Cell Phone Use While Driving: Statistics and Prevention
In May 2010, Gov. Jim Doyle of Wisconsin officially signed the law that makes reading, typing, and sending text messages while driving illegal. Typing on computers would also be banned under this law. It was only last April when this legislation was passed as a bill. The signing of the law turned Wisconsin into the fifth state that implemented a total ban on cell phone use or texting while driving.
People caught disobeying the law will be fined, ranging from $20 to $400. Exceptions will be that of emergency situations and GPS devices. The offender will also be required to attend lessons regarding text messaging and driver education classes. The ban will take effect on December 2010.
Cell phone use while driving is pointed out as one of the leading reasons behind vehicular crashes, since doing such is considered a driving distraction. In fact, according to the study conducted by the psychologists at the University of Utah, having a cell phone on the driver’s ear is as just as deadly as the driver being intoxicated. That is because when the driver is distracted by the conversation, he tends to “drive slower, brake slower, and is more likely to crash.” David Strayer, the study's lead author said that the level of impairment between a drunk driver and a driver using a cell phone is “very similar.”
In a 2008 survey by Nationwide Insurance, 67 percent of respondents admitted to using cell phones while driving, while almost 6,000 people died due to driving distractions. Half a million were injured. These statistics pushed countries like Australia, China, France, and Japan to ban texting while driving.
To avoid texting while driving is understandably hard, but there are a few steps that the driver can take to resist the temptation of reaching for the mobile phone.
• Turning off the phone – Pressing the off button is a sure way to avoid using the phone while driving. With the phone turned off, the person won’t have to answer any calls or messages received. However, this is not advisable if the driver is in the middle of an emergency that needs to be addressed.
• Carpooling – In case there is a passenger in the car, ask help from him or make him take the call or message. If the passenger knows how to drive, the driver can switch places with him.
• Opting for a mass transit – If a person chooses a public transportation, he has a lower chance of getting into an accident caused by cell phone use. That way, he can also talk or text as much as he needs to.
People caught disobeying the law will be fined, ranging from $20 to $400. Exceptions will be that of emergency situations and GPS devices. The offender will also be required to attend lessons regarding text messaging and driver education classes. The ban will take effect on December 2010.
Cell phone use while driving is pointed out as one of the leading reasons behind vehicular crashes, since doing such is considered a driving distraction. In fact, according to the study conducted by the psychologists at the University of Utah, having a cell phone on the driver’s ear is as just as deadly as the driver being intoxicated. That is because when the driver is distracted by the conversation, he tends to “drive slower, brake slower, and is more likely to crash.” David Strayer, the study's lead author said that the level of impairment between a drunk driver and a driver using a cell phone is “very similar.”
In a 2008 survey by Nationwide Insurance, 67 percent of respondents admitted to using cell phones while driving, while almost 6,000 people died due to driving distractions. Half a million were injured. These statistics pushed countries like Australia, China, France, and Japan to ban texting while driving.
To avoid texting while driving is understandably hard, but there are a few steps that the driver can take to resist the temptation of reaching for the mobile phone.
• Turning off the phone – Pressing the off button is a sure way to avoid using the phone while driving. With the phone turned off, the person won’t have to answer any calls or messages received. However, this is not advisable if the driver is in the middle of an emergency that needs to be addressed.
• Carpooling – In case there is a passenger in the car, ask help from him or make him take the call or message. If the passenger knows how to drive, the driver can switch places with him.
• Opting for a mass transit – If a person chooses a public transportation, he has a lower chance of getting into an accident caused by cell phone use. That way, he can also talk or text as much as he needs to.
Labels: PID
posted by Mesriani Law at
5:04 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home