Growing up, my mom always had a set of rules for my brother and me. We had to be in bed by 9 p.m. on school nights. We couldn’t do anything all weekend if we missed school on Fridays. No cell phone until the age of 16 years old, no exceptions. But as the time has gone by, kids seem to live by a different set of rules.
According to the CTIA, the International Association for Wireless Telecommunications Industry, four out of five teenagers own cell phones. The increasing percentage of kids with cell phones has its practical purposes, of course.
Similar to my mom’s thinking, many parents feel it is crucial for a teenager who just got his or her license to have a cell phone just in case anything would happen while driving. But should a cell phone be the top priority for a new driver?
Research shows that a teenager on a cell phone has the same reaction time as a 70 year old man, according to CTSC, Community Traffic Safety Coalition. This being said, it can be assumed a cell phone is most likely the last accessory that a new driver should receive.
Automotive accidents take more teenage lives than any other incident. Studies show that cell phone use contributes to an estimated 636,000 crashes, 330,000 injuries and 2,600 deaths each year. These daunting numbers has greatly influenced the passing of a law in many states that makes it illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to talk on their cell phones while driving.
Though this law is being met by an abundance of protests from teenagers, it has the capability of being an effective way of keeping teenage drivers more alert behind the wheel. Yes, there are still plenty of distractions that can prevent drivers from giving the road their undivided attention, but eliminating one of those distractions can work wonders.
Teenagers tend to live and die by their cell phones. It is considered a tragedy when the battery runs out or if it takes a person too long to text back. But when it comes down to it, staying off the phone while behind the wheel could prevent tragedies of a totally different degree.
Tags: Cell Phones, Teen Driving
