“A student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison spent 90 days technology-free. He went without a cellphone, Facebook, Twitter or any social media of any kind. And you know what really improved? His driving!”
That was a recent Jay Leno line. It was funny because it’s well within the realm of ironic truth.
What’s not funny is the deadly serious subject it parodies. Cell phoning and driving. It’s a subject of legitimate lampoon–until someone is injured or killed by a technologically distracted driver, which, of course, has happened. And that’s why 35 states now ban some form of phone use and driving. Alas, Florida is one of the unfazed 15.
Heretofore, even text messaging while driving, a manifestly obvious, accident-waiting-to-happen scenario, has eluded Florida state legislators presumably charged to look out for the rest of us. For what it’s worth–and it should be worth a lot–U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has publicly called out Congress to enact a national ban against texting while driving. It’s that serious; it’s that necessary.
But for now, it’s still up to the states. However, something could change in this Tallahassee session. Legislators are well aware of public sentiment, with polls showing seven in 10 voters in favor of banning text messaging while driving.
And yet.
If House Speaker Dean Cannon is a barometer of ideological sentiment, this is certainly no “gimme” vote for common sense. In fact, a somewhat diluted text-ban bill has been stalled in the House for a while. The Speaker says such a ban would infringe on personal freedom and be tough to enforce. “I’ve got personal liberties concerns,” said Cannon, a very poor man’s Patrick Henry.
And here’s the less-than-laissez faire take of Rep. Brad Drake, House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee chairman: “There are bad things that occur all over this world,” reasoned Drake, “and the government will never be able to solve all those behaviors.”
Thanks for nothing.
Put it this way. It’s been proven that drivers are better off drunk than electronically distracted when it comes to behind-the-wheel awareness. That’s how scary–and urgent–this issue is.
Right now it’s enough to drive voters to drink.