I think that we do need more laws regulating distracted driving because in 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010. An additional, 387,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2011, compared to 416,000 people injured in 2010. With more regulation these numbers with be decreased.

According to a work-life expert,Jeff Davidson, 812,000 people are distracted by a handheld device at any time. He also states that worldwide there are 1.2 million deaths and 80 million injuries caused by distracted driving. Driving while using a handheld device or even hand free device slows your response time to be like a drunk driver with a .08 alcohol content. If you talk on your phone and drive it increases your accident risk by 4 times, but if you text and drive it increases your accident risk by 23 times. I think we should either educate kids better or get better laws to help reduce accidents and deaths.

"The Costs of Distracted Driving." CPA Practice Advisor Apr. 2014. General OneFile. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

I for one think that kids/adults should pay more attention to the road than other things around them. People focus more on other stuff more than the road causing wrecks. It frustrates me when I see someone driving and talking on the phone or texting. It makes me think about all the negatives that could happen. Then I start to wonder if they have kids with them while they are texting and talking on the phone. So I believe that focusing on the road is way more important than any other thing that you may think is worth focusing on. We should have a stricter law forcing the ones who try to disobey that. Is it really that important than others life? What about your own life. Is it worth it? I think not! “In 2012, nearly 3,400 people (3,328, actually) died in a distraction-affected crashes, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT). An estimated 421,000 people were injured in crashes that involved a distracted driver. Approximately 660,000 drivers use a cell phone for talking or texting at ANY GIVEN MOMENT in time across the country.” ("Put down the phone and promise to drive distraction free." Fleet Owner [Online Exclusive] 14 Apr. 2014. General OneFile. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.) This passage is sad. That's a lot of people to be injured or dead. We should all think twice before reading that last text or answering that one phone call.

I for one think that kids/adults should pay more attention to the road than other things around them. People focus more on other stuff more than the road causing wrecks. It frustrates me when I see someone driving and talking on the phone or texting. It makes me think about all the negatives that could happen. Then I start to wonder if they have kids with them while they are texting and talking on the phone. So I believe that focusing on the road is way more important than any other thing that you may think is worth focusing on. We should have a stricter law forcing the ones who try to disobey that. Is it really that important than others life? What about your own life. Is it worth it? I think not! “In 2012, nearly 3,400 people (3,328, actually) died in a distraction-affected crashes, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation (DOT). An estimated 421,000 people were injured in crashes that involved a distracted driver. Approximately 660,000 drivers use a cell phone for talking or texting at ANY GIVEN MOMENT in time across the country.” ("Put down the phone and promise to drive distraction free." Fleet Owner [Online Exclusive] 14 Apr. 2014. General OneFile. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.) This passage is sad. That's a lot of people to be injured or dead. We should all think twice before reading that last text or answering that one phone call.

If we want to stop careless car accidents from distracted drivers, we need to pass tougher laws. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver distraction occurring within three seconds before the vehicle crash. This is an outrageous percentage. If cell phone usage in a vehicle was completely prohibited, the number of car accidents a year would decrease drastically.

I vote that we raise the prices of tickets. It doesn’t matter how many times a person hears about a fatal car accident involving distraction, they will still continue to drive distracted. However, if we increase prices, people will start to realize that maybe that one text wasn’t that important. According to www.iowadot.gov, a fine of $2,750 could be given to anyone using a hand-held device while operating a motor vehicle. If you drive a bus or commercial truck, the fine could be up to $11,000. I could buy another car for those prices. The law is cracking down on distracted drivers!

This is a problem but I don't know how you could solve the problem. This research surpised me a lot, 10% of people that drive under of the age of 20 are more likely involved in fatal crashes and were reported as distracted at the time of the crash. So I feel like they should crack down on the younger people. But also I remember as being a little kid and mom turning around yelling at us too so I feel like there's more than just texting going on. Also, the number of people killed in distraction-affected crashes decreased slightly from 3,360 in 2011 to 3,328 in 2012 and, an estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involved a distracted driver, this was a nine percent increase from the estimated 387,000 people injured in 2011. So there's more then just texting and driving or being on your phone. I feel like they can crack down on whatever they want and it won't solve anything.

I think tougher laws would help with some of the distractions around drivers. Like texting you don't need your phone out while driving but they are nice to have in case of you wreck or something. Sending or receiving a text can take a driver's eyes off the road for 4.6 seconds, in the same amount of time it takes to travel a football field at 55 mph. Anything can happen when your not looking cross the yellow or white lines or someone else can while they aren't paying attention either. But while I read this it's crazy bout how many people call on the phone and text while driving.

"Put down the phone and promise to drive distraction free." Fleet Owner [Online Exclusive] 14 Apr. 2014. General OneFile. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.

