Thursday, May 10, 2007

PROPOSAL TEXT MESSAGING WHILES DRIVING

Social Campaigns: Changing Attitudes on Text Messaging and Driving through Long Vacation Camps, a Case Study of Phoenix, Arizona.

Introduction:

Several factors account for road accidents in Phoenix, Arizona. Among the major causes of road accidents are bad and dilapidated roads, drunk driving, recklessness, and lately the use of cell phones and the installation of such gadgets as DVD’s in cars. Technology and the influx of mobile phones has been a mixed blessing. Cell phones can be used for many purposes including instances of traffic emergency, calling for help when deemed necessary, and being able to get in touch with acquaintances with ease. However, the misuse of cell phones during driving has led to many fatalities in Phoenix. The state of Arizona is one of the states in the US that has made major strides in stemming the tide. For instance in her article captioned Proposal would ban texting while driving which appeared in the Arizona Republic on January 24th 2007, Jessica Coomes points out that as a first step to limiting and regulating technology in cars that has the tendency to distract drivers and cause accidents, a group of bi-partisan lawmakers has also cautioned drivers not be tapping out text messages on cell phones while they are on the road.
In this Social Campaigns proposal, the youth of Phoenix would be the main target since they are the backbone of the state’s future development. For the purpose of this research, ‘youth, students and adolescents’ would be used interchangeable to refer to the subject under discussion. Youth can be defined as all young persons, female and male, aged 12-30. Adolescence on the other hand is defined chronologically as people aged 10-19. Adolescence therefore is a period between childhood and adulthood.

Theoretical and Methodological Influences.
In coming out with this research questions and deciding on methodology, I have been informed by a body of research that others have undertaken on social camps and enter-educate (entertainment education). The main focus of this study is Text Messaging and Driving involving youth/adolescents. Long Vacation Camp revolves around life-skill development, and aim to address several issues related to peer pressure, and youth well being.
Linking directly to Bandura’s social cognitive theory which indicates that individuals learn new behaviors by observing and imitating the behavior of role models, the participants through interactions with both project staff and peers, have the opportunity to explore the dangers of text messaging whiles driving. In addition, since personal communication networks, defined as individuals, family, friends, and colleagues, which also have a great influence on the process of behavior change, I will draw on the works of Singhal and Rogers (2002) to study the entertainment aspect of the Camps activities during when very young popular artistes are invited to make performances. This brings together other students who serve as role models and use their experience and knowledge to impact on these young adolescents. Since students tend to adopt information from their peers and have interactions among related group members, these artistes and role models are used to information centering on a wide variety of issues to their colleagues and peers. Among the key point that the camp seeks to address are the prevalence of mobile phones use by young drivers, the impact of text messaging while driving on accidents and the role driver education and legislation in reducing risks.
Research Site- Phoenix, Arizona
Why Phoenix?
Phoenix is one of the cities in the USA that has a diverse population. Sharing a common border with Mexico, and due to good weather temperatures, a lot of people migrate to settle here. In addition having been a resident of Phoenix for about 2 years and an occasional offender of the issue under discussion, I am aware of the issues that the youth face with regards to driving and text messaging. And most especially since there is no recreational activities in the city, the youth pulsates with almost anything from nightclubs to cinema houses and theaters.
Research Methodology
I hope to explore ethnographic approach in this research work where I will concentrate on the students who will attend the Long Vacation Camp. Even though my background as a resident of the city, counts to a large extent in the outcome of the research, I hope to use “optimal ignorance” and “distance myself from the research object as well as to consider my relationship to it”. I shall have to be careful so that my emersion in the setting will not affect the ‘backyard’ research that I am conducting.
Data Collection.
Many techniques are employed to collect data in social research. To arrive at ones’ questions, the researcher must go to the field. Data collection is one of the crucial and tricky stages in conducting ethnographic research. Improper data collection techniques often lead to difficulty in analyzing the data, as well as rendering the final research, unwholesome. The researcher has a lot of choices at his disposal. However, ‘the important point is to use an appropriate method or methods to collect data in a particular situation. It is however important that the researcher uses a combination of data collecting techniques (triangulation) in order that all aspects of the objects would be catered for.
With these in mind and the fact that I seek to do justice to the research, I shall combine the most commonly used ethnographic research data collecting techniques, thus questionnaire, direct and participant observation, interviewing, focus group discussion, and narratives. Since all the above listed are primary data collection techniques, I will also make use of secondary sources from the internet or other publications.
Budget.
The camp is going to span a period of one month through which time it is hoped that the mindset of the youth with regards to driving and sending text messages would be shaped toward a more responsible and acceptable way. The camp is going to be free for all participants. This implies that a 100 percent solicitations of funds from benevolent associations and individuals. It is estimated that about $20000 would be required for the camp to run successfully.
Conclusion.
As a tool for social change the Long Vacation Camp will use participatory communication interspersed with entertainment to educate the youth’s driving behaviors among other things. In addition, it serves as the best avenue to offer counseling service to the adolescents who at their age are faced with a lot of challenges. The outcome of the research will therefore serve as a base and reference point for the state government and other well meaning organizations interested in youth wellbeing to provide related services and intervention to help reduce if not completely eradicate the issue of life loss due to driving and text messaging. This therefore calls for multi approach to this issue. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations, religious organizations, youth advocacy groups, parents and families alike are all to partake in this campaign.
Suggested education over legislation as the key to increasing responsible use of mobile phones. There is the need to increase driver education, particularly for adolescents and learner drivers by adhering to existing laws and some common sense practices, young drivers can make safe use of their hands free mobile phones while enjoying the substantial public safety and personal security benefits they provide.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

