Should drivers of automobiles be prohibited from using cellular phones Essay - 1

Should drivers of automobiles be prohibited from using cellular phones - Essay Example(Lissy et al p. 67)A study has been published in the Journal of Experimental psychological science and this study lends credence to this position. It showed that a subject engaged simultaneously in driving and a literal task (repeating the words of the experimenter) visually scanned a much smaller area outside of the vehicle than when non engaged in such a secondary task (Recarte & Nunes p. 31-42). Performing simple spatial resource tasks while driving (e.g., mental rotation of letters) caused the scanned area to shrink even more. Critics cite this study (among some(prenominal) others) to buttress the position that any task which significantly occupies a drivers mental resources (such as talking on a cellular phone) may have a negative impact on safety (by devising the driver less likely to notice unexpected events) and, thus, should be addressed by legislation.device driver bewilderment is a definite problem in terms of its impact on safety. National Highways Traffic condom Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 25 percent of traffic accidents involve at least some degree of doubt on the operators part, although only a small fraction of these involve the use of cellular phones. (Dreyer et al p. 1814)Driver distraction is a long-standing concern, one that has been debated for more than 90 years.