Distracted Driving in Usa

In today's society, technology has become such a huge part of our lives. It influences each and every one of us primarily for the better but that is not always the case. In this past century the use of cell phones and other handheld devices have increased significantly. Along with that so has the amount of distracted driving.Laws have been put into place to prevent drivers from being distracted all over united states. This however does not stop people from using their cellular device while driving.

Distracted driving is defined as the practice of driving a motor vehicle while engaged in another activity, typically one that involves the use of a cellular phone or other electronic device. It basically translates to if any activity is being conducted that takes the drivers attention away from the road, that is a classification of distracted driving. Examples of distracted driving include but are not limited to, texting, using a cell phone, taking a selfie, using a hand held device, adjusting the radio or music system, watching a video or going through pictures, adjusting the navigation system, reading, talking to passengers and doing one's hair or makeup (Overton T). Some of these examples might sound ridiculous, but they all do contribute to distracted driving in one-way shape or form. There are three types of distracted driving. These are, visual, manual and cognitive (Overton T). Visual distractions are when you take your eyes of the road. Manual distractions are when you take your hands of the wheel. Cognitive distractions are when you take your mind of the task of driving. Texting is a form of all three (Overton T). Distracted driving is so dangerous because it not only affects the driver, but the passengers and the innocent bystanders as well. The number one contributory factor in causes of death of crashes involving distracted drivers, as well as the biggest concern of organizations that are against distracted driving is the use of cell phones and texting. In 2012 alone, 3,328 people were killed in distracted driving crashes, a number that continues to go up (Distraction.Gov). The spread of technology and the increase of distracted driving on our roadways have created an epidemic that is greatly affecting the population. There is no doubt that statistics clearly show how dangerous distracted driving can be.Each year more than 100,000 crashes resulting in injury and death involve texting drivers . The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2009, motor vehicle crashes killed 5474 (16%) people and injured 448,000 (20%) as a result of distracted driving. While the number of motor vehicle crashes and associated fatalities have declined over the years, distracted driving injuries and fatalities have increased since 2005, with driver distraction reported in 10% of fatalities and 16% of injuries (Overton T).

In a national survey of 622 licensed drivers, who own a smartphone, 52 percent admitted to engaging in distracting activities while driving.” Where 41 percent used hands to send a text, 37 percent used hands to play music on a smartphone, 20 percent used hands to access a web browser or to compose, send, or read email, and 8 percent watched videos on their phone while driving (Gardner).

This issue is very important because its an issue that is not taken seriously by most drivers . The most number of fatal crashes that occur due to distracted driving affect young adults more than any other age group. The reason for this is that the generation of today is the technologically advanced generation. Everyone seems to have an iPhone or a laptop or an iPod these days, even young children. These advances have become so deeply rooted in our society one cannot seem to go a single day without their phone or laptop or other electronic devices. People are constantly going on the Internet and checking their phones whether it is to text someone or post a status update or a picture.

Five-year-old Moriah Modisette died one Christmas Eve after a distracted driver plowed into the back of her family’s car on a Texas highway, according to police reports. Garrett Wilhelm, 20 at the time, was accused of video chatting on his smartphone when traffic ahead of him slowed. The police say he didn’t notice and slammed into the Modisettes’ car at full speed. The force of the collision caused the car to spin, coming to rest facing the wrong direction in traffic.The little girl was airlifted to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead, says the police report of the 2014 incident. Her older sister, Isabella, 8, who was sitting next to her in the backseat, survived, as did her mother, Bethany, who was in the front passenger seat of the Toyota Camry. Moriah’s father, James, in the driver’s seat, was knocked unconscious and spared seeing the events that led to his daughter’s death. Wilhelm has a manslaughter charge pending against him because of the crash, in which his Toyota 4Runner landed in the highway median. A police officer found the video call still running on Wilhelm’s iPhone.The Modisettes didn’t want to be interviewed for this article, but Greg Love, a lawyer for the family, spoke with Bethany and Moriah’s older sister, Isabella, who were conscious and perceived everything that happened inside that car. Love also pointed out that at the time of the accident, there was no state ban in Texas on texting while driving. In May 2017 the first statewide