Question

in a debate focused specifically on the topic of whether new laws are needed to prevent distracted driving, the following argument is made. which type of special appeal does it demonstrate?
\my opponent is correct—distracted driving is very dangerous. many activities—texting, talking on the phone, looking at maps, eating breakfast—all of these contribute to accidents. yes, we have statistics to support that. however, my opponent is totally ignoring the role that improper and inconsistent maintenance of your vehicle can also have in causing accidents!\
a. false analogy
b. red herring
c. bandwagon
d. fallacy of argument from ignorance

Explanation:

A red herring is a fallacy that occurs when an irrelevant topic is introduced to divert attention from the original issue. In this case, the original topic is whether new laws are needed to prevent distracted driving. The speaker then brings up improper and inconsistent vehicle maintenance, which is an unrelated issue meant to shift the focus away from the main debate about distracted - driving laws.
A false analogy (A) would involve comparing two things that are not truly comparable. A bandwagon (C) is about appealing to popularity. A fallacy of argument from ignorance (D) is when something is claimed to be true because it hasn't been proven false (or vice versa). None of these fit as well as the red - herring.

Answer:

B. red herring