Should driver's be allowed to use cell phones while driving Essay

Should driver's be allowed to use cell phones while driving - Essay Example NHTSA) survey reports that 44 percent of drivers have a phone with them when they drive, 7 percent have e-mail access, and 3 percent have facsimile capabilities. Those numbers are likely to increase. Other technologies that increase possible distractions will also be added to new vehicles, such as easily accessing the internet, getting directions electronically, and receiving real-time information on traffic patterns. With the growing use of modern mobile telephony among the world population, there has been fear of carelessness among users especially when driving. The fear is further compounded by the fact that the majority of mobile telephone users are the youthful generation. Another worrying aspect is that the growing middle class, whose population is also youthful. The growing middle class is associated with the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads. The youth have been described as relatively careless as compared with their older counterparts. The significant costs of mobile phone usage while driving is the increased risk of vehicle accidents, some leading to serious injury or death. It is estimated that up to 41,000 people die in vehicle accidents each year in the United States, with a bigger percentage being caused by drivers who use their mobile phones while driving. These concerns have led to increased call for a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving. This paper is inte nded to provide a cost-benefit analysis of a ban on mobile phone while driving. According to Cohen & Graham (2003), if there is total compliance to a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving, both the benefits and costs of using mobile phones while driving would be eliminated, therefore resulting to a zero-sum game. They also argue that the proportion of property-damage-only crashes, injuries and fatalities attributed to mobile phone usage are equal. Their study further argues that incremental crash risk is proportional to the time spent on the phone. This third