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INTRODUCTION

Cell phones have been found to have many benefits although there is some anxiety about their safety. We all know how cell phones can be annoying at times, but, they can be a great source of security. Many people have cell phones. They are so popular because they can be carried from place to place. Cellular phones were originally for cars only. Now that technology has evolved we are able to carry around small and compact phones. Some car phones are installed permanently in the car. The car phone would draw power from the vehicle's battery. Others are portable and powered by the car's cigarette lighter or by an internal rechargeable battery.

The proc and cons

We are not certain if cell phones have a negative impact on driving safety. None of the experts dispute that finger dialing and hand-held phones momentarily distract drivers. The driver must have the ability to concentrate first and foremost on driving. Many argue that coffee mugs, CD players, radio-even car fax machines, and computers can cause equal or worse distractions for drivers. The question I how responsible is the individual behind the wheel. The risk of being involved in traffic accidents while using cell phones was nearly four times that of the average driver. Using a hands free phone is equally as hazardous as a normal cell phone. Also, it is hard to prove that using a cell phone is dangerous. Advances in technology have lad to voice recognition phones. These types of phones may be a helpful tool in making the roads safer. When the car phone first appeared, some police officials worried that drivers using them would not pay attention to the road and would get into accidents; In fact, the phones have slightly made roads safer. "The point," said Master Sgt. John Duley, of the Connecticut State Policy, "is to drive safely."

Cell phones are everywhere in the world, just look around. There are more than 50 million cell phone subscribers in the U.S. alone. In 1994, 16 million Americans subscribed to cell phone services. Today more than 110 million Americans are subscribers. By 2005, experts predict world-wide subscribers will reach 1.2 billion people. That many people with cell phones driving and talking at the same time will make there be less concentration on the road. Although in 1990, the AAA Foundation for traffic safety reported there is no evidence that the use of car phones poses a hazard to the motoring public. In 1997, the New England Journal of Medicine published perhaps the most thorough study of this issue to date. The study monitored approximately 700 cell phone users in Ontario, Canada during a 14-month period in 1994 and 1995. That study made the hands free law all the more controversial. Also, did you know cell phone users grew by 1685% and traffic accidents went down by 17% from 1985 to 1986?

Of course, having a cell phone gives you a peace of mind. Children with cell phones are more in touch with their parents. They know where they're at and what they are doing. Seventy-percent of people say they wanted cell phones for personal safety. Other than personal safety cell phones can also prevent crimes. It is also proven particularly useful to women driving alone. An example for personal safety is if I was somewhere and no one knew where I was, I could use a cell phone to get a ride or tell my location. That situation has happened to me before.

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