Research Paper On Dangerous Driving

Dangerous Driving Habits

A few years ago most of the traffic accidents were mainly caused by impaired drivers who were either under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. According to the 2009 Florida Traffic Crash Statistics that number has considerably dropped compared to previous years. In 2009 235,778 traffic crashes were reported, an average of 646 accidents a day. But surprisingly, only 20,085 of these crashes were related to alcohol impairment, about 1283 crashes were related to other drug or substance abuse, and the other 200,000 plus crashes are related to none other than driving distractions. In today's traffic commuting the average American spend about 20 to 40 minutes confined to their vehicles most likely stuck in rush
But a major distraction I'd like to point out is talking on a cell phone. Research shows that drivers who talk on a cell phone while driving are four times more likely to be involved in a crash. This convenient distraction has increased nationwide in the past years and here is why: * Technological advances over the last 20 years; * a perceived need to be connected to work or home at all times; * a perception that driving is an unproductive, second nature task; * people trying to accomplish more in less time; * the Wireless Association (CTIA) reports that as of December 2007, there were over 255 million wireless telephone subscribers in the U.S., that's 84% of the population. These users spent 2.1 billion minutes talking and transmitted 363 billion text messages during 2008. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute recently released a study where it shows that when drivers texted their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting. The study also measured how long the drivers took their eyes from the road to send or receive texts; they took an average of five seconds, which is enough time at typical highway speeds to cover more than the length of a football
drivers report having used a cell phone in the past thirty days, and one in seven admits to have texted while driving. Distracted drivers and drivers using cell phones both have been rated above aggressive drivers, excessive speeding, and drivers running red lights in terms of public perceptions of their seriousness. Is there a solution for this current issue? Some have suggested the use of hands-free devices, but studies have shown that the impact of using hand-free devices on driving performance was not found to differ from the impact of not using any. Researchers believe what distracts the drivers is not how they use this technology, but is the withdrawal of attention in the driving environment while having a conversation on a cell phone. There are a few states that have implemented laws limiting or even prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving, but these laws do not adequately address the problem. Legislation alone will not effectively address a problem that goes beyond driving issues to lifestyle issues. Based on researches and experience it is impossible to conclude that a law banning cell phone use will in fact reduce collision rates over the long term. Especially when the evidence suggests that regardless of a law, still a large number of people continue to use cell phones while