Name: Alyssa Ardai
From: malden, MA
Votes: 0
Our phones have
taken over our day to day lives for the worse. Every day, and even in
this very second, a teenager who has recently gotten their license is
driving while distracted on their phone. Twitter. Texting. Facebook.
Instagram. And the biggest one of all that requires the use of
videos: Snapchat.
According to the
CDC, 9 people are killed every hour, and more than 1,000 are injured
as a result of distracted drivers. Teens have the highest crash rate
of any other group in the US because they’re more apt to use their
phones while driving. According to new research from the AAA Traffic
Safety Segment, new teen drivers are 3x more likely as adults to be
involved in a deadly crash. In a poll on their website, 86% of teens
have driven while distracted, while 98% of those teens know that it’s
dangerous and against the law.
Using your phone
while driving highly increases your risk of a crash. The issue of
distracted driving keeps getting worse, and we need to stop the
addiction that so many drivers have to their cell phones in order to
create a new generation of safer drivers who believe distracted
driving is unacceptable.
In
2010, Massachusetts made texting while driving illegal. Adults who
use their phone while driving for any reason face a fine, even if the
vehicle is stopped. Teens are prohibited from using mobile phones and
other electronic devices while driving. If they are caught, they face
a fine, license suspension, and will have to complete a driver
attitudinal course before they can get their license back.
In
2014, across the US, 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 were
injured in car crashes involving distracted drivers. A 2014 study
found that any activity that diverts a driver’s eyes from the road
for 2 seconds or more, including texting or using a cell phone,
increases crash risk by a multiple of 3. The level of impairment is
similar to driving while drink, with a bac of 0.08.
In
2016, Malden partnered with 202 local Massachusetts law enforcement
agencies and the Massachusetts State Police in the “U Drive. U
Text. U Pay.” campaign, which tries to crack down on texting while
driving. It combines traditional and innovative enforcement
strategies. Phone use while driving is illegal and irresponsible.
People need to know that they will be subject to law enforcement if
they use their phones while driving.
Texting while
driving requires drivers to take their eyes off the road, hands off
the wheel, and mind off of the task of driving. It creates a ‘perfect
storm’ for a crash. No one should put anyone’s life at risk because
they want to check a notification on their phone. Phones can wait.
Driving laws need to be enforced.
I believe if every school held a distracted driving campaign, it
would be a huge step towards putting an end to distracted driving.
The issue of distracted driving is universal, and we are starting to
make a difference and open the eyes of students, and I hope to bring
this awareness to different age groups in the near future.
