Texting and Driving

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Texting and driving
Approximately half a million individuals in America die or get injured in traffic accidents caused when people text while driving. The statistics are alarming considering texting and driving accidents can be avoided totally. The United States is on the frontline with this problem as compared to other European countries.69% of the drivers in America have admitted to having used their cellphone, in one way or another, while driving. In 2013, the department of transportation revealed statistics that 424,000 people got injured and 3,154 died in motor vehicle accidents brought about by drivers being distracted because they were using their cell phones or even texting. The few seconds used to look and reply a text message could lead to a fatal road accident. Replying a text message can be likened to driving on blindfolds. The youth and teenagers take a major toll of those affected by texting and driving and majority of the casualties.
Texting and driving is a very risky behavior. When you text while driving, the chances of being in an accident increase by 23 times. Texting distractions outweigh any other type of distractions while driving. This is because texting uses and involves three different mental/physical actions-visual, manual, cognitive-all of which shift attention from the road ahead, disabling the driver to be aware of any potential road hazards ahead. The only real solution to distractions while driving is eliminating the distractions.

Drivers should avoid using their phones while driving. Additionally, involving the legal systems is almost a sure way to curb this menace. Laws have been passed internationally prohibiting drivers from driving while texting.
Purpose and audience
My main purpose for writing this piece is to inform people on the dangers associated with driving and texting in a very simplified and easy to understand way. I want the reader to fully understand the risk he will be putting himself to by attempting to text while driving. Furthermore, the information can be used by the reader to help avoid the occurrence of careless road accidents in the future thus saving lives and the US economy.My primary target audience was not only students in this class, but the information can be used by all drivers and road users.
Genre choices and elements
The choice genre, a timeline, was the most effective to address the issue of driving and texting from 2012-2015, while at the same time presenting an argument on it. I chose the specific timeline as it was characterized by an increase in the road accidents caused by texting while driving. There is no other timeline that could have addressed the issue simply and perfectly as the 2012-2015 periods. I wanted to use all the available options and space to provide the audience with more evidence and perfect imagery of the situation. Likening texting when driving to driving on blindfolds creates perfect imagery to any reader and shows how much of a risk it is.
Design and sources
The interactive display and imagery of the timeline provide a supplement which is necessary to the description and capture of each and every event. The timeline comes in handy in terms of its effectiveness by establishing the time in which the events took place.In this specific genre having a concluding statement on how to curb the menace was really important as it would help the reader to apply it in real life and this will help eliminate disasters associated with texting and driving.
Summary
My goal in this piece was to point out the issue in detail and help come up with a long-lasting solution to the issue which I have addressed very clearly.
Works cited
Gliklich, Emily, Rong Guo, and Regan Bergmark. “Texting while driving: A study of 1211 US adults with the Distracted Driving Survey.” Preventive medicine reports 4 (2016): 486-489.
Kahn, Christopher. “Distracted Driving, A Major Preventable Cause of Motor Vehicle Collisions:“Just Hang Up and Drive”.” Western Journal of emergency medicine 16.7 (2015): 1033.
Bergmark, Regan. “Texting while driving: the development and validation of the distracted driving survey and risk score among young adults.” Injury epidemiology 3.1 (2016): 7.
Cismaru, Magdalena, and Kate Nimegeers. “Keep your eyes up, don’t text and drive”: a review of anti-texting while driving Campaigns’ recommendations.” International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing 14.1 (2017): 113-135.