Final Paper

The topic of whether people should be allowed to use cell phones while driving is something that will probably be argued about for a very long time. All the conservatives will want the use of cell phones while driving to be outlawed, while many liberals will disagree. So far New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. have already outlawed the use of cell phones while driving. It would not be surprising if this number increases in the next few years. Cell phones are very important in today’s society. Many people live on their cell phones because of their occupation. Cell phones are owned by almost everyone in society who is educated. There aren’t many arguments around against cell phone use, except the argument about whether they should be allowed to be used while driving. It has been statistically proven that driving while using a cell phone increases the chances of someone getting in a wreck. As a result of this, many people think the use of cell phones while driving should be completely outlawed. This is unrealistic because cell phones need to be available in the case of an emergency. If cell phones were made illegal while driving, it would be very difficult to regulate unless some sort of device was invented that can keep cell phones from working while driving. However, this would not be very good for emergency situations. In my opinion, using cell phones while driving cannot be completely outlawed. On the other hand, texting while driving is a huge problem these days, especially for teenagers. Statistically, texting is the number one distraction while driving. Unlike talking on the phone, texting is not usually necessary in an emergency situation. There are many problems and benefits with using cell phones while driving and because there are both good parts and bad parts to cell phone use it is not smart to outlaw them completely.

Cell phones are essential in today’s society because it is an easy way for communication. According to Dr. Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, people who drive while using cell phones have the same reaction times as people who drive drunk. They believe that people who use cell phones while driving are 4 to 5 times more likely to get into an accident. Also, headsets or any other method of using a cell phone provide just as high a risk as actually holding a cell phone while driving (“Cell Phones” 1). While the aforementioned doctors are trying to prove that using cell phones while driving should be outlawed, they basically have presented a case against themselves by saying that drivers are just as likely to get into an accident while using a headset instead of a handheld phone. The point they are trying to make is that it is the conversation itself that impairs a driver’s ability to drive, not the fact that they are holding a cell phone. The very fact that these doctors say it is the conversation that makes drivers unable to pay attention is what I am going to use as proof for my argument. In my opinion, drivers should be allowed to use cell phones while driving. If it is the conversation itself that causes wrecks, then should it be against the law to have other people in the car while driving? If cell phone use is outlawed because of the conversations, then carpooling must also be outlawed. This probably wouldn’t go over too well with all the global warming fanatics. If there is scientific proof that handheld phones cause more accidents than headsets, then I agree that they should be outlawed while driving. Cell phones should not be used for unnecessary chatting, but they should be able to be used for emergencies or even simple conveniences. Unfortunately, banning cell phones while driving doesn’t have a clear cut solution. It increases the chances of getting in a wreck, but they are essential to everyday life. It is up to the driver to make the correct choice on whether or not they are capable and need to use a cell phone while driving.

Talking on a phone while driving increases the chance of getting in a wreck, but so do many other things that are completely legal. In recent national survey conducted by Students Against Destructive Decisions and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, talking on a cell phone is actually the 4th most distracting thing for teenagers behind having friends in the car, the driver’s emotional state, and texting. Other things that were voted as increasing the chance of getting in a wreck include things such as eating, changing the radio, and listening to music ( “Teens” 1). When looking at all these unnecessary things that are dangerous that will never be outlawed, it is unrealistic to say that cell phones should be outlawed because they are very important to our lives.

