Preparation for Generating a Policy Proposal

Preparation for Generating a Policy Proposal

Part 1: Annotated Bibliography “Effect of Cell Phone Use”

Britt, R. R. (2006). Cell Phones Make Drivers as Bad as Drunks: Live Science; Science, Technology, Health & Environmental News. Retrieved from: http://www.livescience.com/health/060629_cell_phones.html Accessed on 6th February, 2013.

Robert Roy Britt, the Managing Editor at Live Science explains in this brief article that mobile phones make drivers as worst as drunks. He carried on giving details that a study was conducted involving forty volunteers counting scientists. An attention-grabbing finding was that participants who were chatting and driving in their virtual vehicle collided, whereas none of them collided when they were in the state of intoxication. Some participants who crashed were also using hands-free devices. Another study was carried out in which participants were asked to drive a virtual vehicle 4 times that is once using a cell phone, once un-diverted, once intoxicated and once using a hands-free device. None of the intoxicated drivers collided whereas the other three subjects crashed into the speed car while talking and driving plus their driving response was much slower, in stopping as well as accelerating. Thus, this article provides interesting details on the comparison between drunk drivers and drivers who use cell phones while driving.

Mello Jr., J. P. (2007). Road Texting: An Accident Waiting to Happen: TechNewsWorld. Retrieved from: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/58714.html?wlc=1228500522> Accessed on 6th February, 2013.

Mello Jr. in this article sets up a lot of enlightening facts on the subject of driving and text messaging. As said by Frank Drews, someone talking on a cell phone at the time of driving is 4 times more expected to meet a crash as compare to someone who is not on the phone. Moreover, an individual who is texting at the time of driving is 6 times more expected to collide. Subsequent to a simulation venture that addressed with students and driving and texting, it was found that students who text took twenty-three percent longer to respond to the driving simulations as compare to the one who do not text.

National Research Council. (2010). National Safety Council estimates that at least 1.6 million crashes each year involve drivers using cell phones and texting: NSC Report. Retrieved from: http://www.nsc.org/Pages/NSCestimates16millioncrashescausedbydriversusingcellphonesandtexting.aspx Accessed on 6th February, 2013.

This informative article discusses the announcements made by the NSC or the National Safety Council that approximately no less than 28 percent of all traffic accidents, or as a minimum 1.6 million traffic collisions every year, involve drivers' texting or using cell phones. Further it has been discussed that 1.4 million accidents each year involve drivers using cell phones and a minimum of 200,000 additional crashes every year involve drivers who usually text while driving. The article was published one the first anniversary of NSC's demand a prohibition on all mobile phone usage and texting at the time of driving. This article gives details about the studies and statistics conducted by the NSC that make a forceful argument to the opposite side. Thus, this article provides verifications that texting at ...