commercials

watching a tv show and paying attension to the commercials i think was one of the coolest things i have ever done. Not that i dont watch them but this time paying attension to it i taught was very awesome. I like watching days of our lives alot its on nbc at one in the afternoon i found out that the program had over fifty different commercials but the one i did enjoy was Mrs butter worths commercial a kid from the sixties.seventies,eighties taught she was really cool and that she tasted so good but here comes a 2007 kid asking for proof from the talking bottle he goes "mrs butter worths its 2007 and am going to need some proof" and she answered see how thicker i am than the other leading brands he said that is pretty cool for a talking bottle then he literally ponches her on the hands that shows how the world is changing even little kids of the days asking for proof before they can agree on something. The commercials other students sared in class was also very neat but i loved the once on bud light i think they were great as well and i now know how strong commercials affect the consumptions of products

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

TEXT MESSAGING WHILES DRIVING

It is already too bad to talk on a cell phone or watch a movie on a portable DVD and also to read books whiles driving. There has been series of accidents on this issue over the past years where people had to even lose their lives but these days it looks like the worst of them all is to text message and drive. I think that is one of the worst things that any human being could ever do.
The one thing that borders me the most is that what is there to talk about that can’t wait until a person reaches their destination. Text messaging demands a lot of concentration, thus one wants to make sure that all spellings are correct as much as to make sure you are sending it to the right person which is a serious thing because when one takes his or her eyes of the road for a second a lot happens. During my research I realized one major thing, which is the victims of these incidents, said was that they took their eyes off the road for just a second and only come around again to realize they have been involved in an accident.
The articles I read were really heartbreaking. Teenagers were the most offenders in this menace but I was very surprised to see some adults caught on cameras sending text messages. This is indeed very ridiculous since I taught adults knew best. At stop lights people can text and wouldn’t even realize that it’s green so they have to leave. It is amazing that even if people honk at them some drivers don’t hear and others have to shout at them to move.
Some states and little towns have already made laws about them but others don’t seem to care so much about the laws and just break them. Others have already proposed them but its not yet official but lets look at it this way. Text messaging and driving is just like drinking and driving. It takes your mind of what you are doing and so the fine for DUI should be exactly as texting and driving. I found out almost half of the accidents on our roads have got to do with cell phone use and most of them were people trying to text message.
New Hoosier , Enough is Enough, 30/03/07.
An article by New Hoosier 1 and posted on 3/30/07 has it that most responsible people disagree with driving whiles text messaging, however not all the people who drive are responsible. Most people drive and eat, change CD’s, read, smoke or watch DVD’s. Text messaging whiles driving has taken a different dimension and this has a concern for other road users and stakeholders. For instance, a study conducted by Nationwide Mutual Insurance that was released this year found that 19% of all drivers — and 37% of drivers between the ages of 18 and 27 — text message behind the wheel. This implies these folks drive with their knees, which has implications for unnecessary road accidents.
Frederick Roberts, New Jersey Considering Driver Text Messaging Ban 03/27/07
In this article, the author makes it clear that even though New Jersey’s law prohibits driving and cell phone use, police cannot pull a suspect over. Rather, a person can be pulled over for using a cell phone to send text messages whiles driving. This shows the extent to which emphasis has been put on driving and text messaging. The worst offenders in this phenomenon are young people. For example in Trenton (NJ) authorities are considering banning all drivers from using their cell phones to send text messages after research found out one in five drivers send text messages whiles driving, and one in three among the 18 to 24 age groups are drivers 2.
Susan Koeppen, Driving While Texting: A Clear Danger, New York, 11-22-2006
Koeppen makes it succinctly clear that driving whiles under the influence is one of the major causes of road accidents. However, the issue of DUI is just one thing. But deliberately allowing yourself to get distracted through applying make up, watching DVD, or talking on your cell phone is another canker to society. She adds a new dimension to this aspect of cell phone use whiles driving which is text messaging. The distractive nature of text messaging whiles driving is what Koeppen lays bare when she writes of a teenager who was involved in accident whiles driving and text messaging "I couldn't swerve my car, I couldn't move it, because he was just too close," Sims recalls. "There was nothing I could do to possibly stop the car accident from happening."3
Text Messaging and Driving: A Lethal Combination, Abclocal.go.com
This article presents facts and figures on the worst offenders of text messaging and driving who are mainly composed of teens. It also presents other scenarios where as a result of text messaging and driving, there has been a drastic increase in lane violation. This is due to the fact that an individual does not pay close attention whiles driving and as a result weaves accros lanes. The interesting aspect of this article is that it offers a very staright forward advice to parents to make sure their teens either use the cell phones or cars, and never both. 4
Lubrano, Alfred, Kids Texting Away Behind the Wheel, Associated Press, 03-05-07
What is interesting about Alfreds article is the fact that he attacks teens in no small measure branding them as ‘perpectual freedom-seekers busting around in freedom-bestowing machines’ as though teens are the worst offenders of driving and text messaging. This is perhaps no studies have yet been made to find out if adults indulg in this bad way of conducting life. 5
Davis Andrews, Texting and Driving Don’t Mix. 03-23-07
The caption of this article is more than enough to send the signal to offenders and would be offenders about the dangers associated with texting and driving. The author quotes a respondent who thinks not crushing her car whiles talking on her cell phone is enough indication that she is so far doing excellent. But police say driving whiles text messaging is more dangerous than talking on the cell phone since a persons attention is usally on what they are writing. 6
Zwillich Todd, Survey: Teens, Driving Distracted, Fast, Emotions of Teenage Drivers Play a Role in Dangerous Driving Behaviors, 01-25-07.
In this article, the author indicates that teens are not only distracted by cell phone and other factors, but by other passengers as well. These passengers are usually other teens in the car that may encourage their friends to speed. In addition, the article tells that teen’s emotions at any given time may play a significant role in their driving behaviors.7
Coomes Jessica, Proposal would ban texting while driving, The Arizona Republic, Jan. 24, 2007.
The state of Arizona is one of the States in the country that is making extra efforts to regulate and limiting technology in cars that has the tendency to distract drivers and cause accidents. As a first step, the article states that a group of bi-partisan lawmakers has cautioned drivers not be tapping out text messages on cell phones while they are on the road8.
St Auggie Boogie, Driving whiles texting crack down in Arizona, 01-29-07
This is an article by a habitual offender of text messaging whiles driving who vehemently admits to this offence. According to him, he hardly ever resist texting a buddy when he can’t race through traffic to the grocery shop or when he can’t find the directions to a place he is going. According to him, he can’t phantom why he would do a thing like that, yet he does it. 9
Send a text message while driving, go to jail.
This article, which was retrieved from www.gizmodo.com, 10 is possibly the one that has the harshest undertone. The article tells how tough Singapore is not just on driving whiles talking on a cell phone, but also on text messaging whiles driving. According to the article, violators can be fined up to $570 and six months in jail.




