Cell Phones and Driving Regulations Essay Example

where overtaking is permitted. The driver might not be able to see the oncoming vehicle.

Lastly, the law enforcers, such as traffic officers, have a cardinal role to play in order to prevent drivers from using cell phones while driving. The many dangers associated with using mobile phones while driving should cause law enforcers to be strict on such drivers as this not only risks the lives of the driver and the passengers inside the car, but also other people on the road driving or crossing such as pedestrians. The traffic officer must make right decisions on judging drivers who have violated the regulation to help reduce the use of cell phone while driving (Baldauf, 2011).

The aim of this research is on whether it is appropriate for state governments to implement laws that will prohibit drivers from using mobiles phones or not. The laws should then be standardized across all the states to ensure that they are obeyed everywhere in the country. Qualitative research methodology by the use of interviewing questions is necessary for this research. Some of the important questions that should be included might be; should the regulation on preventing drivers from using cell phones while driving be standard across the country? Should the drivers caught violating the laws be charged across the country? What is law enforcements currently doing to prevent the usage of cell phones while driving? (Welch, 2010). The use of this questionnaire as a data collection method will be appropriate for this research. Questionnaires are one of the best and most reliable sources to use in this research (Kiesbye, 2011).

Driving while using a cellular device leads to many issues like

social, economic and even moral problems. To begin with, loss of life is a common social problem that can be associated with driving while using a mobile phone. According to the Federal Communications Commission (2016), the National Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2014 that over 18% of the accidents on the road were as a result of distracted drivers either making a phone call or texting. Some of the phone calls or texts may turn emotional causing the driver to lose concentration and the ability to pay attention to the road. They end up not only endangering their lives but also the lives of the passengers and the other people that are using the roadways and areas around it.
Secondly, driving while using a cell phone leads to economic losses. It leads to poor concentration that results in misjudgment which in return leads to an accident. The accident leads to the destruction of properties that have to be repaired or even abandoned. The cost of repairing the vehicles or destruction to the properties of other users can be very expensive. Moreover, the government is forced to repair sections of the road that has been damaged as a result of the accident. Insurance firms also increase the cost of premiums for accident policies (HG.Org Legal Resources, 2016). This results in higher premium rates for insurance coverage which is at the expense of drivers and other road users. It is also expensive that it cost the drivers to either repair or replace the vehicle that was damaged in the accident.

Lastly, driving while using a cell phone results in other moral problems. One example is that a driver may

get involved in many road accidents or violations leading to a long list of bad driving history. The bad driving history lowers his or her professional standards making it difficult for them to get a job in a highly distinguished organization. In some circumstances, their driver’s license might be revoked or suspended. The driver can then end up being jobless and be unable to provide for their families. The bad accident history may be a limiting a factor to getting a job.

The solution to eradicating the behavior of driving while using cell phones will involve the government coming up with strict regulations which will make it illegal and heavily punishable to use a cell phone while driving (Maheshwari & Sharad, 2015). Although it is currently illegal to use a cell phone will driving, the current measures put in place are not enough because many people still violate these laws. Those who are caught are rarely given enough punishment. As a result, the level of repeat offenses is high. New offenses are also high because people know that the consequences of violations are not harsh.

Therefore, to deter any more violations, the punishment should be made harsher. Violators should pay a very hefty fine which should be disproportionate to the violation itself. In addition, the violators should face a jail term of at least a month. The traffic police should also be vigilant in their work and not show any favoritism in the apprehension of the violators. These punishments will make the drivers think twice before using cell phones while driving. No one would want to face this punishment (Cheng, 2015). As a result, the rate of

accidents caused due to the use of cell phones while driving will considerably reduce.

The first advantage of this regulation will be on the social part. Accidents lead to loss of life, which has a social implication for those who are left behind by their loved ones. According to the Federal Communications Commission (2016), over 18% of the road accidents are as a result of drivers who are distracted by their cell phones. The regulations will have an effect of reducing the loss of life through road accidents. Many people use roads, and it is desirable in any society for people to die a natural death and not through accidents. As a result, families can lead a better life with their loved ones (Seiler, 2015). No innocent road user has to die due to the negligence of other people.

In addition, road accidents leave many people disabled. It is common for road accident victims to be amputated their arms or even legs. This completely changes their social lives (Seiler, 2015). It may lead to loss of jobs and even divorce. The victim and the family members may not be able to adapt to the new changes in their lives. These regulations will there to make sure that this does not happen and that people can be able to be healthy, maintain their jobs, and live a happy social life.

The second advantage of this regulation is on the economic part. Accidents lead to the destruction of property including the roads, buildings, and the vehicles themselves (Cheng, 2015). It is costly to repair these properties both on the person involved and the public. The person involved in the accident

will have to make repairs to the vehicle. In some cases, the vehicle has to be disposed of and buy a new one where repairing is not feasible. The buildings hit by vehicles have also to be repaired which also costs a lot of money. The government has to repair the roads using the taxpayer’s money. This means that everyone contributes towards the costs of road accidents. This money can be channeled to other useful projects that can benefit the citizens instead of being wasted on doing repairs. It can even be used in creating more jobs for people making them lead a better life.

The third advantage of this regulation will be on the moral part. It is common for the morality of those involved in repeated accidents to be questioned. Many people believe that those people who are involved in road accidents are immoral. As a result, such people normally finds it hard in the society. They may struggle to find jobs and even keep the ones they have if their driving licenses are suspended. The problem is that the use of cell phones while driving is habitual and many drivers believe that they can perfectly drive while still texting or making phone calls (Zhou, Yu & Wang, 2016). To help such people, there need to be strict regulations on the use of cell phones while driving. Since no one will be using their cell phones behind the wheel, there will be fewer accidents and people can be able to maintain a clean driving history. They can keep their reputation and therefore find it easier to secure jobs or keep their current ones.

In conclusion,

driving while using a mobile phone only leads to distraction. Distractions while on the road accounts for more than 18% of accidents that occur. Countries should enact traffic rules and regulations that prevent the use of cellular phones while driving. The strict regulations to be put in place will also have both social, economic, and moral advantages. The social advantage is that they will be able to prevent loss of life. The economic advantage is that they will be able to save on the costs of repairs. The moral advantage, on the other hand, is that they will be able to help individuals to maintain a good reputation. Therefore, this regulation is necessary as it will be of great advantage to everyone within the country.

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