would an intoxicated driver? Should those who text and drive have their licenses revoked? Should a person wo is found guilty of killing someone while texting and driving be sentenced to time in prison?

In other words, how big a deal is texting and driving, and how seriously should it be handled by authorities?

In “ She Texted About Dinner While Driving. Then a Pedestrian Was Dead ,” Nate Schweber and Tracey Tully write about a case in New Jersey in which a woman who was texting and driving was found guilty of vehicular homicide after fatally injuring a pedestrian:

One woman was out for a walk and a taste of fresh air during a break from her job as a scientist at a New Jersey fragrance manufacturer. She and her husband had been trying to get pregnant, and brief bouts of exercise, away from the laboratory’s smells and fumes, were part of that plan. A second woman was behind the wheel of a black Mercedes-Benz, headed to work as chief executive of a nonprofit in a city that had once lauded her as civic leader of the year for her extensive work with troubled youth. Their lives collided with devastating speed in the coastal town of Keansburg just before 8:20 on a Wednesday morning, leaving the woman out for a walk fatally injured and the driver facing a charge of vehicular homicide, accused of texting while driving. On Friday, a jury found the driver, Alexandra Mansonet, guilty of vehicular homicide in a case that was believed to be the first time a New Jersey jury was asked to apply a 2012 law that places texting while driving on par with drunken driving. The case has focused attention on the nationwide crisis of distracted driving, as well as how rare and difficult prosecutions can be.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

First, have you ever texted while driving? Or, have you ever seen friends or family members text and drive? Do you see why it’s dangerous? Do you think it should be illegal everywhere?

Do you think Alexandra Mansonet’s verdict is fair? If you were a member of the jury, what considerations would you weigh when deciding whether she should be found guilty of vehicular homicide?

Steven D. Altman, Ms. Mansonet’s lawyer, stated, “It’s going to be very difficult for her to deal with the fact that at sentencing she could be incarcerated for something we are all guilty of doing on a daily basis.” What do you think of his line of argument, that a harsh punishment, like a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison, is unfair because texting while driving is so common?

The article states that pedestrian deaths in the United States approached a 30-year high last year. What do you think can be done to reverse that trend? Explain your reasons.

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Texting While Driving Essay Examples

Why is texting while driving dangerous.

Put simply, texting and driving are dangerous because texting diverts your attention away from the road. Although many people argue that texting only takes your eyes off the road for a few seconds, what they don’t realize is that in that few seconds, something unexpected could happen. Additionally, if you’re traveling at high rates of speed, you can travel significant distances in just a few seconds. Those few seconds that you are on your phone could be used to hit the breaks or swerve out of the way of a quickly approaching article. If your eyes are on your phone instead of on the road, you lose valuable time that could have been used to mitigate an accident.

How do you Break the Habit of Texting While Driving?

One of the best ways to stop yourself from texting while driving is to create a habit that will keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. For many people who rely on their phones for so much, this may seem like a difficult task. However, if you think about it, there are several things that you do habitually when driving a car that you don’t even think about, such as putting on a seatbelt or locking your car after you park it. The key is to incorporate putting your phone away as part of those routines. In that way, you’re not so much breaking the habit of texting and driving, but instead, creating new habits that prevent you from using your phone while in the car.

Making a new habit can be challenging. The key is to stay consistent and continually remind yourself of your goal until it becomes second nature. Try attaching a sticky note to the wheel of your car to remind yourself to not text and drive. Another good trick is to make a pact with a friend to help keep each other accountable. It is important to stick with your habit, not give in to temptation and always keep in the back of your mind the benefits of staying focused on the road and not driving while distracted.

The most ideal habit you can build is to simply turn your phone off when you get in the car. That way there is never any sort of distraction when you’re in the car – any notifications, no browsing social media, and no distractions while you try to pick the next song to listen to. However, this might not always be an option when you need to use your GPS or if you use your phone for entertainment purposes while driving. Fortunately, there are other solutions. You can use an app while you drive (we make some suggestions for good apps below!) and simply make a habit of activating the app before you hit the road. If you often drive with others in the car, another good option is to hand your phone to another passenger to hold onto until you reach your destination. If instead you typically drive alone, you can always close up your phone in the glove compartment, your purse, in the center storage console under your armrest or in any other place where you cannot reach it. That way, you can have your phone connected to the vehicle for entertainment purposes but will avoid texting and driving.