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I believe that if we had tougher laws it wouldn't really do much kids/adults would still use their phones and would be texting and/or talking on the phone while driving. If your foot is on the brake pedal, and you are texting, it is a violation" punishable by a fine ranging from $90 to $500 in Chicago. it takes 4.6 seconds on average to read or send a text while behind the wheel, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. So in less time than it takes to type "AYTMTB" (shorthand for "And you're telling me this because"), any one of thousands of "smart" signals in Chicago and the suburbs that react to vehicle volume can change from red to green. In Illinois, almost 6,000 crashes have occurred from 2008 to 2012 in which some form of driver distraction involving a cellphone was cited by police, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The toll included 30 fatalities and more than 2,500 injuries, IDOT said. state police troopers issued about 2,300 citations and more than 1,300 warnings for texting while driving. Hilkevitch, Jon, and Lauren Zumbach. "An Accident Waiting to Happen." Chicago Tribune. 14 Nov. 2013: 1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.

Distracted driving is a huge problem that is constantly brought up in our country. We have people talking/texting on their cellphone, other passengers, and even eating distracting us from the task at hand. It takes your hand off the wheel, your eyes off the road, and your mind off the driving. By performing these acts while driven endangers not only yourself and the people in your car, but also the other drivers passing by. In 2010 18% of all car crashes was because of a distracted driver. Also according to cdc.gov, more than 196 billion text messages where sent in 2011. That number has probably sky rocketed since then. We see more and more teenagers with their nose constantly in their phone and not paying attention to life around them. Out of those 196 billion text messages, how many do you think where sent while driving? A very interesting but also scary question when we really think about it. There needs to be tougher laws passed to try and prevent this from happening. Sadly though, I fear that even if those tougher laws do get passed, yes it would be a harsher punishment, but there will still be people becoming a distracted driver. "Distracted Driving." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Jan. 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.

In our technologically advanced society, there are a lot of people that have cell phones. There are also so many people who use those cell phones while driving which can cause accidents and even take lives. It has been said that 3,328 people were killed in distracted driving related crashes. Now you may think out of the number of Americans there are that, that is a low number but just think that those people could still be alive today with their family and friends but instead decided to send that one message that would change not only their life, but many others lives. If we can cut back on the cell phone usage on the road there will be less deaths per year.

"Distracted Driving | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Texting and Driving." Distracted Driving | National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | Texting and Driving. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

Distracted driving happens more with teens now a days than with adults. I think this because teens are on their phones texting and talking on the phone and they are not paying attention to the road that are paying more attention to their phones. In Distracted driving: stay focused when on the road. It says that distracted driving-related crashes caused at least 5,500 deaths and nearly 450,000 injuries in 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Distracted driving causes a lot of crashes and their are many people not paying attention to the roads. I think that people should put their phones on silent when they are the road so that they don’t causes crashes and people end up dying or being injured because they were not paying attention to the road.

Johnson, Teddi Dineley. “Distracted driving: stay focused when on the road.” The Nation’s Health Feb.2012:28. General OneFile. Web.23.2014

Yes, yes. People use electronic devices while driving and end up in an accident. The usual stuff. Distracted driving is actually has some semblence with drunk driving but only one has a rather strict law and quite the fine to be paid. Also drunk driving laws are consistently on the rise but what of distracted driving? Distracted driving laws are rarely being followed because there's not a cop over there...is that a cop? Main point to be said is that distracted driving is drunk driving or somewhat close to it anyway.

Nelson, Gabe. "Can laws stop distracted driving if we won't?" Automotive News 17 Feb. 2014: 0022. General OneFile. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.

Everyone is guilty of using their cell phone or electronic device while they drive. All of us think that we are excellent drivers, and can handle that one extra task behind the wheel. The truth is you are 23 times more likely to get in a car accident just by having your cell phone out, according to TextingandDrivingSafety.com. Whenever you look at your cell phone you take your eyes off the road for at least 5 seconds, and if you are going 55 miles per hour, you just went the length of a football field. I know I have done this before and honestly it is a little concerning when you are texting someone back and forth, not paying attention, and suddenly you get to your destination not remembering how you got there. As much as I like the freedom of having my phone out when I drive, I think we need to have tougher regulations regarding using your cell phones while you drive.

I feel that texting while driving has been a nationwide habit ever since the early 2000’s. Either calling someone or texting, it is a habit that for most people, will be very hard to break. Even though people know the seriousness of texting while driving and seen the consequences of texting while driving, including death, and if no accident, then dealt a severe fine. Most people through the 18 to 20 bracket that have been injured due to texting while driving have admitted to texting while behind the wheel. I feel that parents should take charge of this and do everything in their power to explain the seriousness and the consequences of texting and driving. It’s kind of scary knowing that your child can possibly be in the car with someone who is on their phone while driving, the driver putting everyone in the car and anyone on the road at risk. In 2010, the U.S. alone, 18% of fatal crashes was from distracted drivers. Here is the article if any of you are interested to read more. http://www.fcc.gov/guides/texting-while-driving

There needs to be tougher laws when it comes to distracted driving. Not all distraction comes from using cell phones, though. Other distractions include eating, drinking, reading, adjusting the radio, or watching a movie. Regardless of the statistics, people are going to continue eating, drinking, and adjusting the radio. Are the cops really going to pull you over because you're eating while driving? Is that even a thing?

