Dangerous Driving Habits

Dangerous Driving Habits
Colin Pemberton
ENGL 1301
August 12, 2012
Pauline Rodock

Dangerous Driving Habits Outline
Thesis: Many of today’s drivers have dangerous driving habits including texting and talking on their cellphone, driving impaired, and interacting with passengers. I. Introduction II. Texting and Talking on Cell Phone III. Driving Impaired a. Alcohol b. Drugs IV. Interacting with Passengers c. Spouse d. Friends e. Kids V. Conclusion

Dangerous Driving Habits Many of today’s accidents occur because of dangerous habits that are practiced by drivers. Some people believe that it is okay to do many different things while they are driving because they are good multitaskers. Just because you drive often does not mean that you are great driver. It is important to focus on the road because you need to be prepared for anything. Many of today’s drivers have dangerous driving habits including texting and talking on their cell phone, driving impaired, and interacting with passengers. With the growing use of cell phones today texting while driving has become a big issue. This is especially true with teenage drivers. Many accidents have happened and left people dead or permanently injured because a driver was texting. Talking on the phone has also become a big issue. While talking on the phone about what your plans are for tonight or planning a business meeting, it is impossible to also be focused on the road and what is going on around you. Because of the severity of this issue many laws have been enacted to prohibit the use of cell phones while driving. Driving impaired is another issue that is a big concern when it comes to driving. Whether under the influence of alcohol or drugs it is dangerous to drive impaired. By doing so you are not only putting your life at risk but the lives of other drivers as well. There are many people who say that they drive better drunk or high than they do when they are sober. These people need to realize that while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs they are not able to make the split second decisions that may be necessary to keep them and other drivers alive. Some people believe that interacting with passengers is not a big issue and does not take away from your focus on the road. However, this is not true. If you are paying attention to the conversation that you are having with your passenger whether it is your spouse or your friend, then your full attention is not on the road. If your attention is only half focused on the road then there is a chance that you may miss something and that could cause a serious accident. A big trend that is being seen is with parents who are disciplining their children while driving. This is very dangerous because you are not only endangering yourself but you are endangering yourself as well. If you feel the need to discipline your children then you should pull the car over and do so or wait until you get to your destination. We learn many bad habits while driving and we sometimes play them off as not being very serious. However, many of these bad habits are very serious. If you are texting or talking on your cell phone while driving, driving impaired, or interacting with your passengers while you are driving you are not completely focused on the road and your reaction time is slowed. In order to be safe and responsible you need to make sure that your complete focus on the road. This could mean the difference between life and death.