Can you go to Jail for Texting While Driving?

In Pennsylvania, drivers are prohibited from driving and texting. If you are pulled over texting and driving, you will be issued a fine. However, if you are texting and driving and you cause an accident, there may be criminal consequences for those actions that could result in jail time. The more severe the accident, the more jail time you can face. For example, if you cause a fatality by texting and driving, you may face up to five years in jail.

How many People are Killed by Texting While Driving?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2017, over 3,000 people were killed in accidents caused by distracted driving. In Pennsylvania alone, a study estimated that in 2015, distracted driving caused nearly 15-thousand car crashes and at least 66 deaths.

Apps That Help to Prevent Texting While Driving

Nowadays, there are many apps available to drivers to deter them from texting while driving. Here are some of our favorites:

• Drive Safe & Save– Designed by State Farm Auto Insurance, this app tracks your driving habits every time you get behind the wheel. Not only does it track when you’re using your phone while in the car, but also identifies when you’re speeding, breaking too hard or accelerating too quickly. The app will also provide tips on how to improve your driving habits. If you’re a State Farm customer, you can send your driving data to them and receive discounts for good driving on your monthly insurance bill too!
• LifeSaver – This app was designed for insurance companies and large trucking fleet – but is available for families too! For parents who are concerned about their children texting and driving, the app blocks the child’s phone while driving and alerts the parents when they have safely arrived at their destination. The app works quietly in the background when you start driving to block mobile distractions but provides options to unlock for emergency situations. It also provides reports on how safely family members are driving and parents can also unlock a reward system to incentivize good driving habits.
• AT&T DriveMode– Similarly, this app turns on when it senses that the phone is moving more than 15 miles per hour. Once activated, the app silences all incoming notifications, and will automatically respond to the caller or texter with a text stating that the person they are attempting to contact is currently driving. Parents are also alerted when the app is turned off, so you can help ensure your child is always safe.
• DriveSafe.ly – This app has to be activated each time you get in the car. However, once it’s turned on, this app will read aloud each text message you receive. It will also automatically reply to the sender that you are currently driving.

Check your Smart Phone – Many smartphones have “Do Not Disturb” or Drive Mode settings that you can turn on when getting behind the wheel.

Considering the importance of this matter and increase awareness to the next generation, we had organized the “Texting and Driving Essay” contest on for students. We are very happy to find that we got many great articles which show our next generation is pretty aware of this matter. The following four Texting and Driving Essay essays are the best entries:

Texting and Driving Essay: Statistics on texting and using your phone while driving and ideas to break those habits

By Leticia Pérez Zamor

Every day in the United States around one out of ten people are killed by distracted drivers, and around 1500 are injured in some way in crashes by these irresponsible, distracted drivers. One of the most dangerous, distracting activities that many people do is texting while driving. It is extremely dangerous because people who do this are putting more attention in texting, and they take their eyes off the road while they are driving, which increases the chance that the driver can lose the control of the vehicle, and could cause a crash or even in a worst-case could kill other people. When a person is texting, she/he is thinking about other things besides concentrating on driving. This is very dangerous because it could make the driver lose control of the car and slow her/his brain’s reaction time in case of a potential accident.

The statistics are very sad because according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, and 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver. Additionally, a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute showed that drivers who are texting are twice as likely to crash, or almost crash, as those who are focused on the road. These statistics are reaching higher numbers because people are using their cell phones more and more, especially adolescents.

