Use of Hand-held Phones Can Cause Accidents
Human beings have prided themselves in being able to perform two or more things at the same time or multitasking, but it has come with difficulty with one being able to listen keenly and at the same time see clearly and make judgments while driving. Research shows that when one concentrates on listening, the area of the brain that controls vision becomes less active. The Science Daily (June 1, 2008) stated that “The notion that talking on a cell phone while driving a car isn’t safe seems obvious, yet what happens in the brain while it juggles the two tasks is not.” When one is speaking to the cell phone, the other person on the other end may not be aware one is driving and may drive the conversation to an emotional or complex content.
This may happen without one knowing maybe the driver is in a difficult situation. Speaking to a phone while driving requires one to concentrate more on the conversation and makes one to concentrate less on driving, this is because one can’t be able devote equal attention to both activities. It’s more difficult when one is giving directions. Developing a mental map will easily change one and driving with concentration will be affected. Driving while speaking to a cell phone will either affect reaction to time or performance. Thus one will be slow to reacting to emergencies, or other situations that need one attention.
Driving while speaking to a phone will make one to be either slower or drive very fast and at a speed one is not aware he is driving with. Also typing, sending or reading a text message from a phone is equally distractive, The equally affect driving and can be a major sources of accidents in highways. In America in many states it is illegal to use a phone while driving; this is in knowledge of the many accidents that have been caused by phone related distraction. Like in the state of Connecticut drivers caught using their cell phones will be fined.