Overview
Distracted driving is not taken lightly in today’s society. It is a relatively new issue (with the introduction of text messaging) that has affected people all over the world. New laws have been made because of it, people have lost their lives because of it, and ultimately, distracted driving has changed some lives forever. This is why it is so important that the media agree on the issue and communicate the dangers and risks of distracted driving to as many people as possible. According to an article by Matt Richtel, "when the drivers texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting" (Richtel 1). The bottom line--it’s not worth it.
Distracted driving is not taken lightly in today’s society. It is a relatively new issue (with the introduction of text messaging) that has affected people all over the world. New laws have been made because of it, people have lost their lives because of it, and ultimately, distracted driving has changed some lives forever. This is why it is so important that the media agree on the issue and communicate the dangers and risks of distracted driving to as many people as possible. According to an article by Matt Richtel, "when the drivers texted, their collision risk was 23 times greater than when not texting" (Richtel 1). The bottom line--it’s not worth it.
In the Media
This social issue isn’t taken lightly in the media. Through the use of jarringly authentic text-drive-crash commercials, celebrity PSA’s, and the occasional hint of comic relief, distracted driving is cautioned against by almost every outlet of the media.
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In the first video (Au volant, on ne texte pas), history and technology are used together to make texting while driving seem unnecessary and silly as they compared it to using a typewriter or morse code to communicate. The second video uses celebrity endorsements to convince the public that distracted driving is deadly and accidents caused by this are 100% preventable. Pictured on the left is a magazine ad using comic relief to remind drivers that they never know what they're missing when their eyes are off the road. According to a study by the NHSTA in 2008, "5,870 people lost their lives and an estimated 515,000 people were injured in police-reported crashes in which at least one form of driver distraction was reported on the crash report" (Ascone 1).
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Communicative Behaviors
Social constructionism theory, the idea that our social reality is created through our actions and that the social rules we live by are created through communication, suggests that distracted driving was created by us and is perpetuated by us. This is apparent, as we are the ones who decide to distract ourselves from driving by doing things we think are 'more important'. The image of the 'distracted driver' has been around since cars were invented. Television shows depict busy people eating their oatmeal while on the highway, or busy women applying lipstick while in gridlock traffic. We, as a culture, have created these images leading society to repeat those actions and believe they are 'normal' or 'acceptable'. This mistake has caused millions of people to lose their lives in car accidents over the years. Through the use of media, we have caused these problems and we must fix them. The ads pictured above are just the first step to fixing the problem we have created.
Symbolic interactionism, the idea that the self is a product of the messages we encounter in our interactions with others, has contributed to how one comes to think that it is okay to be distracted while driving. According to the Pew Research center, "40% of American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger" (Madden 1). When a teenager sees a friend texting while driving and arrive safely to the destination, this leads that person to believe that texting while driving isn't dangerous. This harmful interaction between peers has undoubtedly contributed to deaths occurring while drivers were distracted. To fix this toxic idea, we must communicate the seriousness of this issue to the public. Laws prohibiting handheld cellphone use while driving are a small start to solving this problem. The commercials and ads shown above are also helpful in communicating to large numbers of people the risks you face when you get behind the wheel. Distracted driving is not only harmful to you if you choose to do so, but also harmful to anyone else on the road. Before you pick up your phone or decide to touch up your makeup while driving, think of the other people on the road who chose not to do those things, yet could be affected by them because you chose to be irresponsible.
Symbolic interactionism, the idea that the self is a product of the messages we encounter in our interactions with others, has contributed to how one comes to think that it is okay to be distracted while driving. According to the Pew Research center, "40% of American teens say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell phone in a way that put people in danger" (Madden 1). When a teenager sees a friend texting while driving and arrive safely to the destination, this leads that person to believe that texting while driving isn't dangerous. This harmful interaction between peers has undoubtedly contributed to deaths occurring while drivers were distracted. To fix this toxic idea, we must communicate the seriousness of this issue to the public. Laws prohibiting handheld cellphone use while driving are a small start to solving this problem. The commercials and ads shown above are also helpful in communicating to large numbers of people the risks you face when you get behind the wheel. Distracted driving is not only harmful to you if you choose to do so, but also harmful to anyone else on the road. Before you pick up your phone or decide to touch up your makeup while driving, think of the other people on the road who chose not to do those things, yet could be affected by them because you chose to be irresponsible.
References
Ascone, D.,Lindsey, T., & Varghese, C. (2009). An Examination of Driver Distraction as Recorded in NHTSA Databases. NHTSA. Retrieved from http://trid.trb.org/view.aspx?id=901997.
Madden, M., & Lenhart, A. (2009). Teens and Distracted Driving. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.distraction.gov/research/PDF-Files/PIP_Teens_and_Distracted_Driving.pdf.
Richtel, M. (2009, July 28). In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin. New York Times [New York]. Retrieved from http://teamsters952.org/in_study_texting_lifts_crash_risk.pdf.
Madden, M., & Lenhart, A. (2009). Teens and Distracted Driving. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.distraction.gov/research/PDF-Files/PIP_Teens_and_Distracted_Driving.pdf.
Richtel, M. (2009, July 28). In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin. New York Times [New York]. Retrieved from http://teamsters952.org/in_study_texting_lifts_crash_risk.pdf.