According to distraction.gov, texting is the most alarming distraction because it requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention. There is a texting law in place right now, although, I don't hear of many people getting pulled over and actually getting ticketed. I text and drive literally all the time, which isn't a good thing, at all.

During the time someone is driving, the driver should put all electronics away and focus on the ROAD - not texting, music, or friends in the car. There would be fewer accidents. Also, if the people who got in the accident because of one of these distractions get a heavy fine, I think that it would definitely teach them a lesson to not do it again, and inform everyone else about how terrible it was because of a small mistake and the huge consequences that resulted

"Distracted Driving | Facts and Stats | Texting and Driving." Distracted Driving | Facts and Stats | Texting and Driving. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.

I think the state needs tougher laws because cops pull you over for speeding or seat belt or something in that nature. They never pull you over for texting or eating a piece of pizza or something like that. Many lives would be saved if they had tougher laws against distracted driving. According to distraction.gov 71% of teens and young people say they have sent and read text messages. 10% of all drivers under the age of 20 involved in fatal crashes were reported as being distracted. 25% of teens respond to a text message one or more times while they drive. This is an issue that needs to be addressed because lots of people die because they were distracted. NEED TOUGHER LAWS.

In today's society, it is very easy to be distracted while driving. According to NHTSA, there were 3,328 people killed and 421,000 people were injured as a result of distracted driving. The law enforcement cracked down from April 7th to the 15th. As stated from the NHTSA people who have parents that text think it is okay to text because they don't have somebody to yell at them. During the crackdown, the law enforcement spent $8.5 million in campaigns. The national campaign was "U Drive. U Text. U Pay." Our laws need to be enforced a lot harder than they are, then maybe people will stop texting while driving. If you text, you will be reliable for the consequences that happen.

I think there should be stricter laws on texting and driving. The most common people who text and drive are teenagers. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, “The study reports that teen drivers are four times more likely than adults to get into car crashes or near-crash events directly related to talking on a cellphone or texting. For every six seconds of drive time, a driver sending or receiving a text message spends 4.6 of those seconds with their eyes off the road.” Teenagers think that nothing will happen, but in a blink of an eye you could be taking someone else’s life or your own life. You would have to deal with that for the rest of your life. You can get a ticket for texting and driving but often teens don’t think that officers can tell. I don’t think some teenagers or other people realize how texting can affect your life.

MacDonald, Gregg. "Simulator Shows Dangers of Texting While Driving." Washington Post. 28 Mar. 2013: T.23. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

I believe there should be tougher laws against texting and driving. According to http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/facts-and-statistics.html an estimated 421,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents due to distracted drivers. I think this number could be decreased not by education but by tougher laws, because people will listen more to a law with a punishment behind it more than someone teaching them not to do something, if they have to pay a fine or serve jail time they will get the message that texting and driving is an unacceptable thing to do. Where as people get an education on not to drink and drive and are told that it kills people yet they go out and keep doing it. I know that alcohol is considered an addiction but texting and driving is just as dangerous as drinking and driving.

Many drivers on the road are distracted by many things. One of the greater things people are distracted by is texting while driving. Now that many people have smart phones they can surf the web right at their fingertips, and now it is getting in the way of driving. I think the law needs to be tougher about texting and driving or even using a cell phone. If they don’t force a law that prohibits using a phone while driving, the roads will be really unsafe because people won’t watch the road because they will be on their phones. According to the article “Drivers Still Surfing the Web While Driving” the percent of people who read or respond to e-mail, and who read or update social media networks while driving jumped tremendously. This is why cell phone should be banned while driving. There are many distractions in cars anyways with the radio and air controls, we don’t need cell phones as well. This is why we have so many accidents. So laws need to be enforced about distracted driving.

Copeland, Larry. "Drivers Still Surfing Web While Driving, Survey Finds." Gannett News Service. 11 Nov. 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.

Distracted driving had been around for a really long time now, and with the new phones like the Iphone 5, Galaxy S4 and S5, and all the other smart phones, texting while driving is easier to do. Education wont solve this problem with the teens of America. The law needs to get tougher. Why do I think this, well I sorta do it, I look up new music to play using YouTube on my phone. On a website that base is to stop this "crime" states that 71 percent of teens admitted to texting while driving. That's a lot of teens that could lose there life. It also says that 78 percent admitted to reading a text while driving. You could lose your life by just reading a "lol" or "ttyl". One of your best friends could die since of this. I rest my case on the "crime" of Texting While Driving.