The creation of the smartphone has undoubtedly brought such benefits into our lives that we sometimes tend to forget. We have access to an unlimited amount of information at our fingertips. We have the ability to contact our beloved friends and family with the push of a button. We have our fondest memories stored forever in a multimedia format, close and easy to reach. Our smartphones are our calculator, camera, web browser, MP3s and much more. To some extent, we've made our smartphone an all-in-one device that we depend on more than we'd really like to think. We are now addicted to our wonderful creation, even as children, which we will talk about later. This is a big problem in itself, but what people tend to downplay is the danger this poses to those using the road. You might think that the first thing people do when they get behind the wheel is turn off their mobile device or perhaps put it away, in an unreachable place. But that's not the case. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In 2015 it was found that 3.8% of drivers had their cell phone visibly present in their hand, and don't underestimate this statistic. There were just over 218 million licensed drivers that year, for a total of approximately 8,284,000 drivers distracted by their cell phones. But it doesn't end here. Driving with your cell phone is known as a form of distracted driving. Distracted driving is any activity that takes the driver's eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind away from driving. As expected, this is a difficult situation affecting all of us who use the road, but who is most at risk? The young people. Teen drivers ages 15 to 19 are the age group most at risk for distracted driving accidents. Those who are new to driving are inexperienced and can hardly manage the task at hand, much less juggle in any way between driving and using a mobile phone. Statistics even show that people aged 16-24 are more likely to have cell phones in their hands than those aged 25-69 and 70+. This distraction has unfortunately caused numerous accidents, being a factor in nearly 6 out of 10 moderate to severe teen accidents. Knowing this, how can we help? What are we doing to combat this danger? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has done its part by running campaigns and public service announcements to spread information about the dangers of distracted driving. As well as working alongside states and local police to change laws to effectively combat distracted driving. However, I suggest a new way to help. For new drivers and for those who have caused accidents due to distracted driving, we can propose an element similar to the breathalyzer, but for telephones. You cannot drive unless your phone is specifically placed in a space where you cannot touch it while driving. We cannot control all the drivers on the road, but we can set an example and raise public awareness of the problem of distracted driving, lowering the statistics..
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