Of all the cell phone related accidents that have occurred recently, texting is the number one distraction. It is much more distracting than talking on the phone because it not only makes the driver participate in conversation, but also requires the driver to constantly look down at the cell phone. Thirty-seven percent of teen drivers say texting is the most distracting thing to do while driving, but they do it anyways (“Cell Phones” 1). One young driver in Chicago was interviewed and was filmed texting while he was driving. He looked down at his phone, thus taking his eyes off the road, eleven times in twenty seconds. Texting while driving is so new that there are no current stats on the crash rates. There have been numerous cases of fatal wrecks that occurred while the driver was texting. Trooper Clare Plotenhauer of the Illinois State Police says that texting is more dangerous than talking on the phone because texting requires the driver to look down at the keypad while talking on the phone enables the driver to watch the road at all times. Ray La Mantia of Allstate Insurance says that there are 6,000 teens killed every year in car wrecks. Most people think alcohol is the number one reason for this, but it is actually being distracted behind the wheel. The number one distraction behind the wheel is texting. One Allstate poll determined that 13% of teenage drivers are texting while driving (“DWI: Driving While Intexticated”). In California, a new law was passed that makes it illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to use electronic devices while driving. Ford Motor Company discovered that teens are 4 times more distracted than adults when driving while using cell phones (“Ban on Texting”).

Texting while driving should be illegal because it is proven that it is the number one distraction while driving. Cell phones cannot be outlawed while driving for reasons such as emergency situations. However, texting should be outlawed because it is much more dangerous than talking on the phone while driving and is less effective in communicating than talking on the phone. Texting requires the driver to both think and take his or her eyes off the road, thus increasing the chance of getting in a wreck.

Although texting should be made illegal in all states, it will be very hard to enforce for obvious reasons. First, it is nearly impossible for a cop to determine whether someone is texting or looking through their phone for a number to call. Also, most texting is hidden from the view of other driver’s, so a cop would have a very tough time seeing a driver texting. If a cop did pull someone over for texting, it would be pretty difficult to prove they were texting considering the driver could simply delete all the messages. As a result of this, I believe the only way to truly enforce this is if a device is created that disables cell phones to be able to text while in a running car. If this device were able to be created, it must come standard with all new phones. Of course everyone wouldn’t have this feature immediately, but within a few years, almost everybody who owns a cell phone would have it. However, even this would have its flaws. Passengers in the car would not be able to have the opportunity to text unless the device could somehow tell whether the owner of the phone is driving or texting. All in all, cell phones should not be outlawed while driving, but texting should. It will be almost impossible to properly regulate this, but it is very detrimental to society due the distractions it causes drivers behind the wheel.
Laws regarding the use of cell phones and texting should be enforced by the government because the government has the right to protect its people from danger such as driving distractions that increase the risk of getting in an accident. It would be very difficult to enforce a law that banned texting while driving, but Arizona Representative Steve Farley believes that simply making it a law will make most people stop (“Driving While Texting” 1). Although talking on a cell phone does increase the chance of someone getting in an accident, texting does even more. Many people, including Robert Hahn and James Prieger, believe that using cell phones while driving definitely has its benefits. They also believe that the percentage of people who talk on phones and get in wrecks depends on the person in general rather than the cell phone that is involved (“Cell Phone Accidents” 1). As a result of texting being the number one distraction while driving, it is the government’s responsibility to at least try to regulate it to enhance the safety of its citizens.

Cell phones are very important in today’s world, but it is necessary to put certain restrictions on them in order to promote the safety of everyone. Talking on a cell phone while driving does increase the chance of getting in a wreck, but it is necessary in today’s world. However, texting is not necessary and is the number one distraction for driver’s, especially teenagers, which are already more likely to get in wrecks. Therefore, the government is responsible to take action in order to protect its citizens. It is probably impossible to come up with a perfect solution. It is up to the driver to make the correct moral decision and know when it is necessary to use the phone and when it is not.





References:
“Ban on Texting and Cell Phone Use While Driving.” CNN News. 2 Dec. 2007.
.
“Cell Phones: As Dangerous as Driving Drunk.” Fox News Network 1997. 7 Nov.
2005. http://bicycleuniverse.info/cars/cellphones.html.
.
"Driving while texting.(STATELINE)(Brief article)." State Legislatures 33.4 (April
2007): 12(1). Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale. Clemson University. 2 Dec
2007

“DWI: Driving While Intexticated.” WGN. 2 Dec. 2007
.
Iain, Murray. "Cell phone accidents." The American Enterprise 16.1 (Jan-Feb
2005): 57(2). Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale. Clemson University. 2 Dec. 2007
.
Teens Admit Text Messaging Most Distracting While Driving. SADD. 2 Dec. 2007
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/07-19-2007/0004628998&EDATE=.

