The Results of One Mind-Boggling Session in the Computer Lab. No, wait. It was a torturous hour...

1. Summary

Article: Deaf to the World

A research has been carried out to test whether youngsters absorbed in cellphones or music players face greater risk of accidents on the road. The results showed that this is true.

First of all, cellphones and music players distract road users’ attention. Studies showed that sending messages while driving reduced reaction time by 35 percent. This amount of time could easily determine whether an accident would occur.

Secondly, such devices can render a pedestrian or a driver oblivious to his or her surroundings. These devices silence almost 100 percent of ambient noises, leading to the possibility of accidents.

97 Words

2. Commentary

Title: Devices of Mass Distraction

Have you ever had the experience of listening to your MP3 player while walking on a pavement, only to turn around and be shocked to notice that a bicycle was coming in your direction? Or have you ever crossed the road while typing an SMS, only to be jolted back to your sense when an angry car horn was sounded at you by a car which had narrowly avoided hitting you?

Well, I have had such unpleasant experiences before. Back then, I used to dismiss myself as being simply ‘ignorant’. But a few days ago, a frightening realization hit me: I might have gone through a lot worse if I were not so lucky.

The word ‘unlucky’ here of course would refer to the many road accidents that happen frequently in Singapore, many of which had cost lives. However, the issue on whether road users should be banned from using handphones or music players would be a more complex issue than being plainly lucky or unlucky.

Personally, with reference to my experiences, I agree that road users should be barred from using handphones and music players on the road. Despite the fact that such precautions could cause much inconvenience to many road-users, the fact that such distractions can cost lives comes as a stern reminder that we perhaps should reconsider using these devices while travelling on the road.

There are many reasons why handphones and music players should be banned from the road. First of all, devices such as handphones and music players distract the road users’ attention from the road. The RAC Foundation, a British non-profit organization, found that sending messages and driving simultaneously reduced reaction time by 35 percent. This 35 percent could mean the difference between life and death in the event of an accident.

As such, let us think for a moment: If such distractions were eliminated, how many accidents would have been avoided? How many lives would have been spared from these accidents?

Secondly, devices such as noise-cancelling earphones can silence up to 100 percent of ambient noises. This would mean that people wearing such earphones would be oblivious to their surroundings in their sense of hearing, probably leading to them either being unable to react in time to an oncoming threat such as a speeding vehicle, or rendering them unaware of their situation at all. In the event that the driver is unable to steer the vehicle away from the pedestrian in time, an accident would almost certainly occur.

However, many commuters have argued that if they were barred from using these devices on the road, they would be unable to receive updates and reply to them, especially if these updates are emergencies. For example, if they do not answer their company’s boss’ call, they might make their bosses angry, and in face of the recent economic regression, it might give a reason for a boss to sack a worker.

Others also argue that there would be much inconvenience for them. For example, if a spouse has asked a commuter out for dinner, a difference of a few minutes in answering them could mean the difference between a secured relationship and drifting away. This might be something that such commuters regret doing.

However, how would these commuters answer given the stone-cold truth that they run an increased chance of endangering not only their own lives but also of other commuters? Have these selfish people not realized that such accidents have not only caused the involved parties great pain, but their family members have also suffered along with them? As such, such small inconveniences would not be comparable to that of lives being lost.

In conclusion, although barring these devices can cause much inconvenience for commuters, the fact that many accidents would be reduced, thus leading to many lives being saved is not an undeniable fact.

After all, if you did manage to avoid an accident in time, wouldn’t you be grateful?

657 Words