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6 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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I. How many of you have cell phones? How many of you drive? Honestly, how many of you use your cell phone and drive at the same time? I have spent countless hours studying the effects of texting while driving and can tell you it is very dangerous.
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. According to a Nationwide Insurance study in 2008, 66% of drivers between the age of 18 and 24 send or receive text messages while behind the wheel. Text messaging while driving leads the list as the biggest distraction while driving. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted drivers account for almost 80% of all crashes and 65% of near-crashes in the United States. (April 20, 2006).
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In my speech I will tell you what the texting bill- Alert Drivers Act of 2009- is, why it was introduced, and the progress that is being made regarding the ban. Let’s begin by telling you the basics of the ban of texting on drivers
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I. The bill that seeks to ban texting by drivers is the ‘Alert Drivers Act of 2009’. The bill requires states to write laws to prohibit text messaging by drivers. If a state does not write laws to prohibit text messaging by drivers, that state will lose 25% of their annual federal highway money. The legislation would set deadlines for Transportation Department regulators to devise minimum penalties for states to implement. The State would have two years to enact their own laws.
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The bill was introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer (D) of New York and some other Democratic lawmakers. Sen. Schumer says "[the bill is] based on the anti-drunk driving laws which have been hugely successful." Now that you know more about what is involved in the bill, I will explain why Sen. Charles Schumer introduced the bill.
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Using a cell phone or texting while driving causes the driver to become extremely distracted and affects the focus of the driver. There have been many different studies done to test the consequences of using a cell phone or texting while driving.
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“In a 2006 joint report issued with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the institute found 78% of crashes involve a driver distracted within three seconds before an accident.” (Bruno) “Talking on or dialing a cell phone accounted for 6% of crashes or near-misses.” (Bruno) “If a driver’s eyes are away from the roadway for two seconds or more in a six-second window, their risk of being involved in a crash is two times higher than an alert driver.”(Bruno)
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) This bill was introduced a day after the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute released a study on texting or using a cell phone while driving. They found that you are six times more likely to be involved in an accident if you do so. They also found that you are 23 times more likely to be involved in a full on crash. Now that you know what the bill is and why it was introduced, I will tell what progress has been made regarding the ban on cell phones while driving.
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III. Let’s discuss the progress that has been made regarding the ban on cell phones while driving. Many states and specific cities have a ban (complete ban) on the use of cell phones while driving. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington have a jurisdiction-wide ban on the use of cell phones while driving.
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Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have banned text messaging for all drivers. In addition to those states, 9 states ban novice (under 18 years old) drivers from texting. In Indiana, it is illegal for drivers under the age of 18 to use a cell phone or text while driving.
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I. Let’s have a recap. The bill that seeks to ban texting by drivers is the ‘Alert Drivers Act of 2009’. The bill requires states to write laws to prohibit text messaging by drivers or else be penalized in state spending money. The bill was introduced because using a cell phone or texting while driving causes the driver to become extremely distracted and affects the focus of the driver. Many individual states and cities have passed laws that ban the use of cell phones while driving.
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II. Most think before they drink and drive, but most do not think twice about texting and driving. Next time you are in the driver’s seat and about to pull out your cell phone, think twice and think about the dangers involved in text while driving.
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