Technology and Driving

Technology and Driving?

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Technology and Driving?

When it comes to texting and driving, everyone knows they should not do it because of the elevated risk of an accident. Even though any cell phone use while driving is unsafe and should be banned, the number of accidents related to texting and driving should be decreasing because current laws prohibit texting and driving and new voice dictation technology makes hands free easily accessible.

The "Virginia Department Of Motor Vehicles" (2013) website states that in the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1,700 of the 28,112 accidents that were attributed to distracted driving, involved a driver using a cell phone while driving. . According to Harding the “NHTSA found that 3,092 people died in distraction related crashes in 2010.” It also states that most distracted driving crashes involve drivers from 21-35 years and occur on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, from 12-6 p.m. Aside from the number of accidents going up on account of newly licensed drivers; one must wonder what else makes the figures rise. There is speculation to believe that the more legislation passed to ban texting while driving the more the accident and fatality rises. People are still texting while driving but they are trying to hide it better which takes even more attention off of the road

Commonwealth of Virginia has taken a stronger stand against driving while distracted, which includes texting while driving. New laws regarding texting while driving that took effect on July 1, 2013 include an upgrade to primary offense; previous legislation stated that a person could be charged only if he or she was stopped for another reason. The new fine was upgraded from $20 for a first offense and $50 for second and subsequent offenses to $125 for a first offense and $250 for second and subsequent offenses ("Virginia Department Of Motor Vehicles", 2013). With the ban being only on texting while driving and not general cell phone use, law enforcement...