Texting While Driving Among Youth

Texting While Driving Among Youth

Introduction

Texting and driving among the youth is one of the most trending habits around the world. This wave has specifically caught up with teenagers and the youth because this age group easily catches up on any trending habit. Texting on mobile phones is one of the most convenient ways for young folks to communicate. It comes in handy when the information being communicated involves a lengthy conversation or maybe more than one party. In addition to this, it is also considerably cheaper to text than to use other alternatives like, say, calling. To the youth, texting is fun. This is because the activity involves the use of unique vocabulary and symbols that add fun to the process of communication (Baldauf & Stair, 2011).

Texting is a very addictive behavior. It has the ability to catch on users and trend across certain age groups. Since it is a continuation process, the risk of striking a long conversation is high and this exposes the user to risks and dangers on the road (Neustein, 2010). The convenience of pushing a few buttons and getting connected to friends and family far away drives many youth to texting. They use this service to organize events like parties, group meetings and other common social and official meetings (Baldauf & Stair, 2011).

On its own, texting is not an entirely dangerous activity. This is because it is a convenient way of passing short messages from one person to another without the necessity of making a phone call. Texting only becomes dangerous when it is done on the wheel. Although some youth are attracted by the trendy nature of the activity, some do not realize the dangers involved when texting while driving (Neustein, 2010).  Many of those who text while driving have a lot of confidence in their ability to multitask the two events. This is, however, a gamble with death because other drivers on the road expect that everyone is paying full attention to all traffic rules. When someone indulges in another activity other than driving while on the road, their attention is automatically diverted from the road. This compromises the safety of the people in the vehicle as well the lives of other road users (LaBennett, 2011).

Although there is legislation concerning texting and driving in many countries, the difficulty that is associated with the enforcement of these laws is a major setback in efforts to reduce the crime rate (LaBennett, 2011). Texting should never accompany driving under any circumstances. Although drivers who need to text are expected to pull off the road first before using their phones, most of them do not. When one has pulled off, they can be able to text in a more relaxed manner and get fully involved in a conversation. They can direct all their attention to that activity without the worry of causing a traffic accident or anything worse. After finishing with the texting activity, one can get back on the road where they will, again, dedicate their full attention to careful driving (LaBennett, 2011).

According to Neustein (2010), texting while driving is more dangerous than talking on the phone while driving. This is because texting makes someone take their eyes off the road. Talking on the phone, on the other hand, can take place with the eyes on the road. This does not, however, mean that it is safe to talk on the phone while driving. Texting while driving, which is the interest here, is more hazardous. With the eyes off the road, the driver is exposed to multiple risks and dangers that could be fatal (Neustein, 2010).

Texting while driving affects mindfulness and attention of an individual (Baldauf & Stair, 2011). These two are important in both mental and physical health. This habit is therefore a dangerous one considering the health effects involved. Ignorance of traffic laws leads to increase in accident casualties. This topic is important to nurses because they are involved in health promotion and prevention programs. These programs educate the youth on the health hazards involved in the behavior of texting while driving (Neustein, 2010).

Texting while driving is also considered a major health risk (Neustein, 2010). This is because of the dangers that it exposes people to. The person who is texting has a high likelihood of causing a traffic accident that may lead to injuries and sometimes death. The casualties of such accidents have to be attended to by nurses in hospitals and other medical centers. Nurses, therefore, get a first hand view and experience of the danger that lurks in texting while driving. The number of road-accident casualties that nurses have to attend to increase or decrease in accordance with the prevalence of the behavior of texting while driving (Neustein, 2010).

According to Baldauf and Stair (2011), young people especially students aged between nine and twelve often engage in the habit of texting while driving during their outings and while going to school.  It is during such moments that they are not watched over by their parents. They therefore, use these privileges to engage in texting without thinking about the dangers that they are putting themselves. Children in these grades are also the most affected by peer pressure. This is the influence brought unto them by their peers and close friends. When this habit catches on these children, it is bound to spread among them very quickly and, therefore, exposing them to many risks (Mertens & Wilson, 2012).

According to polls and surveys conducted by AT&T, (as cited in Baldauf & Stair, 2011), ninety seven percent of teenagers agreed that texting while driving is dangerous. Despite this, many of them still do not take precautionary measures. Seventy five percent of teenagers who drive admit that they have friends who practice the habit of texting while on the wheel (Baldauf & Stair, 2011). Teenagers in this survey quote adults as the source of their driving habits. When these teens observe their adult guardian, relatives or friends texting while driving, they pick up the habit and then pass it on to their friends. According to a new CDC national survey, supports that view that indeed many young people text while driving. This survey reveals that at least one student in every three has been involved in texting while driving and, therefore, exposing themselves to the dangers of the habit. This audience is, therefore, relevant for this research because they are the most affected. The nurses too are also both directly and indirectly involved in texting while driving (Neustein, 2010).

In conclusion, it is therefore apparent that despite the dangers inherent in driving while texting, many youths still use their phones while driving. The major reasons behind this trend among many youths include the urge to keep in touch with other people, lack of regulation and exposure among other factors (Neustein, 2010). Therefore, more is required to be done by relevant authorities to ensure that youths shun away from such behaviors to reduce the risks involved with the behavior.

References

Baldauf, K., & Stair, R. M. (2011). Succeeding with technology: Computer system concepts for

            your life. Boston, Mass: Course Technology/Cengage Learning.

LaBennett, O. (2011). She’s mad real: Popular culture and West Indian girls in Brooklyn. New

York: New York University Press.

Mertens, D. M., & Wilson, A. T. (2012). Program evaluation theory and practice: A

            comprehensive guide. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Neustein, A. (2010). Advances in speech recognition: Mobile environments, call centers and

            clinics. New York: Springer.

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