Cell Phones: Should Not Be Prohibited Under the Circumstance

Laura Lukes
6/29/2007
Comp II
Cell Phones: Should Their Use While Driving Be Prohibited?

My friend and i were driving to Sioux Falls one day to go to a movie. It was dark outside and it was a little foggy. She was calling her mother to let her mother know that we were going to the movies and that we would be home late. We were heading around a curve when a deer popped out in front of the vehicle, but before we knew it, we were rolling down into the ditch. The police came and they were asking questions about what happened. We explained that a deer ran out in front of the vehicle and we had no time to stop. The police told my friend that if she watching the road and not on the phone, this would have never happened. I thought to myself that it would have happened even if she was not on her phone. There would have been no time to stop either way. The fact that she was on her phone had nothing to do with hitting that deer.
People like to blame the cause of an accident on cell phones to cover up the fact that maybe they are not good drivers or the fact that maybe it really was an accident that could not have been prevented. In the article, “Advocates for Cell Phone Safety,” they talk about other safety hazards that had happened in the past (542), such as Firestone tires and airbags. Both were accidents made by the companies that made them. Does that mean we are to prohibit the use of airbags and Firestone tires? Even though they did have callbacks about the tires, Firestone still makes tires. What about airbags? Since airbags killed 120 kids and women, does that mean that we are going to stop using airbags for safety? It just means that we have to find more ways to prevent these accidents and we have to find a way to make the product safer.
Cell phones are not the problem. The problem is the people using them unsafely. People need to take responsibility for their actions by using cell phones in a safe manner. I see the person next to me on the cell phone laughing and not paying attention. This may cause an accident later on. A person needs to pay attention when using cell phones. Cell phones are essential for driving in a car incase of a serious accident where the police are needed. Incase of an accident, we need a cell phone to call 911 or the police. If a person did not have a cell phone and was unable to call for help, it could lead to more of a serious incident.
A person needs a cell phone for emergencies and for communication. When practicing safe use, cell phones can be used in a good manner. Paying attention to our surroundings and paying attention to others, a person can use a cell phone safely while in the car.