For this reason, it is very important that we find some ideas to break off this bad habit of texting while driving. I think that one of the easiest and best ways to break this habit is simply to turn off your phone. In this case, the driver wouldn’t be distracted by the ringing or buzzing of the phone, and it wouldn’t tempt the driver to text while driving. Another way to break this habit is to download some of the new applications that can disable cell phones while people are driving. Also, there are other applications that automatically send a text to whoever is texting the driver to tell that person that she/he is driving and that the text will be answered later. There are a great variety of applications to choose I think that we can use these to help us with the problem of texting while we are driving. Additionally, if a driver is waiting for an important call or text and has company in the car, the phone can be given to a passenger to check it out. Also, there are some programs that are helping to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to keep it from occurring. In these anti-texting programs, people can drive in a simulated situation, where they are driving but also texting, and can see how many accidents are caused by this problem.

Something very important is that many of the states have started to pass some laws that order drivers to stop texting while driving. However, we need to be sincere: none of these laws will be effective if we as a society don’t understand that texting while driving could have terrible consequences, not only for us as drivers but also for other innocent people. I don’t think that answering texts is more important than the lives of other people; texting can wait until drivers arrive at their destination.

The Dangers of Texting While Driving Essay

By LoryYau, St. Johns University

With the advanced technology in today’s world, people are very connected to each other and are constantly on their phone texting friends, going on social media, or using the phone to pass time. However, this also includes texting back a friend while driving. As simple as it might seems, texting and driving is very dangerous and should be taken seriously. In fact, in 2011, at least 23% of auto collisions involved cell phones. That’s about 1.3 million crashes! Not only that but texting while driving is actually more dangerous than driving while being drunk or high on marijuana. Every year almost a million people in the United States get into accidents, the majority: teens. Unfortunately, the number just keeps increasing.

Though texting and driving caused many injuries and deaths, there are still people who don’t think it’s a problem and are confident that they can use their phone and drive simultaneously. However, 34% of teens aged sixteen to seventeen spend about 10% of their driving time outside of their lane.  This affects other people who are driving and can cause the deaths of innocent lives. In a 2012 Cell Phone and Driving Statistic, it is reported that 3,328 people were killed and 421,000 people were injured due to distracted drivers. Furthermore, it is said that talking or listening on the phone increases the risk of crashing by 1.3 times while reaching for a device is 1.4. Dialing is 2.8 times more risk of crashing while texting is 23 more times. Additionally, talking on a cell phone and driving at the same time can make the driver’s reaction time to be as slow as that of a seventy-year-old.

To break these habits, people can either turn off their phone or put it on silent before driving. This will force them to concentrate on the road only. But if this method doesn’t work on some people, you can use S voice or Seri to command your phone to read out your messages or to reply back. This will allow your eyes to focus on the road instead of your phone. No more reaching for your phone to text “Lol” or “Lmao” and endangering your own life and many others.  Though you are still talking while driving, it still decreases your chance of crashing. An app in smartphones that works similarly to the method I described before is called DriveSafe.ly. Basically, it reads your text messages and emails out loud and has a customizable auto-responder. A few other apps that help prevent texting are called Safely Go and TXT ME L8R. Both apps work by either blocking the phone’s ability to text, receive and use apps or locking the phone. Then both phones automatically send a message to inform your friends or family that you are driving.  For parents, you can give your phones to your kids while you’re driving. You won’t be able to get them back when they’re too busy playing Angry Bird or Cut the Rope.

To stop people from texting and driving, one of the major phone companies, AT&T, address this problem by creating AT&T’s It Can Wait to text and driving campaign to spread awareness. Many stories and documentaries are also posted online to support this campaign. You can also join millions of others who have signed the pledge to never text and drive and to instead take action to educate others about the dangers of it. If you still believe you can get home safely by texting and driving, AT&T’s simulator will prove you wrong. It gives you a real-life experience of texting and driving. With this game, you’ll only find out that it’s not as easy as it sounds. Before you look at a text, remember that it is not worth dying for.

The Issue of Texting While Driving Essay

By Justin Van Nuil

It seems that everyone has a cell phone, and they cannot be separated from it. Cell phones have made a huge impact in the world, both good and bad. Most of the bad come when people, especially teens, decide to use the phone when behind the wheel of a vehicle. There are some huge statistics against texting and talking on the phone while driving, and people are trying to bring awareness to this expanding problem across the United States.