Group Brief

Thesis:
There are many problems and benefits with using cell phones while driving and because there are both good parts and bad parts to cell phone use it is not smart to outlaw them completely.

Reasons:
1. Cell phones distract the driver from completely focusing on the road and the problems that are in front of him.
2. Texting on cell phones while driving increases the risk of getting into an accident while driving a car.
3. The government has a duty to “protect” its citizens if possible.

Topic 1:
Reason: Although cell phones have an important place in today’s society, it is necessary to place certain restrictions on their use while driving in order to ensure a safer society for everyone.

Evidence:
1. Cell phones provide an excellent means of communicating in emergency situations.
2. It is the conversation, not the cell phones themselves, that increases the risk of getting in a wreck.
3. Other items such as radios, passengers, and spilling drinks cause the same distractions and dangers but are outlawed.

Topic 2:
Reason: While cell phones increase the risk of an accident while driving, texting, which uses the cell phone to send “email-like” messages, is the main abuse of the cell phone. Because texting while driving pulls the attention of the driver off of the road, the danger of using cell phones while driving becomes quite real, and in desperate need of stricter regulation.

Evidence:
1. The majority of cell phone related accidents are caused by people who say they were texting right before the accident.
2. While cell phones increase the risk of an accident significantly, the use of texting while driving increases it even more.

Topic 3:
Reason: The government has an obligation to protect its citizens from both foreign and domestic evils that harm its citizens and cell phone usage is one of these issues; however, it would be quite difficult to enforce any law that would restrict cell phone usage.

Evidence:
1. The laws passed in New York and California do not permit cell phones to be the main cause for a cop to pull a person over; instead, the offense would mainly being an extra fee added on top of the ticket.

Appeal to Audience:
We will gain the trust of the audience by taking a direct approach to confronting the issues that surround the dangers caused by using cell phones while driving. We will not attack those who currently use cell phones while driving because they may or may not realize the true problems that cell phones cause. We will also rely on the facts and statistics that our sources will provide to create a clear and accurate presentation of the problem.

Audience:
Our audience will be to all drivers which by default includes educated members of society, interest groups, and lawmakers. We will target these groups of people because they are the everyday drivers who experience both ends of cell phone usage while driving and because they are the ones who are most likely to do something about it.

Brief

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.

Cell Phones in Cars

The topic that is going to be discussed in our group is whether or not cell phones should be allowed to be used while driving a car. This topic is largely debatable and there will probably never be a solution that makes everyone happy. There are several sides to this argument. Some think there should be no restrictions on cell phone use in cars while others think they should be completely outlawed. It has been proven that driving while using a cell phone significantly increases the chances of someone being in an accident. Whether it is talking on a hand-held phone, a headset, or texting, the accident rate is much higher than it is for someone not on a phone. The one flaw in this research is that it is the conversations, not the actual holding of the phone, that cause the wrecks. Since this is the case, should riding with people in the car be considered illegal? After all, a driver usually has conversations with passengers. Making drivers ride without passengers is unrealistic, but talking on phones while driving is not. The 3 sides to this argument are whether cell phones should have no restricitons, have some restrictions, or be outlawed while driving completely.

The side I am taking in this argument is that cell phones should allowed but with some restrictions. Just from personal experiences, I don't think cell phones should be used for texting because it is difficult to text while driving. However, this would be almost impossible for a cop to regulate. The only way to do this is if phones have some kind of device that make them unable to text while driving. There has been talk about making cell phones not be able to work in cars, but this is unreasonable because they need to be available in the case of an emergency.