driving under the textfluence final

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    Driving under the Textfluence

    Tabitha Smith

    CGD 218

    David Bouvin

    May 17, 2010

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    Cognitivetaking your mind off what you are doing

    (www.cdc.gov)While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving

    is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction. (www.cdc.gov)

    Texting while driving has become a very serious problem. In 2008, nearly 6,000

    people died in crashes involving a distracted driver and more than 500,000 people were

    injured. The scope of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of a fatal crash has

    increased from 8 percent in 2004 to 11 percent in 2008. (www.cdc.gov)

    (www.distraction.gov)My first approach is the logo of the Put it down campaign. Theput it down campaign

    has been organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation. M The key message is to

    put down the distraction and pay attention while you are driving. Engaging in other

    activities while driving does not allow one to have full attention on the road. One of the

    most commonly recognized distractions is cell phone use. Cell phone subscriptions have

    grown exponentially from 1988 through 2009. About 89 percent, or approximately 277

    million of all Americans, have a cell phone, according to CTIA The Wireless

    Association. For many, it is the only kind of telephone they possess. In a recent NHTSA

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    survey, most individuals (77 percent) reported that they talk on the phone while driving at

    least some of the time. (www.distraction.gov)

    Drivers honestly do not realize the dangers that are posed when they take their

    eyes and minds off the road and their hands off the wheel and focus on activities other

    than driving. (www.distraction.gov) Drivers need to become more responsible and

    realize the dangers they are not only posing on themselves but onto others as well. Unlike

    impaired driving, driving while distracted is harder to be regulated and proven.

    (www.distraction.gov)

    Our youth drivers are at the biggest risk of driving while texting and causing a

    traffic accident injury or even worse a death. Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20

    years old have the highest capacity of distraction-related fatal crashes. Their lack of

    driving experience can contribute to critical misjudgments if they become distracted. Not

    surprisingly, they text more than any other age group and the numbers of young drivers

    who text is only increasing. Parents can set a good example by also not texting while

    driving. (www.distraction.gov)

    Put It Down is a broad, public-private partnership of community and health

    groups, safety advocates, businesses, law enforcement, legislators, public officials,

    concerned citizens and those who have lost loved ones because of a distracted driver.

    These partners realize that eliminating distractions while driving will save lives and

    reduce costs associated with crashes caused by distracted drivers. And because everyone

    is potentially affected when drivers are distracted, everyone must be part of the solution.

    (www.distraction.gov)

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    History has also shown for other issues like seat belt use, that when high visibility

    enforcement programs were implemented to enforce state laws, numbers of seat belt

    users increased dramatically. With a proven track record of success, we are confident that

    this strategy will have the same effect on distracted drivers. (www.distraction.gov)

    (www.infographicsshowcase.com)

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    My second approach is poster of a few statistics. I choose this poster because I

    felt it was very informative. It is also interesting that driving while under the influence of

    alcohol and driving while talking on the cell phone are both 4 times more likely to cause

    an accident. While texting while driving you are 8 times more likely to cause an

    accident. (www.infographicsshowcase.com)

    The second element to the poster is the age breakdown. As you will see,

    the largest age group texting while driving is 16-19 year olds. It gradually decreases to

    the age of 34. The overall age bracket of distracted drivers due to texting is 16-34. As

    you can see this is not a small group of theA

    merican population and because of these

    numbers legislation has a lot of work ahead of them. We need to target this age bracket

    and make them aware of the danger they put themselves and others in when they distract

    themselves texting while driving. (www.infographicsshowcase.com)

    The third element to this poster is the map of the United States showing the laws

    by state banning texting while driving. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have

    laws banning text messaging for all drivers. Another 8 states ban text messaging by

    novice drivers and 1 state has a text messaging ban on novice and school bus drivers.

    Twenty-two states do not have any laws prohibiting text messaging.

    (www.infographicsshowcase.com) I have found some updated statistics. In early 2010,

    21 States have enacted graduated drivers licensing (GDL) laws. As of May 13, 2010, six

    States, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands ban hand- held cell phone use for

    all drivers, and 25 States, the District of Columbia and Guam ban texting by all drivers.

    (www.distraction.gov) As you can see even with updated statistics we do not have many

    states enforcing laws to help get texting while driving under control and save lives.

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    (www.youtube.com)

    My third approach is a YouTube video. The video starts out with three teenagers

    in a car and the driver of the car is texting and as she is looking for who she wants to send

    the message to and veers out of her lane and hits an oncoming car and starts a series of

    collisions. The video was originally supposed to be a trailer for a 30 minute film called

    COW. Tredegar Comprehensive School and Gwent Police (Gwent is located in south-

    east Wales, UK) present a half hour drama entitled 'COW' --The film that will stop you

    from texting and driving," It is all about Cassie COWan a nice girl from a Gwent valleys

    family who kills four people on the road because she used her mobile and lost her

    concentration for a few seconds. (www.youtube.com)

    Seeing a scenario, like the one Cassie goes through, played out right before your

    eyes makes you realize how extremely dangerous it can be and what devastating

    consequences it can have.I hope that after watching this film motorists will think twicebefore picking up their mobile phone when behind the wheel and realize that a quick

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    reply to a text message or answering a phone call is never worth putting theirs and other

    peoples lives at risk. (www.youtube.com)

    I believe my third approach will be my most effective approach. When people

    can see the real effects of their actions they tend to really think about the consequences.

    We need to get more Public Service Announcements out to the public like the one I have

    shown in this paper. The public needs to see the truth to make a change.

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    Bibliography

    (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2010, from blogs.wsj.com: http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-

    seat/2010/05/07/texting-while-driving-medical-groups-speak-out/

    (n.d.). Retrieved from www.infographicsshowcase.com:

    www.infographicsshowcase.com/driving-while-texting-infographic/

    (n.d.). Retrieved from www.youtube.com: www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0LCmStIw9E

    (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2010, from www.cdc.gov:

    www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/impaired-drv_factsheet.html

    (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2010, from www.cdc.gov:

    http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/Distracted_Driving/index.html

    (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2010, from www.distraction.gov: www.distraction.gov/campaign-

    tools/

    (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2010, from www.distraction.gov: www.distraction.gov/files/get-

    involved/General/DD_MK_Key_Message.pdf