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In the era of information technology, most people are guilty of sending text messages while driving. Whether its reading the text just received, sending a quick message to a friend, or having a full-text conversation, everyone has done one of these actions at least once. The invention of the smartphone did everything a person could wish for: get the news quickly, schedule a meeting with a friend, or inquire about how grandmother is feeling. Thus, most communication and entertainment needs can be met with a smartphone within minutes. This fact allows drivers to feel the need to perform multiple tasks at the same time while driving. Although drivers know that this action has legal consequences, many still do it today. The introduction of a ban on sending text messages while driving prevents some drivers from sending text messages while driving, but not all. Therefore, the introduction of stricter laws and tougher punishment would help reduce the number of text messages sent while driving, which would make the environment safer.
With over 330 million wireless users in the United States, texting while driving has become an epidemic. Tontodonato and Drinkard note that over half of drivers admitted to engaging in cell phone-related distractions while driving (827). At the same time, texting while driving not only takes cognitive skills but motor skills as well. Studies have shown that driving while on a cell phone reduces brain activity by 37%. One may think that any distractions while driving, whether it is talking to a passenger or having kids in the car, possess the same distraction as texting. However the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging reported that texting while driving is a greater distraction than talking to others due to the time eyes are away from the road and the amount of cognitive and motor skills it takes to text (Gupta et al., 89). Thus, many drivers send messages while driving, which is a distraction.
Although sending text messages while driving is prohibited in many US states, drivers continue to break the law. About and Adams state that the initial number of accidents caused by distracted driving decreased in the months after the initial texting ban while driving (180). However, the effect of the prohibition wears off after a few months. They conclude that drivers are reacting to the ban itself and not the act of texting while driving, only to return to their old habits later. Drivers are likely reacting to limited enforcement of bans or learning new ways to not get caught. Ferdinand et al. assert that the relationship between collision claims frequency and texting bans in Washington, California, Montana, and Louisiana reported an increase in collision claims when these states implemented the law (1373). It may be caused by individuals trying to hide their phones while still texting, making it, so their eyes are off the road for a longer period of time, causing more collisions. It shows that even with the current law on texting while driving, many users are still texting on their phones driving.
One of the tools in the fight against the distraction of drivers on their phones can be a license suspension. Since the penalties in most states for violating the ban on texting and driving are very low, in the order of several hundred dollars, this is not an effective deterrent to prevent people from texting while driving. It is noteworthy that some states have already begun the practice of limiting the license for using the phone while driving. For instance, according to McCurley, these include Rhode Island, which has a license suspension of 30 days for the first violation and 3 to 6 months for subsequent violations. Thus, more stringent legislation is required in the form of license suspension.
An even more severe measure against violators can be revocation of the license if the driver repeatedly suppresses the ban on texting while driving. So, if driving is the primary source of livelihood for the offender, trying not to lose the right to drive, people will be more attentive to the legislation. The revocation of a driving license aims to ensure public safety and increase the discipline of road users. Both suspension and revocation of a drivers license include moral condemnation and material impact aimed at increasing discipline, the responsibility of citizens, and improving the social well-being of society.
Thus, as practice shows, most people will follow the law only when they know that they can face big trouble for breaking the law. With the lack of obedience that individuals have to the current laws against texting while driving, it would make sense that if they had harsher consequences for this act, they would have more respect for the law and follow it at a greater rate than they do now. Getting ones license suspended for any period of time negatively affects their life. If the driver knew that this would be the consequence of texting while driving, the situation would surely change, and there would be a decrease in the number of people breaking this law.
Works Cited
Abouk, Rahi, and Scott Adams. Texting Bans and Fatal Accidents on Roadways: Do They Work? Or Do Drivers Just React to Announcements of Bans? American Economic Journal. Applied Economics, vol. 5, no. 2, American Economic Association, 2013, pp. 179199.
Ferdinand, Alva O., et al. Impact of Texting Laws on Motor Vehicular Fatalities in the United States. American Journal of Public Health (1971), vol. 104, no. 8, 2014, pp. 13701377.
Gupta, Pola B., et al. Texting While Driving: An Empirical Investigation of Students Attitudes and Behaviors. Information Systems Management, vol. 33, no. 1, Taylor & Francis, 2016, pp. 88101.
McCurley, John. Rhode Islands Cellphone-Use and Texting-While-Driving Laws. Driving Laws, Web.
Tontodonato, Pamela, and Allyson Drinkard. Social Learning and Distracted Driving Among Young Adults. American Journal of Criminal Justice, vol. 45, no. 5, 2020, pp. 821843.
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