HE N RTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY April 2, 2008 • Volume 106, Issue 8 • The voice of NSU students, by NSU students NSU Exponent Stall for a Better Something: Krikac Hall 101 Meet the Band Newsroom: 605-626-2534 See pages 10-11. See page 4. Advertising: 605-626-3378 Photo courtesy of Sports Information. Fax: 605-626-2599 Photo by Exponent Staff. Email: [email protected] Not texting while driving saves lives, reduces accidents Katy Hilton are four times more likely to have a Danielle Nickolas crash that results in a hospital stay, Campus Reporters according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. t is rare to go anywhere these As reported by livescience.com, a days without seeing study in 2005 found that an 1 someone driving while estimated 2,600 deaths and talking or texting on his or her cell 330,000 injuries happen every year phone. According to the Cellular as a result of drivers being Telecommunications and Internet distracted because of their cell Association, more than 254 million phones. people subscribed to wireless The site also states that a 20- communication networks as of something-year-old driver using a February 2008, compared to 1990 cell phone was equivalent to a 70- when there were a mere 4.3 million something-year-old driver not subscriptions. using a cell phone. The use of cell phones has Cell phones cause drivers to have increased drastically in recent years. a slower break time and are also Cell phones have become a slower to accelerate after stopping, necessity for adults, teens and even therefore causing traffic to back up. young children. Once convenient Cell phones are a prime source of for "just in case" purposes and communication for many college emergency situations, cell phones students and with the busy lifestyle have now become self-reliant, that seems to accompany this, handy objects that give the user making a call while driving from various options to pass time. They one destination to the next is not have features such as games, music, uncommon. pictures, videos and short message "My cell phone is my only phone service (SMS), also known as text since I do not have a landline," said messaging. senior Jennie Fletcher, Ainsworth, According to communities- Neb. "I use my cell phone dominate.blogs.com, an estimated frequently throughout the day." It is estimated that an average of 2.8 trillion text mesages are sent each year. Ten percent of drivers between the ages 2.8 trillion text messages are sent in According to a study done by the of 16 and 24 use cell phones while driving. In 2005, 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries occurred as a result of drivers a year's time. This averages out to National Highway Traffic Safety being distracted because of using cell phones. Several states have currently banned the use of cell phones while driving. be eight billion text messages sent Administration (NHTSA), 10 six in 10 drivers support a ban on phone use while driving, I think cell phone hand-held or hands-free per day or 92,000 text messages percent of drivers between the ages wireless phone use while driving that it would be the only way for me were slower to brake when stopping sent every second on an average of 16 and 24 use cell phones while (57 percent). There are currently not to talk or text while driving." and were more likely to rear-end the day. driving. Within this same age fifteen states including Minnesota "I think the hands-free devices car ahead of them. There are many distractions that group, motor vehicle crashes are the and Nebraska who have enacted are a great accessory for cell phone The amount of cell phone drivers face on the road, including leading cause of death. laws that prohibit anyone under the use while driving. I don't find the subscriptions and the number of such things as the radio, scenery Vulnerability within this age group age of 18 from using cell phones use of a cell phone while driving U.S. citizens using them increases and passengers. However, cell might lead one to believe that while driving. distracting as long as the driver still everyday. With numbers increasing phones rank among one of the measures should be taken in order "I think using your cell phone pays attention," Fletcher said. every year, the risks that come with highest distractions and are to prevent cell phone related while driving can be very While some people feel that cell phone usage while driving becoming a likely source for accidents from occurring. distracting, but I still use it when I hands-free devices for cell phones increases as well. Drivers are asked accidents. In accordance to a study done by drive," said sophomore Paige help the driver to be less distracted, to be precautious and think of Studies have shown that drivers the NHTSA about initiatives to stop Paulson, Clark. "If a law was passed WebMD Medical News reported in others when using cell phones while who use a cell phone while driving cell phone use when driving, about in South Dakota prohibiting cell a 2006 survey that drivers using a driving. NSU Students give time and effort over spring break Exponent Staff Seeklander, Estelline, traveled to day working at their donations the same shelter in 2007 as part of center. The group was there for five ach spring break, many an Alternative Spring Break days and while they were there they students chose to go on Program. Hope Campus is the first visited the Grand Canyon, the E vacation to warm Alternative Spring Break location Arizona Science Museum and went destinations. While there, they lay that a group at NSU traveled to two hiking at Camelback Mountain. on the beach, sit back and relax. years in a row. They intended to "The alternative break trips are Other students choose to give their finish work they had started last useful, not just for providing time to those less fortunate. This year. volunteer opportunities and fun year was no exception. The mission at Hope Campus activities on spring break, but also This year, the Volunteer Service was to get the building ready for its for creating useful skills to use later Clearinghouse gave students five opening. The building needed to in life, an opportunity to make new choices of destinations where they have beds available by Friday, friends and challenging yourself to could travel and really make a March 21, which was the last day do more," Ruehle said. difference in the lives of others. the workers were there. Bay St. Louis, Mississippi Phoenix, Arizona Throughout the week, the group A total of eleven students Four students from Northern did things like sweep, mop and traveled to Bay St. Louis, Miss as State University (NSU) traveled to clean construction dust off of part of an alternative spring break. Phoenix, Ariz., to work at the fixtures, beds and bathrooms. They Senior Eric Christy, Aberdeen, was Sojourner Center, a domestic cleaned out storage rooms, built the group leader. The group spent violence shelter. The trip was part dressers, put linen in all of the five days in Mississippi and while of an Alternative Spring Break. The rooms and rearranged the set-up of they were there they transformed two site leaders, junior James each room. The group also spent See Alternative spring Students who traveled to Phoenix, Ariz., on an Alternative Spring Break trip Ruehle, Lake Park, Iowa, and half of a day working at the shelter's helped clean a building at Hope Campus by sweeping, mopping, dusting, graduate student Ashley childcare center and another half- break: Page 3 cleaning bathrooms and preparing beds. News 2 Wednesday, April 2, 2008 News Exponent Snow falls on first day of spring Students enjoy CAB Events Exponent Staff Earth, the solstices also mark the That is, once you also take the Exponent Staff Board (CAB) held a Luau Dance longest and shortest days of the moon into consideration. from 9 p.m. to midnight. or the students who were year, according to the amount of After the spring equinox, there ll year, college students Approximately 130 students were lucky enough to stay in daylight they receive. But if June 21 has to be a full moon before the look for fun and in attendance and Penny Mounga F Aberdeen over spring is the longest day of the year, and celebration of Easter. Therefore, Ainexpensive activities to was the DJ. break, they were able to welcome Dec. 21 is the shortest day of the Easter is always the first Sunday fill their free time. Luckily for "We had a really good turn out," the first day of spring in an exciting year, why do they mark the after the first full moon in spring. Northern State University students, said Hayley Spitzer, Hot Springs. way: with a shovel and a bag of salt. beginning of their respective The last time Easter was this the Campus Activities Board (CAB) She also said that CAB wanted to do March 21 did not seem to be very seasons? early was in 1913, so this is the provides them with free events something to celebrate the arrival "spring-like" to the citizens of the The temperature of the oceans earliest anyone living today under throughout the year. of spring, which is why they chose Hub city. Aberdeen received nearly can explain this anomaly. Because the age of 95 has ever celebrated Bowling Night the luau. 11 inches of snow to ring-in the these large bodies of water warm Easter.