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Cell phones and driving

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Cell phones and driving
Cell Phones and Driving:
The Road to Death
Strayer University

Cell Phones and Driving:
The Road to Death:
The popularity of mobile phones has grown enormously in the past two decades. With the social media applications, texting features and ability to make phone calls mobile phones have lead drivers to become more distracted on the road. Drivers talking on the phone and texting behind the wheel is growing at an alarming rate and quickly becoming a deadly problem. The drivers inattention is the leading cause of car accidents. “According to Hersman (2011), more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distractions-related accidents” (p. 1) In Florida, cell phones should be prohibited because of the alarming casualties and accidents. Presently, there are 18 states and the District of Columbia have put into effect legislation in reference to the use of mobile phones by the drivers of vehicles. These laws are different in many ways. In 2001, New York became the first state to prohibit the use of mobile phones while driving a motor vehicle except for emergency situations.
However, the New York law allows mobile devices that are hands free. California law prohibits transit and school bus drivers from using mobile phones. Also, in California it is mandatory that a manual on how to operate a mobile phone safely is in every rental car that has mobile phone equipment. (Sturnquist, 2006). On January 4, 2004, the District of Columbia City Council approved the use of mobile phones with restrictions as part of the Distracted Driving Safety Act of 2004. This was an act that set forth other safety standards for distracted driving. According to American Psychological Association (2012), as per DOT, there are consequences for being caught using a hand-held phone, a federal penalty up $2,750 and in several offenses the privilege to drive a commercial vehicle or bus will be revoked. Also, after two



References: American Psychological Association. (2012). Final rule bans hand held cell phone use. Journal of Professional Safety, 57(1), 16 American Psychological Association. (2010). Why cell phone conversations distract drivers. Harvard Mental Health Letter, 27(3), 7 American Psychological Assoc. (2006). Phoning while driving continues to increase despite evidence of risk American Psychological Assoc. (2009). Study shows drivers in school zones often distracted. Professional Safety, 54(11), 1 Benedetto, A. A., Calvi, A. A., & D 'Amico, F. F. (2012). Effects of mobile telephone tasks on driving performance: a driving simulator study Brookhuis, K.A., de Vries, G., & de Waard, D., (1991). The effects of mobile telephoning on driving performance Brown, K. (2012). Steering the nation’s Cell Phone Law in the right direction. Temple Journal of Science, Technology & Environmental Law, 31(1), 31-44. Lamble, D., Kauranen, T., Laaksa, M., Summala, H. (1999). Cognitive load and detection thresholds in car following situations McCartt A,T. & Geary L, L. (2004). Longer term effects of New York law on drivers handheld cellphone use Nairne, J. (2010). Psychology. Canada: Cengage Learning Inc. Searcey, D., (2008). Generation text: Emailing on the go sends some users into harm’s way. Shah, C., (2010). Effect of Mobile Use on Reaction Time. Al Ameen Journal Of Medical Sciences, 3(2), 160-164. Strayer, D. L., & Drews, F. A. (2007). Cell-Phone–Induced Driver Distraction. Current Directions In Psychological Science (Wiley-Blackwell), 16(3), 128-131. Sturnquist, D.M. (2006). Mobile phones and driving. New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Violanti, J. (1997). Cellular phones and traffic accidents. Public Health (Nature), 111(6), 423.

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