Driven+to+Distraction

 Driven to Distraction

The //New York Times// issued an article detailing the growing phenomenon of passengers in cars criticizing drivers for their use of cell phones while driving, in particular the use of cell phones to text or email. This issue has caused, as reported by //The New York Times//, what seems to be a trend that will lead to more limited cell phone usage while on the road.

The article equates this issue to the issue of people not wearing seatbelts. Studies have shown that the widespread usage of seatbelts occurred after passengers in cars began to feel unsafe enough to speak up about it and ask others in the car, including the driver, to “buckle up”. Researchers hope that texting while driving will follow this same trend and enough people will have the common sense to ask a driver to stop texting or emailing while he/she is driving.

The article goes on to state some startling figures such as that: “people who talk on the phone while driving face four times as great a crash risk as those who do not. This risk is considerably higher for motorists who text.”

This issue hits very close to home for me especially because I know several people, admittedly myself included, who will sometimes text or email while driving. While driving, reactions must be instantaneous and anything that would impede reactions proves to be very dangerous. I know several people who have been in car crashes, both fatal and non-fatal. If measures can be taken to lessen the chance of such a crash, they should be taken.

It is interesting how this relates to the first two chapters of the book because Baran talks in depth in the first chapter especially about the different types of communication and the need for human interaction through interpersonal communication. This type of interpersonal communication is precisely what drives people to text or email while driving. According to the article, drivers often text due to feelings of pressure from friends or work to stay in constant touch. This constant communication has only been made possible within the past few years with the advent of mobile electronics.

It is also interesting how the dominate culture is beginning to shift from one that was not overly concerned with texting/emailing while driving to one that is beginning to speak out against it.

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Works Cited

Baran, S. J. (2009). //Introduction to Mass Communication Media Literacy and Culture//. New York: McGraw-Hill. Richtel, M (2009, September 8). Driven to Distraction Driver Texting Now an Issue in Back Seat. //The New York Times//,