Cell phone use has skyrocketed in the past twenty years. New cell phone technology allows us to stay connected with family, friends and has enabled us to become more efficient with work. The World Bank World Development claims that twenty years ago, less than 1% of the United States population owned a cell phone, but by 2008, an average of 89 out of 100 people owned cell phones (Gardner, 1). The increased number of cell phone users has facilitated a boom in the mobile phone industry. Cell phone technology
This graph demonstrates the rising trend of cell phone use from the 1980s to 2010. Source: A study conducted by BMJ group.
has also increased rapidly in the past couple decades. Today, cell phones essentially have all the same features as a computer. Cell phones allow people to send and receive e-mails, text messages, phone calls, surf the web, take photos and record video, among other features. While these features enable faster and more efficient means of communication, it also provides a great deal of distraction for people. Everyone is guilty of it—sending an e-mail or looking at something your phone rather than paying attention to the world around you.
These distractions can be fatal when combined with driving. In 2008, there were 5,870 fatalities and about 515,000 people injured in police reported crashes in which at least one form of driver distraction was reported (Lenhart 2). Driver distraction can be a wide array of activities, but a study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) found that texting is the highest distraction risk observed among drivers,” (Lenhart). This fact is alarming, especially as the trend of texting continues to increase. In the year 2000, 14.4 million texts were sent, and in 2009, 1.56 trillion texts were sent (Gardner). These numbers will continue to increase into the year 2012, posing a greater risk for drivers. In addition, the younger generation texts more frequently than the older generation. As more young people start driving, the problem with texting and driving is bound to increase as well. In fact, various studies have shown that people ages 16-19 are at the highest risk of texting while driving. According to the VTTI survey, 34% of teen texters ages 16-17 admit to texting while driving. Additionally, 73% of teens ages 16-17 state that they have been in a car when the driver is texting.
Source: Lenhart and Madden’s study.
Texting while driving has become, in a sense, publicly acceptable. This is largely because many don’t fully understand just how dangerous texting and driving can be. For example, when asked about texting and driving, a high school student seems unconcerned with the problem as she explains,
“I do it [text] all the time…everybody texts while they drive; like when I’m driving by myself I’ll call people or text them because I get bored,” (Lenhart).
Her nonchalant statement stems purely from a lack of awareness about how dangerous texting and driving is. If you asked this student if she would ever drink and drive, she would likely say no. That is because she has learned about the risks and dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, texting and driving is just as distracting as drinking and driving. Our society is ignorant about the true dangers of texting and driving, and it must change. Our driver’s education programs must teach the next generation of drivers the truth about how dangerous texting and driving is. Their lives depend on it.