Annotated Bibliography

Natalie Greene

Professor Goff

English 1010

8 July 2014

Annotated Bibliography

Wilson, Fernando A., and Jim Stimpson. “Trends in Fatalities From Distracted Driving in the United States.” American Journal of Public Health 100 (2010): 2213-19.

From 1999 to 2008 deaths resulting from distracted driving have increased about 20%. Distracted driving deaths have increased as text messaging amounts have increased. Most text messaging accidents that have occurred involved those under the age of 25. When passengers are in the car drivers are less likely to text and drive. Many states are attempting to lower the amount of accidents caused by texting by enforcing laws which ban cellphone use while driving, however, the problem still hasn’t been solved.

Eddy, Nathan. “Texting While Driving More Prevalent Among Adults: AAA.” eWeek 13 December 2013: 2

Adult drivers ages 25-39 have been the most common to admit to texting while driving. A sample of 2,325 drivers, starting at the age of 16, showed that over one in four drivers had sent a text while driving in the last 30 days. Drivers, ages 60 and up, have been the least likely to text while driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that driving while distracted results in more than 3,000 deaths per year. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that one in every three drivers have texted while driving and the majority have talked on the phone while driving. Data shows that those in a younger age range tend to participate in distracted driving, quadrupling their risk of getting into a car crash, as opposed to those ages 55 and older who are the least like to text and drive.

Pennings, Brian. “New Approaches to End Texting While Driving.” Professional Safety 58 (2013): 16

            Intextication is what happens when a person is no longer paying attention to their surrounding because they are too focused on a cellphone. Those who drive while intexticated double their chances of crashing when compared to those who drive while intoxicated. California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Pennings believes that teenagers text and talk while driving more often than drinking alcohol or taking drugs before they drive. Pennings gives presentations at high schools about the dangers of distracted driving, part of the Impact Teen Drivers program, in an attempt to end texting while driving. Other ways to get rid of distractions, such as text and phone calls, while driving are to install apps that don’t allow drivers to receive phone calls and silence texts while driving. Parents are even able to suspend cell phone service on their teen’s devices while they are driving. There are many approaches towards ending texting while driving that seem to be very effective but it comes down to the driver making a responsible decision not to drive distracted to prevent crashes and accidents cause by intextication.

“Distracted Driving Problem Extends Beyond Texting.” Professional Safety 57 (2012): 24

            Though texting and driving is a big concern State Farm has shown that it’s not the only distraction cellphones are providing. From 2009 to 2011 drivers who accessed the internet while driving increased from 29% to 43%. In that same time span drivers accessing social media networks increased from 21% to 37%. Drivers are no longer being distracted by just text messaging and because of the multiple distractions cellphones present to drivers the National Transportation Safety Board are focusing on these distractions in order to ban the use of cellphones altogether for drivers.

Rhodan, Maya. “4 in 10 Teens Admit Texting While Driving.” Time 14 June 2014: 32

            About 41% of teen drivers admit that while driving they have sent texts and emails. A majority of deaths among teens happen because of crashes and, despite commercials pointed towards getting teens to drive without distractions, more and more teens text while driving every day. Driving while distracted from the road by anything whether it be a cellphone or a cigarette is a risky and dangerous behavior that many teens are participating in.

Jackson, Nancy. “DN’T TXT N DRV.” Current Health Teens. 37 (2011): 6-9

            Attorney Todd Clement believes that one of the leading causes of distracted driving is cellphone use. Using a cell phone while driving impairs the drivers’ awareness of their surroundings, situations, and ability to react meaning that drivers have a harder time processing what it is that is going on the road around them. Even hands free devices cause drivers to be distracted from what is really going on around them. In 2010 28% of accidents on U.S. Highways were caused by drivers distracted by their cellphones.