Monday, March 21, 2005

Teens should drive now, talk later

The state of Illinois is considering passing a law that would ban use of a cell phone while driving by anyone younger than 18 years old. Driver's education teachers routinely teach their students that they need to keep their full attention on the road. There are so many new skills needed by young drivers and so many demands on their attention that any unnecessary distraction should be avoided. I hope that this bill passes and is signed into law. If we teach our new drivers to get used to driving without cellphones, maybe they will continue that good habit later in life.

Drivers should allow calls to be picked up by voicemail while driving, and they should pull over before initiating any calls. Anything else takes the driver's full attention away from controlling a 2,000+ lb. battering ram being propelled at high speeds down the road mere inches away from other vehicles, buildings and even pedestrians. The slightest error can irrevocably change or end lives in an instant. If this doesn't deserve your full attention, what does?

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