Staggering statistics are out there for everyone to see, yet we go about our lives ignoring the signs and warning against using our cell phones while driving. Textinganddrivingsafety.com tells us that texting while driving increases the probability of getting in a crash twenty-three times the normal amount, and thirteen percent of the young adults, eighteen to twenty, have admitted to talking or texting before the course of the accident. This is due to the time our eyes are off the road, and our mind’s capacity to do only one task at a time. Just taking our eyes off the road for five seconds, while the car is traveling at fifty-five miles per hour, is the same as traveling a football field without noticing what is going on around us. Seeing the danger in this is very evident, especially around intersections. Taking eyes off the road through an intersection is probably the highest risk, the light could be changing causing the car in front to stop, or worse, traveling through the red light or a stop sign into flowing traffic.

Texting is a major factor when it comes to crashes and creating a hazardous situation, so preventing the usage of cell phones while driving would be a large step in limiting the number of crashes that happen in the United States. There are multiple associations that are already trying to prevent cell phone usage. Associations such as the NHTSA, the Nation Highway Traffic Safety Association, which is an organization dedicated fully to tips and facts and videos showing how dangerous it can be to use your cell phone. There are also Facebook and Twitter pages, and blogs. In addition, the driving course in Michigan has a section in the lesson on the hazards of using cell phones while driving.

These are just programs that are helping to prevent texting while driving. Easy and simple ways that everyone can do as they enter the car. Firstly, by putting the phone in the glovebox, you eliminate the temptation to reach for it and use it while your driving. If you decide not to use that method, and you have a passenger, just give the phone to them, they can rely on the information to you if it is that important. Just keeping the phone out of reach, in general, will help prevent the usage of the device.

Not only are these ways are widespread and easily accomplished, but there should also be a restriction in general for usage while driving. I know multiple states have issued laws against texting, and in some states absolute usage of the cell phone while in the driver’s seat. Although, the overall effects may not be seen in the number of accidents prevented due to these laws, having a larger discipline for doing such activities should help in dropping the number of people on their devices.

Preventing the usage of these everyday devices is very simple, yet rather difficult, and will save lives if it works out. Accidents are deadly to many people, so creating an environment for everyone is better in the long run. As a young adult, I plan to use some of these ideas and promote these websites and encourage others around me to do the same.

Why is Texting and Driving Dangerous?

By Haley Muhammad

It has become such an issue that every time we turn on the TV all we see is that same commercial running about that girl who died because she wanted to text her friend back. Or that now in every major TV show someone always gets in a car accident because they want to text someone that they love them. It’s clear that no one has the decency to pull over to text someone back or even call them to say I will text you later because I’m driving. It’s a rising epidemic that’s destroying the generation of teenagers. I remember when technology was something beautiful because of how helpful it is but, now its become a hazard to the generation alone. Statistics have shown that “ Texting while driving has become a greater hazard than drinking while driving among teenagers who openly acknowledge sending and reading text messages while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle,” stated by Delthia Ricks from Newsday newspaper.

Ever since the emergence of cell phones, this generation has become heavily dependent on it for every minute of every day. Cell phones and texting were created ultimately to provide communication but it has now become so much more than that. Statistics also show that “Seventy-one percent of young people say they have sent a text while driving. As a result, thousands of people die every year in crashes related to distracted driving,” (Distraction.gov). Texting while driving has become a heavy habit for most teens and adults as well but regardless of the commercials and shows and statistics that show the results of texting while driving most people cannot kick the habit. Other statistics include, “Individuals who drive while sending or reading text messages are 23 percent more likely to be involved in a car crash than other drivers. A crash typically happens within an average of three seconds after a driver is distracted,” (donttextdrive.com). Overall all these statistics are saying the same thing, is that one text can wreck all.

