7/29/15
Principles of Public Speaking
Why banning the use of cell phones while driving should be mandatory nationwide
Specific Purpose: I want to persuade my audience to stop using their cell phones

while driving a vehicle because it is extremely irresponsible and dangerous. Central Idea:
Using a cell phone while driving is dangerous to yourself and others on the road and is one of the top reasons for car accidents. Attention Grabber: Play Youtube video. Now many of us see these type of commercials everyday, the problem is most of us think that something like this could never happen to us. Maybe you think you are a really great driver or a really great texter and that allows you to do both driving and texting or playing on your phone at the same time. Well sorry to break it to all of you, but it is just not possible. Introduction I.
In our technologically advanced world that we live in today, cell phones are

at the center of our lives. Not Only do they keep us in contact with each other, but

they also serve as a form of entertainment.

II.
The great majority of people are constantly on their cell phones, whether

they are at work, at home or even while they drive.

III.
Today, I would like to persuade all of you to stop using your cell phones

while performing the important task of driving. Not only will it save your life, but

also the lives of others around you.

IV.
The mayor of Clemson said, he was so scared by the dangers of texting on the

road that he had to take the first step, and the law was unanimously passed and put

in to effect in June 2010 according to Russ Bradley on February 16, 2010 on Count

on News. As you can see, this topic directly affects all of us and that is why it is so

important to me that we take this law seriously while in Clemson or not.

V.
I am going to show you how texting and driving is portrayed in the media,

and also science’s stance on texting and driving and the statistics that are involved with it. (Let’s first take a look at how texting and driving is portrayed in the media) Body 1.
According to an article done by Larry Copeland on March 8,

2010 published in USA TODAY, there was a teenage girl by the

name of Mariah West who, like many of us, was an extremely

devoted texter.

a.
She was so good that she could text at dinnertime under the

table, without anyone noticing. All of her friends had seen her

texting and driving, they tried to warn her that it was dangerous.

She just did not seem to think so. Yet her luck ran out.

b.

The day before graduation, she was headed to a Minor League

Baseball game texting one of the players she was going to see, she

lost control of her car. Mariah passed away that day, the last text

she received was “Where U at?”.

c.
Mariah’s story help start a campaign by AT&T about texting

and driving, the theme of it is, no text is worth dying over.

d.

Many of you have seen the graphic commercials for this

campaign; here is an example of one of a milder one.

This video is from youtube.com and was added

i.

on June 15, 2010. Cue youtube video

This video was made by Mariah’s mother wit the

ii.

help of AT&T. How many more lives need to be taken by careless texting and driving before we take it seriously? Just remember, that this could happen to any of us! Transition: If