1 http://newhoosier.wordpress.com/2007/03/30/drvng-n-txtng/
2http://www.tgdaily.com/index.php? option=com_content&task=view&id=31362
3 http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/22/earlyshow/contributors/susankoeppen/main2205559.shtml
4 http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=children_first&id=4520886
5 http://www.startribune.com/484/story/1033070.html
6 http://wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6272479
7 http://www.webmd.com/content/article/131/118091?src=RSS_PUBLIC
8 http://www.azcentral.com/specials/special12/articles/0124text24-ON.html
9 http://blogs.staugustine.com/node/35
10 http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/tag/send-a-text-message-while-driving-go-to-jail-7110.php?mail2=true

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Research

Text messaging whiles driving has been something that bothers me so much. I taught it was going to be very difficult to find anything on it since it wasnt a lot of people that do it and that it was usually the teenagers. it was very surprising the number of articles i could come up with, then i had to choose and also narrow the topic since it wasnt just teenagers but adults as well some even uses thier lap tops whiles driving. some states, cites and little towns have already made laws about this lunatic behavior since i found about eight to ten cases of death due to this.
During the eresearch i encountered a lot of problems, some being that it was about thousands of articles to choose from and the others to find out if all those sites were reliable to be able to analyse and evaluate all the ten i chose was a little tidious too all in all i taught it was fun it made me learn a lot and i got to know that i wasnt the only person that texting and driving bothered

Monday, March 26, 2007

REVIEW DAY

on january 30th was a review day in class. I prayed that my essay wouldnt be pulled and lo and behold it wasnt i was the happiest girl on earth even though it was really difficult for me to write the papper by the end of the day i could figure out alot of stuff which made it a lot easier for me to go about my papper. The most important of them was the comment a lot of the students were giving it reaiil made it a lot easier.
The essays used were a lot similar to what i was writting about if i hadnt be in class that day i dont see how i was going to write the papper because he read through them line by line and every one commented on it.

REVIEW DAY

on january 30th was a review day in class. I prayed that my essay wouldnt be pulled and lo and behold it wasnt i was the happiest girl on earth even though it was really difficult for me to write the papper by the end of the day i could figure out alot of stuff which made it a lot easier for me to go about my papper. The most important of them was the comment a lot of the students were giving it reaiil made it a lot easier.
The essays used were a lot similar to what i was writting about if i hadnt be in class that day i dont see how i was going to write the papper because he read through them line by line and every one commented on it.