So many lives are taken or altered because of the simple decision to send or reply to one text message. If precautions are heavily enforced before adults and teens especially enter the car, then maybe this epidemic can become obsolete. Fines are enforced but how well is the question? Phones are the biggest distraction when you enter a car, this doesn’t completely forget about alcohol or trying to change the radio station but technology has become so advanced that we have voice text and on a star. If the message is that important phones should become voice-activated and only respond to your voice so we can still pay attention to the road and send out a text without removing our hands from the wheel. Technology has also graced us with Bluetooth if you need to stay in communication just use Bluetooth and make a phone call instead which is completely easier than sending a text anyway because it’s faster and you can get responses much quicker than you could with a text message. Reality is one text or call could wreck it all.

Stuart A. Carpey, who has been practicing as an attorney since 1987, focuses his practice on complex civil litigation which includes representing injured individuals in a vast array of personal injury cases.

Home — Essay Samples — Law, Crime & Punishment — Cell Phones and Driving — Persuading Against Texting and Driving

Persuading Against Texting and Driving

• Categories: Cell Phones and Driving Distracted Driving

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Words: 867 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 867 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

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The distraction dilemma, the high stakes of texting and driving, the call for personal responsibility, legislation and advocacy.

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Op-Ed: Texting while driving is as dangerous as driving drunk. We need to treat it accordingly

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Like many pedestrians, I’ve learned to treat Los Angeles streets as an obstacle course of distracted drivers. Rule No. 1: Make sure a vehicle is stopped or braking before stepping off the curb. But even that didn’t save me at a corner near my West Hollywood home.

The approaching car was on my right, slowing for the stop sign ahead. I started across but midway I realized the driver’s attention had drifted and her car was regaining speed, veering my way. It was too late to dodge it, so I threw myself onto the hood.

Startled, the young woman looked up from her smartphone. Texting. Of course. She braked and I rolled gingerly off her hood before she sped away. I was furious. 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.

Texting — the most common cause of distracted driving accidents — is fast becoming the new drunk driving. 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. Teens are particularly at risk; they are four times more likely than older drivers to get into these accidents. One reason, according to safe driving experts: Young people, who’ve watched their parents and other adults routinely fiddle with various devices as they drive, downplay the risk.

Teens are particularly at risk; they are four times more likely than older drivers to get into these accidents.

Our legal deterrents aren’t helping. California law bans all talking, texting, or any other use of handheld mobile phones while driving. (Making emergency calls is one of the few exceptions.) With assessments and fees, convicted drivers face a first-time ticket costing at least $159, with a second offense climbing to $279. 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. (Those under 21 face similar fines, possible criminal charges, and a mandatory one-year license suspension.) A conviction for driving while using a cellphone doesn’t even warrant a bump in insurance rates. That could change under Senate Bill 1030, introduced in February by state Sen. Josh Newman (D-Orange County), which would make it a one-point DMV violation that could cost drivers dearly when they renew their coverage.

Even so, enforcement of distracted driving laws seems spotty. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of drivers between the ages of 18 and 64 read or send text or email messages while in traffic. From 2011 to 2015, the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration reported an increase of cellphone-related crashes from 50,000 to about 70,000. 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. Experts spread the blame: budget and staffing issues at policing agencies; increased use of car speakerphones (which free the hands but still cause distraction); and officers who are reluctant to ticket a violation that’s difficult to prove in court — or for an activity many officers privately indulge in themselves.

After years of tough drunk-driving penalties and numerous public awareness campaigns, DUI-related deaths in the U.S. have declined by about a third, yet still number about 10,000 a year. 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. So in some situations, device-distracted driving is more dangerous than DUI. 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.

With the rate of smartphone ownership in the U.S. doubling from 2011 to 2018, one wonders how great the carnage will become. Will an organization as influential as Mothers Against Drunk Driving emerge to confront and stigmatize “driving while intexticated”? If not, what can bring about a meaningful cultural shift when millions of drivers are so addicted to their cellphones they’ve become oblivious to their own safety, let alone the safety of others?

