Banning texting while driving Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Banning texting while driving - Research Paper Example According to researchers any type of mobile use while driving that includes talking over phone, texting and that even through hands-free technology is dangerous and deadly. According to David Strayer who is a Professor of Psychology at University of Utah a mere 2% of the population is capable of multitasking with absolute safety. This finding clearly portrays the high-risk exposure of the remaining 98% of the population if they resort to texting while driving. Strayer has also found that cell phones â€Å"make you blind to your own bad driving."(Cruz & Oloffson, 2009) This happens as a driver using the cell phone for texting or to attend a call is bereft of any peripheral vision and mostly looks straight. That way he goes into oblivion regarding his surroundings and that can be immensely harmful in terms of safe driving. Another interesting point is that hands-free texting is of no use regarding safe driving. Hands-free technology rather poses a problem for safe driving. This has be en proven through a simulation test where half the driver failed to stop at the right position while using the hands-free technology. This is bound to happen since driving requires special skills and concentration and even using hands-free technology the brain gets divided between two simultaneous works both of them requiring precision. Support for this argument can be found in writings of the eminent scholars of these disciplines. According to Steven Yantis, the division of brain between vision and hearing is responsible for the aforementioned result. The argument against banning texting while driving gains momentum considering the fact that drivers indulged in such activities have fared poor in a simulated driving environment than even those drivers who were with 0.08% of Blood Alcohol Content. (BAC) (Cruz & Oloffson, 2009) A driver is considered intoxicated if his blood alcohol content is of aforementioned percentage; this refers to the fact that a drunken driver is a better performer than one who is fidgeting with his mobile. Though many holds an equal type of abhorrence on hands free and hand indulging technology while using mobile phones by a driver and therefore speaks equally against them. However, learned scientists at Virginia Tech Transportation Institute hold even grimmer view for texting in respect to