Distracted Driving Essay

541 Words3 Pages
Focusing on the Issue of Distracted Driving Distracted driving is an issue that seems to slip under the radar of the general population. The common misconception is that the only way to drive distractedly is to text and drive. Consequently, texting and driving is, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, banned by 46 states “(Distracted Driving Laws” par. 4). However, many other things, including telephone calls, music, food, and passengers can distract drivers. Out of all of these distractions, cell phones, as expected, seem to pose the biggest threat. The problem is that distracted driving laws are often difficult to enforce. As a result, law enforcement has a limited role in preventing distracted driving. The real solution…show more content…
6). While telephone calls are a significant threat, there is no law enforcement capable of solving this problem. As new technology emerges, many drivers now use Bluetooth, GPS, and even simply put their phone on speaker-phone to call others. These hands-free methods of communication cannot be restricted by officers. An officer would have no way to know whether a driver was talking on his/her phone or singing with the radio. Laws regulating texting and driving, however, can be enforced. It is much easier to see a driver with his/her phone in hand. Also, officers should have the right to check and see if the driver has sent a text recently. Because this law can be easily enforced, all states should strictly ban texting and driving. Moreover, drivers should be given very expensive tickets for a texting and driving offence. This punishment would serve as a scare tactic to counter texting while driving. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of texting and driving cases are not caught by officers, so law enforcement ultimately has little impact. The most impactful solution is simply to educate young
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