This post is from the research paper my oldest son turned in for a class assignment:
Your cell phone might not be as safe as you think. Cell phones are one of the leading causes of traffic accidents. There have been studies that show that cell phones may cause brain cancer. No matter where you look, people are always on their phones. People are becoming dependent on their phones for every day life. With so many people using cell phones, they have become a distraction and a danger to yourself and others. Although some people think that cell phones are safe to use, they are actually quite dangerous. Be careful how much you use your phone. They pose a health risk and are a distraction to drivers of all ages. Cell phones can even take away the ability to properly use the English language and the ability to communicate in a civilized way.
Cell phones are a major distraction to drivers of all ages. It is estimated that about 25% of all police reported accidents have to do with driver distractions, most of which have to 
do with cell phones. “We’ve been talking on the phone for 80 years. We’ve been driving 100 years. It is only recently that we have tried combining the two.” (Hanes, Stephanie. “Texting While Driving: The New Drunk Driving.”) The results have been catastrophic. An estimated 6% of all divers are on the phone at any given time. Some critics and researchers like to call this ‘the new drunk driving.’ Some people think that a hands-free device, such as a headset, is a safe alternative. But researchers have proven that any activity, while in the car, including listening to the radio or talking to a passenger, can be a major distraction. Because of this, most driving safety advocates advice that you use a cell phone only when you are out of the car or when your engine is turned off.
Many people believe that cell phones may cause cancer. Although there is no hard core evidence that cell phones do cause cancer, it is proven that they do emit radio waves. Even a wireless Bluetooth emits weak radio waves. The part of the phone that emits these waves is called a “radio transmitter.” In theory, children have more of a risk to be exposed to radiation than adults do. They will most likely spend more years on a cell phone than adults will. Plus, a child’s nervous system is still forming, making them more vulnerable to cancer. “A common tip for those who want to reduce their exposure to cell phone radiation is to use a headset.” (Svensson, Peter. “Cell Phone Cancer Warning Falls Lightly on U.S. Ears.”) Everyone is talking about how dangerous cell phones are, but the one question still remains: Do cell phones cause cancer?
Cell phones take away the ability to use the English language. Although texting is a great way to reduce the risk of radiation, it takes away the ability to spell correctly. For example, kids are putting the letter, “U,” instead of spelling out the word, “you.” Kids are also losing the ability to communicate in a civilized way. Kids are spending so much time on their cell phones; they don’t know how to carry on a ‘face to face’ conversation. Cell phones are a distraction in class as well. Some schools have already decided to take action and ban cell phones, while others are standing by. Furthermore, cell phones are messing with kid’s education, and should be banned from campuses between school hours.
Although cell phones are a danger to yourself and others, they have made the lives of millions of people easier. Cell phones have made it possible to do so many thinks, such as send emails on the go, and talk to friends from long distances. Parents can also put a GPS on a phone so they know where their child is at all times. And if you are traveling, you can use a translator application on your phone. They even have applications to help find restaurants, give directions, and locate hotels. Cell phones are not always bad things. They can be a great help, too.
A cell phone can be a dangerous tool, depending on how you use it. Not only do cell phones cause distractions to drivers, but they pose a health risk, too. Cell phones can even take away the ability to use the English language, and the ability to communicate ‘face to face.’ However, cell phones have made the lives of many people easier. We have done some pretty stupid things with cell phones in recent years, like texting while driving, but we can fix these problems with a little bit of common sense. So please, be cautious and look for the amount of radio waves your cell phone emits. Keep your cell phone off while driving, and keep your eyes on the road. And remember; be careful how you use your phone, because they can be a dangerous tool if used too much.
- Cell phones emit weak radio waves, which, under the conventional understanding of physics, can’t wreak the same sort of cellular changes that sunlight and radioactivity can. A common tip offered to those who want to reduce their exposure to cellphone radiation is to use a headset. Even wireless Bluetooth headsets reduce radiation exposure. Though they emit radio signals of their own, they’re much weaker than cellphone signals. Cellphones differ in how much radiation they emit. Proposals in a few states would force cellphone stores to display these radiation ratings.
Svensson, Peter. “Cellphone Cancer Warning Falls Lightly on US Ears.” Lincoln Courier. 05 Jun 2011: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 14 Jan 2012.
- The average American teenager owns three to four electronic gadgets–such as a phone, an iPod, a computer, or a gaming system. But many experts see all this technology as a dangerous distraction for young people like you. Plus, all this texting and posting and poking and Web-surfing may be changing more than your daily life. It could also be changing your brain. Technology overload can also affect the brain’s ability to store information.
“Is Technology Messing With Your Brain?.” Scholastic Scope. 10 Jan 2011: 20+. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 14 Jan 2012
- ”There are always going to be distractions,” says David Teater, senior director of transportation strategic initiatives at the National Safety Council, whose 12-year-old son was killed in a crash caused by a driver on a cellphone. “But the advent of mobile electronic communication devices has really changed the game because they’ve become so phenomenally prolific in such a short period of time. We’ve been talking on the phone for 80 years. We’ve been driving 100 years. It’s only recently that we’ve tried to combine the two.” Similarly, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, in which data collectors observed drivers, estimated that 6 percent of drivers at any time are on the phone. For 98 percent of the population, regardless of age, the likelihood of a crash while on a cellphone increases fourfold; the reaction to simulated traffic lights, pedestrians, and vehicles is comparable to that of someone legally intoxicated. This may well change. Swayed in part by a number of highly publicized texting-while-driving deaths, 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws banning texting while driving; nine additional states prohibit teenagers from texting behind the wheel. This summer, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York introduced legislation that would withhold 25 percent of federal highway funding to states that don’t institute some sort of texting ban. And last month, President Obama signed an executive order banning federal employees from sending texts in government cars. To those who don’t text regularly, these dangers might seem obvious. But for many teens, and a growing number of adults, texting is a central way of communicating – a virtual conversation that doesn’t stop in the car. Even with the growing restrictions, 73 percent of teens admit to texting while driving, according to a Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) study.
Hanes, Stephanie. “Texting While Driving: The New Drunk Driving.” Christian Science Monitor. 05 Nov 2009: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 14 Jan 2012.
- Research shows that driving while using a cell phone can pose a serious cognitive distraction and degrade driver performance. The data are insufficient to quantify crashes caused by cell phone use specifically, but NHTSA estimates that driver distraction from all sources contributes to 25 percent of all police-reported traffic crashes. Any activity a driver engages while driving has the potential to distract the driver from the primary task of driving. Some research findings comparing cell phone use to passenger conversations while driving show each to be equally risky, while others show cell phone use to be more risky. A significant difference between the two is the fact that a passenger can monitor the driving situation along with the driver and pause for, or alert the driver to, potential hazards, whereas a person on the other end of the phone line is unaware of the roadway situation.
“Cell Phones and Driving: Frequently Asked Questions (sidebar).” Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 21 Dec. 2007. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://www.2facts.com/article/ib120702>
- In recent years, it has been well-documented that cell phone use while driving is a dangerous activity; over the years, it has been the cause of many deaths and injuries in the U.S. and other countries. While some people believe that using “hands-free” wireless headsets is a safe alternative, studies show that engaging in any form of cell phone conversation while driving heightens the risk of traffic accidents. In general, driving-safety advocates recommend that cell phone users place or receive calls only when they are outside of their vehicle, or when their engine is turned off.
“Suggested Guidelines for Using a Cellular Telephone Responsibly (sidebar).” Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 7 July 2006. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://www.2facts.com/article/ib110364>.
By: Adam Nissenbaum