Sometimes, that irresponsible driver is someone you’d least expect. Recently, I was stopped at a red light near the Santa Monica Pier. In the vehicle next to mine, the driver was riveted to his smartphone, grinning and chuckling at whatever was on his little screen. I don’t know his name, but I do know where he works — the Santa Monica Police Department. He was in uniform, at the wheel of his patrol car, using a moment stopped in traffic to get his cellphone fix.

John Morgan Wilson is a veteran journalist and award-winning fiction writer.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook

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Persuading People Not to Text While Driving Essay

We can see that, in the contemporary world, there are more and more instances of car accidents that lead to the injuries of a large number of people and even their deaths. However, the question is: why is it so? In order to solve this problem or at least have a beneficial influence on it, professionals have to understand the main causes of the issue and put considerable effort into preventing them. It is believed that the main reasons for the growing number of car accidents and deaths on the roads is the development of new technologies and, as a result, the irresponsible driving of individuals who are largely addicted to them. Therefore, by providing a few essential arguments and taking of the most popular practices as an example, the following speech will prove that individuals should not text while driving.

As it is already mentioned, the most significant reason of why people should stop texting or using their phones overall while driving is because it can lead to serious negative consequences, such as car crashes, injuries, and deaths of a large number of people. According to statistics, “in the United States, one-third of drivers text while they are behind the wheel and distraction is the cause of 25% of all car crashes that involve injuries” (“2019 United States car accidents statistics,” 2020). This is because when you are driving and, at the same time, use phone phone at any capacity, it is impossible to keep all the needed attention on the road. This number is continually rising; therefore, something should be definitely done to stop this growth, and one of the best solutions is to educate individuals about the negative impact of cell phone usage on the road.

In addition, in case you are using your phone for nay purposes while driving, you are not only putting your life at a considerable risk but also endanger you passengers. Transporting other people in a vehicle is a huge responsibility because any mistake can lead to serious consequences for their health and life. Zakhareuski (2020) also puts a specific emphasis on this point while talking about the possible influences of distracted driving. He asks his readers a question of whether they could live with the understanding that their selfish decision to check their messages or turn on a different song caused someone to die or suffer from severe health complications (Zakhareuski, 2020). Thus, for the purpose of ensuring the safety and physical well-being of yourself and all the passengers in the car it is critical to prevent yourself from texting while driving.

Another consequence of using your phone while driving is a considerable increase in the likelihood of receiving a huge monetary fine or a punishment. Even though this issue is not connected to the life of people, it can bring serious damage to your pocket and to the possibility of driving a car for a specific period of time. For example, a speeding ticket can cost you up to 500 dollars; however, in certain situations the fine can be much bigger and lead to the loss of a driving license for a year (“What are the consequences,” n.d.). In general, this problem is all about the responsibility and taking accountability for your actions which is necessary. Nevertheless, such consequences can bring a significant inconvenience to your life which means that it is much better to prevent their appearance.

I mentioned drivers themselves and passengers as people who can suffer from a serious mistake of texting while being behind the wheel. However, there is also one very important group individuals who can be injured and die because of someone’s, from the first sight, very minor mistake – pedestrians. Humans are definitely smaller and less noticeable that vehicles; therefore, it is possible to end up in an accident with them even when paying full attention. Since texting while driving completely switches one’s attention from the road, drivers can decrease the likelihood of seeing a person crossing the road and cause a crash which may result in terrible health consequences for the pedestrian. Therefore, it can be stated that driving is a huge responsibility and there is no place for even a second on the phone.

Overall, texting while driving is a serious issue that becomes more and more relevant in the contemporary world. Many people do not realize to what consequences it may bring and think that it will not harm their performance in the road. However, the reality proves that it is one of the most serious problems that has to be dealt with as soon as possible. There is a number of negative consequences caused by distracted driving and phone usage that range from receiving a speeding ticket to causing the death of another individual. Thus, this speech proved that it is essential to prevent oneself from using a phone while driving no matter what the purpose of that is. In this case you can ensure that your life and the life of other human beings will not be put at risk.

