Using cell phones are dangerous while driving - Essay Example

Using Cell Phones are Dangerous while Driving Introduction Technology has always provided us with devices that have made our day to day tasks simpler and effective. There is always a clandestine competition between two technological aspects namely transport and communication. It is believed that the one which succeeds in overtaking the other would oust the other one out of the competition. Till now both these technologies have moved hand in hand without leaving much to choose between the both. Advancements in communication technology has lead the world into the era of mobiles. This technology is a result of the enhancements in the field of wireless technology. This paper focuses on the field of cellular technology and narrows down to critically examine its impact on people and their dependency on it. It is true that cellular technology has made communication seem very easy. However, like all great technologies, there are some disadvantages with cellular technology with respect to its use in the modern world. This paper will more specifically deal with the impacts and hazards of cellular technology when it comes to their use while driving. This paper also discusses the validity of actions that are being taken and which can be taken in order to reduce the hazards caused by using the cell phones while driving. Is it really harmful: Pros and Cons Cellular phones have swiftly moved from the initial image of being expensive and useless instruments to being more common and useful and people have made it a part of their every day life. The use of cellular phones has spread like wild fire in almost all parts of the world (Agar, 2004). These wireless devices have become a common place in many domains and even for domestic purposes. Businesses have been greatly benefited to a great extent and there has been an improvement at an exponential pace in speeding up the transactions (Peter, 2005). The wireless industry has become one of the major industries in the global market. The just an essential instrument for placing a call has now become a style symbol and a lot of research is going on to make it even more helpful to the user. Various types of services such as playing music, data transfer, etc. are being integrated into this little piece of magic called cellular phones (Sadie, 2001). It should not be surprising to see that in most of the developed countries almost 75-80% of the population use a cellular connection (Peter, 2005). Now that the use of this cellular phone has become a common aspect, it is time to brood over some questions that have been troubling governments all over the world regarding the use of cellular phones. The aspect being discussed about here is the "Harmful effects of cellular devices while driving." Many consider and present an obvious argument that it is harmful to use cellular devices while driving and even many governments over the world are convinced by this statement and almost many have proposed to ban the use of cellular phones while driving. This paper discusses the harms of using a cellular phone while driving with respect to teenagers. Although it is suggestible that the governments ban the use of cellular phones while driving, imposing this ban it almost next to impossible. There are quite a few reasons to believe that use of cell phones is dangerous while driving. Let us observe this from a common sense view to a more scientific study that reveals few facts. Without much reasoning and with general observations, we can see that use of any other instrument while driving distracts the concentration and hence increases the risk of accidents. Teenagers tend to concentrate more on the issue at hand than their primary responsibility that is driving. Teenagers are more involved with their cellular phones rather than concentrating on driving. More so teenagers are more obsessed with two wheelers than four wheelers which makes it even more worse. As we all know, driving a two wheeler requires balance and concentration. However, as mentioned earlier teenagers tend to divert their concentration to their phones even while riding a two wheeler. Scientifically the studies revealed that (James, 2005) had given a conclusion that the risk of accidents is about 3-4 times more when the driver is using a cell phone. This risk is categorized differently for Light motor vehicles and heavy motor vehicles and also for motorists. Research conducted by various agencies revealed that it was more difficult for drivers to maintain the safe distance from vehicles from front and even the reaction time was found to go up by a huge margin (James, 2005). Comparative analysis was conducted and the use of cell phones while driving and driving by consuming alcohol, drugs gave the same results of harm. It is found that for most of the teenagers, driving is more of an adventure and a fun endeavor brandishing with style. As we know, teenagers are more obsessed and are more concerned about their cell phones. This directly implies that it is hazardous to use cellular phones while driving (James, 2005). Arguments in support of these actions are that use of cell phones while driving is causing the loss of life and money. Personal property is being put to stake at many places and laws protecting these have become so stringent that people affected by this are losing their careers and ending up by being no-getters. Added to this the percentage of teenagers all over the world talking over phones and ending up in accidents is growing everyday. Cell phone use are becoming a major issue for the governments as about 10,000-15,000 fatal accidents have taken place in the United States this year because of Cell phone driving (Cohen, 2003). For all the above mentioned reasons cell phones are regarded to as life threatening innovations. Added to all this a survey by the university of Rhode Island has proved that talking while driving causes a typical kind of vision known as tunnel vision that distracts the concentration of drivers from viewing the road conditions and also increases the reaction time that causes risk of accidents for both the drivers and the people on the road. Therefore, in order to reduce this accident ratio, governments have come up with several measures. There have been bans on the use of cellular phones while driving. However, the mobility of these devices and the ability to contact any person in case of emergency is a stand out point. These devices help to connect in any case of trouble like traffic jams, accidents and other emergencies (Sadie, 2001). It is observed that banning the use of cellular phones would cost more loss to any state (Cohen, 2003). Therefore, governments have come up with other alternatives. Narrowing it down to the age group of teens, messaging is more dangerous as it leads to taking off eyes from the road and focusing on the screen (James, 2005). Dialing a number is obviously more risky than receiving a call. Speedy driving while talking is another aspect that needs to be taken care of (James, 2005). One of the several measures implemented by the government is to make a rule for vehicles to stop to the side of the road whenever an important call has to be attended. Another measure is to impose speed limits. In this fashion, it will be made sure that the teenagers will not be driving at excess speed. Also, teenagers without cellular phones, tend to drive with a single hand. Hence a possible conclusion for this issue could be that people have to be made self aware that driving is more of a responsibility than a casual activity. Self awareness is the best medicine for these issues. Self awareness would possibly eliminate the risk due to use of phones while driving. All governments over the world have started educating the public especially the teenagers. Awareness about the cons of using cell phones while driving is being delivered to the public through public media such as televisions, schools, etc. There are also other measures taken by governments. A technological aspect that can be incorporated is making the cellular phones multi-modal. That is let the phones have two modes of operation. The normal mode and the voice mail mode. In the voice mail mode the interaction is simplex and the user cannot communicate with others however he can leave a voice message to convey the information. Hence, the amount of distraction can be obviously reduced and even there won't be any restriction on the usage of phones. Problems posed due to the use of cellular phones can be possibly eliminated with these approaches. Self awareness and the feel of personal responsibility are more important than the ban of the usage of cell phones while driving. There are ways to cut down the disadvantages and harmful affects by still using the services and humans are intelligent enough to understand that. References Agar, Jon, Constant Touch: A Global History of the Mobile Phone, 2004 ISBN 1840465417 Glotz, Peter & Bertsch, Stefan, eds. Thumb Culture: The Meaning of Mobile Phones for Society, 2005 Plant, Dr. Sadie, on the mobile - the effects of mobile telephones on social and individual life, 2001 James Hunton and Jacob M. Rose. (2005) Cellular Telephones and Driving Performance: The Effects of Attentional Demands on Motor Vehicle Crash Risk. Risk Analysis 25:4, 855-866 Joshua T. Cohen, John D. Graham (2003) A Revised Economic Analysis of Restrictions on the Use of Cell Phones While Driving, Risk Analysis 23 (1), 5-17. Read More