My position on the use of cell phones in cars is that they should be allowed in certain circumstances. It is proven that using cell phones increases the risk of getting in a wreck, but there are many things that also increase the chance of getting in a wreck that aren’t outlawed and never will be. These include eating, drinking, changing a CD, or riding with friends. Cell phones cannot be completely outlawed because they are necessary in emergency situations, and they also make life a lot easier.
Some people believe cell phones should have a device that makes them unavailable for use while driving, but this should not happen in case of emergency situations. However, I do think they should have a device that makes them unable to send text messages while driving. I do not know how they can be designed to tell whether someone is driving or a passenger, but this would definitely be beneficial to all drivers when it comes to safety.
Thesis: It would be unrealistic to completely outlaw the use of cell phones in cars, but they should only be allowed to be used in emergency situations because they increase the chances of getting in a wreck.
Reasons
1. Cell phones must be able to work in cars in case of emergencies.
2. Cell phones increase the chances of being in a wreck, but it is the conversation that causes this, not the cell phone.
3. Other things increase the chance of getting in a wreck like eating or reading a map, but these are legal.
4. Cell phones should not be able to be used for texting while driving because this increases the chance of getting in a wreck more than talking on the phone.
Appeal to Audience
I will gain the trust of the audience by using logical reasoning that will be proven with statistics.
Evidence
I am going to get statistics about using phones while driving from the library and credible online sources. I will also find statistics about other things that increase someone’s chances of getting in a wreck.
Audience
My audience is going to be anyone who uses a cell phone and can drive.
4 comments:
Well defined. The only thing I'm concerned with is your second reason. The one discussing the conversations impact versus just the act of talking. As long as you have some sort of evidence to support this claim, I'll be cool with it. Like I replied to both Michael and David, I'm looking forward to seeing how this issue turns out.
Bobby, I agree with several points you made concerning cell phone use, such as the fact that their exists several other distracting factors while driving a car. However, as with many controversial issues, if you take a split stance on the issue, no forward progress is usually made. For instance, adding a feature that would disable texting while still allowing the cell phone to work in a given emergency for the driver would be impractical. Too many variables are involved, and if such a device was created, all cell phones currently in use would have to be retrofitted to accommodate the feature. Overall, this would require too much effort to be worth it with the technology currently available to us. Drivers need to simply become responsible and realize the risks of using a cell phone excessively while driving.
Bobby, I see your logic behind the problem with texting while driving, because it not only distracts the drivers thoughts, but also makes the person take his or her eyes off of the road. However, cell phones are rapidly becoming more and more of a necessity in our everyday lives as technology advances. Reports show a dramatic increase in cell phone usage over the past couple of decades and that trend shows no sign of stopping. Unless the fine for using a cell phone while driving was excessively high then the likelihood of a law actually making an impact is slim. A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration posted in 1997 predicted that around 18 million emergency calls would be made that year as opposed to 29,000 in 1986. The organization admits that cell phone use while driving slightly increases the chance of an accident but proposes that measures be taken to negate this effect. Such measures include the implementation of a smart phone system involving hands free driving. Also, systems are being developed now that can alert the driver to a potentially dangerous situation while driving, which would help those involved in a conversation.
Do you think if cell phones are "outlawed" in cars, that cell phone companies would start making new phones smaller, more concealable, maybe an inner ear piece with some sort of hand-held device to control it? The way you three are working this out through a dialog--the multiple posts--is how I had hoped this part of the assignment would work. Nice job.
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