2019 United States car accidents statistics: Reckless driving vs. driving while intoxicated . 2020. Web.

What are the consequences of being a risky and irresponsible driver? (n.d.). Web.

Zakhareuski, A. (2020). 10 pragmatic reasons that will make you stop texting and driving today . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2022, June 29). Persuading People Not to Text While Driving. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuading-people-not-to-text-while-driving/

"Persuading People Not to Text While Driving." IvyPanda , 29 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/persuading-people-not-to-text-while-driving/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Persuading People Not to Text While Driving'. 29 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Persuading People Not to Text While Driving." June 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuading-people-not-to-text-while-driving/.

1. IvyPanda . "Persuading People Not to Text While Driving." June 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuading-people-not-to-text-while-driving/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Persuading People Not to Text While Driving." June 29, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/persuading-people-not-to-text-while-driving/.

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Texting While Driving (Persuasive Essay)

Texting while driving.

Texting while driving is one of the worrying trends in the society, both teenagers and adults have developed a habit of using cell phones while driving. Texting while driving causes distraction and increases their chances of getting involved in car accidents. Such concerns have been raised by various government authorities, in trying to prevent such occurrence new laws have been enacted making cell phone use in cars illegal. However, not many people follow these laws, most people text and drive, assuming that they can pay attention to other cars. You often see people, texting or going through their phone while driving

Cell phone use while driving is the major cause of fatal accident, leading to several deaths. Despite these concerns, people are still fixated on their phones that are dangerous to not only the driver but also other road users. According to the recent road statistics, more than 22 recent of fatal road accidents are caused by teenagers using their cell phones while driving. Distraction on the roads is caused by teenagers who have confidence that they can text or talk on the phone while driving.  More than 5,000 people have died last year due to text driving; these accidents are mostly caused by teenagers under the age of 21 years.

The dangers of texting while driving includes thousands of people dying annually as the number keep on increasing because texting is becoming popular. Even though fifty states have enacted laws that prohibit texting while driving, many of these laws are not reinforced by the lawmakers to limit the number of accidents that occur annually.

Stakeholders are calling for strong action and alternative programs to minimize road accidents. Currently, only 35 states the US have completely banned texting for all its road users, but this is not enough to curb the problem. There is the need for a nationwide ban on texting driving as recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board. Laws were banning texting while driving will save many lives in America.  With the new trend of texting close to 5,000 deaths and numerous injuries have been caused by distracted drivers.  It is imperative that the government should take stricter action to minimize the increasing death caused by young drivers. To effectively eliminate this vice, it is necessary for the government to enact unifying laws and stricter punishment for those who text while driving.

These new laws need to ban text driving for everyone not just young drivers because texting driving has similar effect on everyone. There should be no objection to laws for texting while driving. Each state needs to have similar laws against texting while driving, Massachusetts laws on texting while driving should be a model for other states. Massachusetts has the strictest laws on road safety. Punishment for those found texting while driving should be stiffened to push people to dig deeper into their pockets to pay more.

Fine alone is not enough; stricter regulation should include license suspension to make people keep off their phones while driving. Besides enacting new laws, alternative road safety programs need to be initiated to educate the public about the dangers of distracted driving more so on texting. The government needs to pass laws that make it compulsory for everyone to take distracted driving lessons. A national ban combined with alternative road safety programs will reduce the number of accidents caused by text driving.

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• Victor Mukhin

Victor M. Mukhin was born in 1946 in the town of Orsk, Russia. In 1970 he graduated the Technological Institute in Leningrad. Victor M. Mukhin was directed to work to the scientific-industrial organization "Neorganika" (Elektrostal, Moscow region) where he is working during 47 years, at present as the head of the laboratory of carbon sorbents.     Victor M. Mukhin defended a Ph. D. thesis and a doctoral thesis at the Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia (in 1979 and 1997 accordingly). Professor of Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia. Scientific interests: production, investigation and application of active carbons, technological and ecological carbon-adsorptive processes, environmental protection, production of ecologically clean food.   

Title : Active carbons as nanoporous materials for solving of environmental problems

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