Texting And Driving And The Effectiveness Of Policy

Texting and Driving and the Effectiveness of Policy

[Name of the Writer]

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Texting and Driving and the Effectiveness of Policy

Abstract 1: Meta-Analysis Abstract

Objective: Texting while driving is considered to be one of the major causes of fatalities on the roads. Government, highway authorities, the car manufacturing industries, the motor licensing authorities all have put forwarded their concerns from time to time to limit the casualties on the roads. Notable improvements have been made in safety features of the roads along with the designs of the vehicles. Despite these improvements by all stakeholders on their side, the number of casualties remains consistent, in some cases it has been seemed increasing. Thus, road fatalities remain a significant concern for the authorities. With the increased use of social media application on the cell phones, that involves communication by a text mode- or by a vocal communication, the increase in fatalities has been reported ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"xUgRWFL1","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Ferdinand et al., 2014)","plainCitation":"(Ferdinand et al., 2014)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":81,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/RWWJ3VJR"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/RWWJ3VJR"],"itemData":{"id":81,"type":"article-journal","title":"Impact of texting laws on motor vehicular fatalities in the United States","container-title":"American journal of public health","page":"1370–1377","volume":"104","issue":"8","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Ferdinand","given":"Alva O."},{"family":"Menachemi","given":"Nir"},{"family":"Sen","given":"Bisakha"},{"family":"Blackburn","given":"Justin L."},{"family":"Morrisey","given":"Michael"},{"family":"Nelson","given":"Leonard"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2014"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Ferdinand et al., 2014). This all makes texting and the effectiveness of policies a significant concern. The lawmakers continue to strengthen the ban on texting while driving, but some violations have been reported, which raise concern on parts of all stakeholders. To analyze the reasons for fatalities, many systematic studies have been concluded. All such findings were based on the segregated data that involved the division of drivers into different age groups and the division of the actual reason, for example, driving while being drunk, drivers being minors, rash driving, inappropriate use of seat belts, road safety violations and extra use of cell phones during driving. Using a panel study design, we examined the effects of different types of texting bans on vehicular motor fatalities. We used the Fatality Analysis Reporting System and a difference-in-differences approach to examine the incidence of fatal crashes in 2000 through 2010 in 48 US states with and without texting bans. Age cohorts were constructed to examine the impact of these bans on age-specific traffic fatalities.

Primarily enforced laws banning all drivers from texting were significantly associated with a 3% reduction in traffic fatalities in all age groups, and those banning only young drivers from texting had the greatest impact on reducing deaths among those aged 15 to 21 years. Secondarily enforced restrictions were not associated with traffic fatality reductions in any of our analyses.

Many studies have been concluded which specifically focused on the impact of texting while driving. The findings of such studies suggested that the major reason of collision while driving is that the drivers often try to hide phones to avoid heavy fines. As it remains of the prime concern that texting may cause serious harm to the body- after a collision; it also suggests that drivers of different age groups are reported to have a varied number of violations, involving mainly minor drivers that use cell phones while driving ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"vbz7MRoy","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Grabowski & Morrisey, 2001)","plainCitation":"(Grabowski & Morrisey, 2001)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":84,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/YMAYAVGY"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/YMAYAVGY"],"itemData":{"id":84,"type":"article-journal","title":"The effect of state regulations on motor vehicle fatalities for younger and older drivers: a review and analysis","container-title":"The Milbank Quarterly","page":"517–545","volume":"79","issue":"4","source":"Google Scholar","shortTitle":"The effect of state regulations on motor vehicle fatalities for younger and older drivers","author":[{"family":"Grabowski","given":"David C."},{"family":"Morrisey","given":"Michael A."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2001"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Grabowski & Morrisey, 2001). The proposed study will, therefore, analyze the impact of texting while driving and the effectiveness of state laws, which calls for serious penalties for texting while driving.

Methods: The proposed study will be a longitudinal panel observation (2005–2015), which will analyze the ratio of fine penalties which were marked after the drivers were caught texting while driving. Another aspect of this study will be the inclusion of many fatalities that were reported as involving drivers that were busy with their phones while driving. The criteria set designed for this research is divided between the number of incidents reported in the time between 2005 and 2015; the age distribution pattern set as between minor drivers (aged 14 to 22), adult drivers (23 to 40) and mature and elders (40 and above). Reports and surveys mainly including graduated drivers registered ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"vXkTSHIn","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Dee, Grabowski, & Morrisey, 2005)","plainCitation":"(Dee, Grabowski, & Morrisey, 2005)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":87,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/JUR9BU4M"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/JUR9BU4M"],"itemData":{"id":87,"type":"article-journal","title":"Graduated driver licensing and teen traffic fatalities","container-title":"Journal of health economics","page":"571–589","volume":"24","issue":"3","source":"Google Scholar","author":[{"family":"Dee","given":"Thomas S."},{"family":"Grabowski","given":"David C."},{"family":"Morrisey","given":"Michael A."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2005"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Dee, Grabowski, & Morrisey, 2005) and the number of fatalities reported in the said years. Different surveys which includes the same data set will also be considered.

Results: The findings of the proposed study are based on the results deduced from the above-mentioned data sets, and on the analysis of the recent reports issued by the competent authorities regarding road safety concerns. The results include that around 25 percent of people are reportedly involved in cell phones during the last forty to fifty days. In the states, where a total ban on the usage of a cell phone is a place, less than one percent of the incidents are reported. In states with no ban, on using the phone while driving the results remain around 1.13 to 1.15 percent for the people aged between 14 and 22, 1.2 percent to 1.39 for the people between age 23 and 40, and 2.0 to 2.2 percent of the drivers were observed using mobile phones while driving.

Conclusion:

The researchers may face some limitations, in considering the examination of existing laws under the time defined above. The reason for this is as the laws experience continuous evolution, coupled with the constant changes in the car designs and increasing awareness among the drivers about the harmful uses of cell phones during driving. The underlying reason for the study will remain as to analyze the impact of texting while driving in consideration of the effect of the state laws.

Keywords: Driving, Motor Vehicles, Texting, Roads. Drivers, Study, State laws

Abstract 2: Prospective Abstract

This study will aim to analyze the role of discounting in fines for texting during driving. The samples of different age groups will be used to assess how much usually a driver uses its time in texting during driving. In consideration of this information, the data will be divided into two categories. People who habitually text during driving and the ones who focus on driving but are compelled to use the cell phones, depending upon the circumstances. The proposed group will be compared and analyzed on the extent of their violations of the laws and their choices between texting and answering the phone during driving. The study backs the findings that texting during driving is primarily a hasty choice by drivers, and therefore a behavioral approach should be considered for looking for the decisions of the drivers.

References

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Dee, T. S., Grabowski, D. C., & Morrisey, M. A. (2005). Graduated driver licensing and teen traffic fatalities. Journal of Health Economics, 24(3), 571–589.

Ferdinand, A. O., Menachemi, N., Sen, B., Blackburn, J. L., Morrisey, M., & Nelson, L. (2014). Impact of texting laws on vehicular motor fatalities in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 104(8), 1370–1377.

Grabowski, D. C., & Morrisey, M. A. (2001). The effect of state regulations on motor vehicle fatalities for younger and older drivers: a review and analysis. The Milbank Quarterly, 79(4), 517–545.