Automobile crashes are the leading cause of accidiental death and injury in this country. The causes of automobile accidents are many but cell phone use while driving is emerging as a large contributor. Who has not passed a weaving driver only to see that they are engaged in an animated telephone conversation and barely able to “aim” their vehicle? It is estimated that drivers using a cell phone are four times as likely to become involved in an accident and that does not count the accidents they may inadvertently cause due to their meandering across lanes causing others to dodge them.
Cell phones have revolutionized our world’s communication and it is increasingly harder to remember the time when we drove around looking for a pay phone to make a call. Instant communication is taken for granted by anyone under forty and, by and large, it is a good thing. Unfortunately, it appears that concentrating on talking prevents people from concentrating on driving. Despite driver’s claims, evidence shows that people are not actually able to multi-task efficiently and when concentrating on a conversation they allocate only a portion of their mind to control a vehicle.
Driving is a serious task. The carnage on American highways is unbelievable costing billions of dollars every day and yet other, lesser, causes of death and injury receive far more attention. Cell phone usage while driving appears to be immune from politician’s scrutiny. Possibly that is due to the love people have for instant communication or possibly it is due to lobbing efforts by the cell phone industry. Whatever the reason, it is time for Florida to end the needless deaths and injuries caused by drivers who are distracted by a conversation or text while driving. Ask your local, State and National officials to enact legislation to end this needless bloodshed today.
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